"For starters, let's be
clear about what we mean by 'saving the earth'. The globe doesn't
need to be saved by us, and we couldn't kill it if we tried. What
we do need to save is -- and what we have done a fair job of bollixing
up so far -- is the earth as we like it, with its climate, air,
water, and biomass all in that destructable balance that best supports
life as we have come to know it. Muck that up, and the planet will
simply shake us off, as it has shaken off countless species before
us. In the end, then, it's us we're trying to save -- and while
the job is doable, it won't be easy"
-- TIME Magazine Special Report
My overall mission as part of Team 4 is to evaluate
the various exploration and production strategies in a manner which
considers the impact of all human activities on the ANWR ecosystem.
This must include both direct human impact, impact of man made structures,
and long-term cummulative effects of all. My other team members
will be working with Teams 1, 5, and 6 to determine the ecosystem
requirements. I will be working with Team E directly, bringing in
information from my team members and my own research in an effort
to narrow down Team E's options to one "best" plan for
ANWR oil extraction
In order to make a substantiated argument for or against a particular
exploration or production strategy I will need to do some of the
following. These steps will be changing a little as the project
continues and I begin to realize the feasibility of each.