House Debates Allowing Offshore Drilling

Right now, the House of Representatives is debating whether or not the ban should be lifted on offshore drilling. They plan to vote on this issue later today (Tuesday). If the ban is lifted, states would be given the option of allowing drilling between 50 and 100 miles from shore, and outside of 100 miles, everything will be fair game.

As gas prices have risen over the past few years, more and more people have been calling for offshore drilling. However, the reality of the situation is that this drilling will likely have a limited effect on our oil supply as a whole, and subsequent gas prices. If you don't believe me, check out this handy chart from ecogeek.org.

While offshore drilling won't have a big impact on prices, chances are much better that it will have a big impact on the environment, and it won't be a positive one. That is why many people in the House and around the country don't want to see this drilling allowed. The reward does not seem to be worth the risk.

Ultimately, more drilling is not the answer. If people are applying the adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it,"  to oil consumption, they are sadly mistaken. Looking at the price of oil, the inherently limited supply of oil, and the obvious effects of burning oil, it becomes clear that oil is simply not the answer for our future energy needs.