Offshore Drilling
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Offshore drilling is the process of extracting petroleum from below the sea floor. Not only do we need to be moving away from our reliance on fossil fuels in general, but this particular method can have lasting impacts for the environment, sea life, and the community.
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Quick facts:
-Seismic airgun blasting, the process used to find oil under the ocean, can be heard 2,500 miles away
-These blasts could injure as many as 138,000 whales and dolphins and disturb 13 million more
-Seismic blasts can displace fish and decrease catch rates, negatively affecting fisheries and the livelihood of those who depend on them
-Oil spills and other contamination issues can destroy the tourism and recreation industry
-Opposition has been expressed by every east and west coast governor
-NC's economically recoverable offshore oil and gas would only meet domestic demand for oil for 38 days and gas for 98 days...it's just not worth it!
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-Offshore wind would produce twice the number of jobs as offshore drilling in the Atlantic
-When oil and gas run out, so do those jobs, but with wind, it's endless!
-In 20 years, offshore wind would generate the equivalent of over half a billion barrels of oil more than all of NC's economically recoverable oil and gas
Check out a plethora of fact sheets provided through Don't Drill NC
Photos from Hands Across the Sand, an annual event dedicated to showing the metaphorical line we are drawing against detrimental offshore drilling practices.
