Deepwater Horizon is a movie that depicts the events that occurred on April 20, 2010 on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Due to this being a real life event, I will discuss and relate the events that occurred on that day to the issues that human beings should start talking about today. This movie shows how the attitudes of some greedy businessmen ruined the lives of many on this oil rig, as well as the terrible environmental impact that occurred due to one BIG mistake. I definitely recommend taking some time to do some research on what was one of the worst oil spills in U.S history.
It was the summer before sixth grade. My family and I went on a trip to Mexico, and in order to come back to San Francisco, we needed to fly from Mexico to Florida to Georgia and then to California. I don’t think that I completely knew the details of the oil spill then, but I remember when we were passing the Gulf of Mexico during the night, we could see lights everywhere in the water. I didn’t comprehend what the lights were for, so I just forgot about it. But when we went across the Gulf of Mexico again during the day time, I saw a lot of boats around a substance that did not look like water. People around me were all looking out the windows, and eventually, we all realized that this was the aftermath of an oil spill. These boats were all attempting to clean up the wreckage left behind by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.
Oil is a greatly desired resource that fuels both machines and the economy. It can help industrialize organizations and companies, but many people fail to realize the negative consequences that oil can bring about. If an oil spill ever occurs, it is disastrous for the surrounding environment. Take, for instance, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The spill occurred on April 20, 2010, and yet it is still not completely cleaned up because of how difficult it is to remove oil. This single spill destroyed the fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico due to all the poisoned oysters, fish, etc., and there are still many reports that state that the gulf has not returned to its once pristine state. Activists from all over the country contributed to the effort of cleaning the wildlife and surrounding environment after the spill, but even with their efforts, the long-lasting contamination will continue to have a detrimental effect on the surrounding area for years to come.
The oil industry is one that not every American supports. Sure, we need it to drive around in our cars, but we are an evolving society that is now turning to solar energy. People all around the globe are now realizing how harmful oil can be to our environments, and some have gone through many tiring efforts and long lengths to try to prevent oil digging from continuing around the globe. From the Keystone Pipeline to the Dakota Access Pipeline, people are rallying behind the environment in an effort to get their message across to the government that they no longer want to contribute to the harming of our land. One leak in a pipe can have lasting effects on the people, the animals, and the environment there. We are now in an era of environmental value and importance.
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill has had huge ramifications on America, with recent reports stating that this spill caused $17.2 billion worth of damage to the environment. Environmental organizations around the world, like the Sierra Club and 350.org, are still rallying millions of people—from activists to regular civilians—into realizing the true importance of protecting our natural environment. People must not only think of the present; society must learn to realize that though our current issues may seem minor, they can and will lead to environmentally disastrous events in the future. When a collective society comes together to try to solve an issue, we open ourselves up to many different opinions that may ultimately lead us to the best solution. We can not be closed minded and only think of temporary solutions. As a society, we must think ahead and try to develop an environmentally safe community bound together by the ideals of growth. Because in all honesty, without the many amenities that the environment provides, where would we be?
