With no relief in sight, gas prices continue to hover around $3 a gallon.
Americans are struggling to find ways to conserve energy, yet vast amounts of oil are available in the North Slope of Alaska.
As a solution to the oil shortage, the Bush administration has proposed putting the entire North Slope up for lease for development. Unfortunately for oil companies eager to move in and start drilling, the area is also home to several rare species of migratory birds.
So what's more important: Preserving a natural habitat for a rare group of animals, or opening up a vast supply of oil? The answer isn't black and white.
The United States would certainly benefit from being less dependent on other nations for oil, and new developments would create jobs and boost the economy.
The argument could be made that there are technologies already available that would render oil obsolete, but switching from one medium to the next doesn't happen overnight.
Consumers continue to buy basic cathode-tube televisions, despite the advantages of HDTV. Dial-up Internet is still more inexpensive and accessible than broadband. Why would switching from oil to a different energy source be any different?
The infrastructure needed to move the oil is in place right now - The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline is only carrying about half its capacity. If a new, sure-fire energy source isn't available for 10 to 20 years, why not take advantage of technology that is already in place?
Still, the environment shouldn't take a backseat even during an energy crisis. One day, expensive gas prices will only be a memory, but protecting the environment is a long-term issue.
If development were to occur, the habitats destroyed might only seem like a drop in the ocean. Similar logic was probably used during every other industrial or technological development that resulted in wildlife being destroyed.
Natural resources don't replenish. Once oil is gone, it's gone for good - the same goes for the habitats from which the oil was drilled.
The United States needs to continue to look for new energy sources. Drilling for oil on the Northern Slope might be a good solution for a current problem, but somewhere down the road the quick fixes will run out.
