The Environmental Effects of the Oil Industry The worst imaginable environmental catastrophe that could occur in Maryland has just become a reality. The lifeblood of Southern Maryland's Watermen was forever affected. The Patuxtent River and Chesapeake Bay ecosystems have been irreversibly contaminated. The Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear accidents affected global ecosystems; but the Chalk Point oil spill has reached us here in Southern Maryland. The ethical considerations involved in generating electricity from fossil fuels, particularly oil, have a profound impact on us all. We all use electricity to make our lives easier and more productive. By using this electricity have we given our permission to the oil companies to have free rein to provide us with the service we ask for? Are we as responsible for the oil spill as the corporate leaders who run the companies? As citizens we are in a position to develop and enforce regulations to protect ourselves. We also protect the environment; or is the environment just something we can take advantage of? These and many other moral dilemmas exist for modern man. The global oil industry provides humanity with many life-enhancing products and services. At the same time, these technological advances challenge us with numerous ethical considerations. Electricity is one of the main products of the oil industry. We use oil to heat our homes and businesses. We use oil to produce electricity to also light our homes and businesses. Transportation is another advantage of oil. Of course, we all know that we use oil to run our vehicles, but that's not the only benefit. Oil is also used in combustion engines. The oil industry has...... middle of paper ...... demonstrated above that any identified group has the ability to supervise and control the operation of these facilities. Everyone can choose to pass the buck and blame someone else; or they can step up and take control. We all have an ethical responsibility to do what is right. We must protect the environment while ensuring human prosperity. The government is here for us, it works for us and we need to ensure it does what we want, not what is best for industry or big business. Cited work "Facts about Oil". American Petroleum Institute. Online American Petroleum Institute, October 21, 1999"Frequently Asked Questions." American Petroleum Institute. Online 1995-2000, American Petroleum Institute, 17 June 1998United States. Cong. Constitution of the United States of America. Washington: GPO 1999Beavers, Patsy. Telephone interview. October 2 2000