People and Oil
Underground
Are oil spills bad for the environment?
Yes!
Can people help clean up oil spills?
Yes!
Can birds fly after oil gets on their feathers?
No...but sometimes, if people clean them well enough, birds can fly again!
What is the name of the way people get oil?
Drilling
True or False: even when people clean up really well after an oil spill, oil can still be found under rocks 30 years later.
True.
Are people able to completely fix the environment after an oil spill?
No. People can help, but even after a cleanup, oil can stick around. Animals and the environment are also affected for years afterward.
True or False: Some animals stop having babies after oil spills.
True. A pod of orcas lost 15 out of 22 members. The rest of the orcas never had babies again, which means that the pod will die out one day.
Why do people want oil?
People need oil to drive cars, fly airplanes, and keep homes warm.
Oil drilling makes a lot of money which can help the economy and make some people rich.
Oil spills go into the water. Can they affect land and air, too?
Yes. After ruining the water, oil gets washed up on beaches, which affects the land. Oil also pollutes the air.
How can people stop oil spills BEFORE they happen?
People can try to change their lifestyles to use less oil.
Oil companies can have a plan in place to make sure oil spills are stopped as soon as possible.
The government can regulate oil companies and transportation.
Support environmentalists.
Oil spills harm animals on the outside (skin, fur, feathers, etc.) Can oil harm animals on the inside, too?
Yes. Animals usually try to clean themselves by licking off the oil. The oil can damage their organs when it gets inside.
Which people are affected by oil factories right on their land?
Native Americans. People often build oil factories right on Native American land without asking permission. This disrespects Native American cultures and can even make them sick.
True or False: If people do well enough cleaning up after an oil spill, then the ecosystem will go back to the way it was after a few years.
False. The environment will never be the same. The population of animals will change. Animals may go endangered or extinct and there will still be some oil left over, harming the environment.
True or False: Chemical cleaners that act like soap can be used to clean up after oil spills.
BOTH! Chemical cleaners can SOMETIMES be used with special permission from the National Ocean Service. Why? Because some chemicals help, some don't, and some are only helpful in small doses.
True or false: birds and mammals can't regulate their body temperature properly after being in an oil spill.
True. Oil messes up feathers and fur so that it doesn't protect an animal's skin the way it should.
Can oil drilling affect people who live far away from the factories?
Yes. Oil drilling causes pollution. Pollution harms the air we breathe, the food we eat, and harms the environment. This affects everyone!
210 million gallons
True or False: People can get rid of oil on the water by burning it.
True.
How do animal rescuers help birds and mammals that have oil on them?
Animal rescuers give animals several baths to get all the oil off. They also put them in warm, quiet places to rest for at least 2 days. Animal rescuers need special training to do this.