Economy or Environment?

 

 

           A big controversy that has recently started up involves the transport of oil from Canada to the US. The Keystone Pipeline is a pipe that can transfer oil from tar sands in Canada, to the gulf coast. Right now, the government is in the process of deciding if this should go through. If it passes, 800,000 barrels of crude oil will be transported to the US every day. The economic results from this oil trade would be very good. For an economy that has been struggling for years and suffering from high gas prices, this would definitely lower gas rates, as well as create jobs, overall improving the economy. This image displays the route the oil would take through the pipeline across the country. The other image is a play on that, expressing how much of a boost this would be for the economy because of how many more jobs it would create. It's true, putting this pipeline into use would help out the economy a lot. However, there is still a large amount of controversy about it with a huge resistance.
         While the economic aspects look tempting, the environmental repercussions are not as positive. The oil would be extracted from tar sand, which is a very dirty process. Basically, starting the transfer of oil from Canada using this method would be absolutely terrible for an already teetering environment. It would be adding insult to injury. Many scientists have hypothesized that if we continue treating the environment the way we are treating it now, an irreversible and severe climate change will take place in the near future. This pipeline certainly will not be helping. There is also the direct health threat to the indigenous people of Alberta, the area where the pipeline will start.
             For something so potentially helpful to the economy, but also clearly detrimental to the environment, is it worth it? Being "green" and earth-friendly (the use of alternative energy sources, buying earth friendly food/household items) has the connotation with being more expensive, which isn't very welcomed in today's economy. Both the issues of saving our environment and our economy are extremely important, but unfortunately by improving one, in turn the other one is frequently damaged. Do you think this oil transport should be carried through? What should we be focusing on right now, economy or the environment?