The Crude Truth

Repercussions of the BP oil spill in 2010 are still affecting the Gulf of Mexico. A recent study shows that many species of fish are experiencing lethal heart defects as a result of the oil spill. Economically important species of fish are dying off or have become to dangerous to eat. Fishers all over the gulf are still losing their jobs, and the damage to the ecosystem is detrimental. Such awful repercussions all for oil. What else has been expended just to gain oil?

While there are a multitude of companies and problems that have arisen because of oil, I believe a light needs to be shined on Chevron, and the damage they have caused in South America.

Recently in Ecuador, Chevron was found guilty for causing extensive damage to the Lago Agrio forest. Chevron was fined 18.2 billion.

While this was less than a month ago. The impact of oil companies in South America has been present for decades. The Lago Agrio area has been torn up and drilled since the early 90's. First by Texaco, then it was acquired by Chevron in 2000.

You may be wondering how the oil company got away with drilling there for over 20 years. Well the case against Texaco actually started in 1993. But the tribe that controlled the area received over 300,000 dollars worth of bribes. Also, with the use of strong legal teams, Chevron was able to deny the allegations made against them in court. They were finally able to reach a verdict because the case moved from american courts to an Ecuadorian court.

The plaintiffs of the case said that Texaco/Chevron "knowingly dumped... 17 million gallons of crude oil into the rain forest during its operations."

If the environmental problems weren't bad enough, thousands of villagers living in close proximity to the drill sites have been diagnosed with cancers and birth defects. Because of these oil drills, they have polluted all the water sources that the villagers depend on. Natives are forced to bath in and drink contaminated water because they can't get water from anywhere else. Also the contaminated water kills the crops that many of the natives make a living off of.

It seems to me that what some of these american corporations have done to other countries and other people is outrageous. The self intrest of the US drives them to do these economically profitable things but at the cost of destroying the environment, hurting foerign people, and bribing countries. Does this seem fair to you? What are other examples of America's self interest taking a toll on other people or countries?