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Bobby Schneider Oil Politics Kim Fortun Annotation #3: Crude   Oil is one of the United State’s most highly valued resources. It helps supply us with the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the food we eat, and the lives we live. However, oil is not always a positive contribution to society and while America begs for more oil, third world nations, such as Ecuador, are begging for less oil. . . a lot less. In fact the main goal of a 2009 film entitled __Crude: The Real Price of Oil__, directed by Joe Berlinger, is to present to the world the unfathomable devastation that this black gold can force upon a single, and for the most part, helpless region of Ecuador.   The main social actors and stakeholders in this film, not surprisingly, are of course the oil companies and the people who utilize oil on a daily basis. World governments also play a role for two reasons: not only do they bargain and fight for a continuous oil energy supply to their respected nations, but many countries also rely on the production, trade, and sale of oil for revenue and economic flow. When considering the lawsuits which occur in the film, the people of Ecuador in particular become key social actors in the events that play out. This movie provides proof that oil plays a massive role in the lives of every human being, regardless of whether people actually want it to or not.   The world’s dependence on oil can be defined by an endless list of materials, foods, medicines, equipment, and much more. Ecuador, however, is a diverse region full of varying landscapes that range from the busy and beautiful cities, to the mountainous terrain, to part of the Amazon Rainforest, but not all of these regions utilize oil. In the Pacific Coast region of Ecuador, oil helped to build the cities, lay the roads, produce the goods for sale, and played what may be considered the biggest role in establishing the major cities, which brings tourism to the country on a daily basis. When Texaco, also known as Chevron, first came to Ecuador, though there may have been some opposition, there was a sense of acceptance from the government because having an oil industry in the country would supply a new flow of revenue and profit to the nation. People in additional areas within Ecuador, including the Cofan people who are native to the Ecuadorean Rainforest, do not see oil as a life necessity, but rather a life destroyer. When Texaco left the region in 1992 and passed on the business to the state-owned Petroecuador, they unfortunately passed on the millions of gallons of oil and the environmental damage that it had caused as well. This pollution left the natives of the Ecuadorean Rainforest to suffer through countless health issues, fatalities, and a life of hardships previously unheard of within the region.   Though oil may bring light and life to some regions of the world, it can also leave other regions in deep dismay. When Texaco moved out of Ecuador, as previously stated, a large supply of personal and environmental damage stayed behind. From the start, the first problems could be seen: the “acts of injustice” such as deforestation, smoke, and frequent spills on roads and other land areas. Soon these spills began working their way down side streams and into the Aguarico River, the main water supply for the natives who use it for drinking, swimming, cleaning, and bathing. This in turn led to contamination of the local plants and animals who took in the water for energy, which ultimately forced the locals to relocate and move to what they hoped would be a less infected habitat. This river eventually leads into the ocean water which will only cause additional and perhaps larger scale problems in the future. Hundreds of waste pits, or toxic swamps, splash the landscape. These pits are literally pools oil and other waste materials or chemicals that were dumped by Chevron and have never seeped into the ground; it simply lingers on the surface. However, much more oil has in fact worked its way below the surface and mixed in with the mud and dirt to create an oily muck that is both messy and unhealthy. Many oil pits have also been covered with dirt and had houses built or crops planted on them. This unseen destruction beneath the surface can have two natural and detrimental impacts: either the oil will cause the plants to dry out and die, or the oil will infect plant life, as well as the animal life that feeds on the plants. Once humans drink the foul water and ingest these poisoned plants and animals the problems only get worse. Young babies, even a twenty day old new born, have suffered various skin problems and violent rashes which, despite Chevron claims that the rashes are due to poor sewage in the country, are believed to be connected to the oil. There were also a few reports of people dying shortly after consuming the tainted water supply, forcing everyone to wait for rainy days to catch water in bottles as it feel from the sky. Though many fall ill just from the water, in other cases people developed health concerns, such as leukemia and cancer, as well. One girl in particular, who had liver cancer, had to travel eighteen hours by bus to get to the hospital for treatment. As if the travel were not bad enough, the family also could not afford the $500 bill for each treatment, forcing the girl to work in order to help pay for her medicine. With hopes of earning some extra money, the family raised chickens with the intention of selling them, but unfortunately the chickens also drank the tainted, oil-polluted water and died. It is during situations like these that people such as the Cofan natives fear the greatest because having their homeland destroyed could spell disaster for their livelihood and future existence. Though cleanup lawsuits have been filed against Chevron for “unjust enrichment” of its operations, including a 30,000-person class action suit, a $27 billion battle was still in the process of being pended and no final settlement had been confirmed in the film. These events have shown just one example of how oil can drastically change an environment and the people that live in it. When people lose their rights to hunt, fish, and live, it suddenly becomes a problem bigger than just the oil companies; it becomes a problem for everyone.   In the eyes of the locals, especially the members of the Cofan group, Ecuador was beautiful before oil and it would be just as beautiful, if not even more beautiful, in a future without oil. In light of the legal suits that were going on, Vanity Fair created a “green magazine” to share with the world what has happened in Ecuador. In addition to this increased awareness and environmental conscientiousness, Trudie Styler and an organization known as Amazon Defense have worked to provide the affected regions with rain-catcher units and clean filtered water that is necessary for survival. The story opened with the words “we lived upon the river of rich clean waters,” life was about nothing more than “rituals and living freely in the jungle,” and people and animals roamed the region as they pleased. The newly elected President of Ecuador had gone out into the forests and experienced the pain and environmental massacre first hand. He, along with organizations such as Amazon Watch, have also vowed to make efforts to help restore the area to what it once was, in a time before oil intruded on the natural peace and serenity. A life without oil, for the Cofan people, would be one of utmost perfection and the natives could once again live according to the laws of nature, travel in eco-friendly ways such as canoeing or walking, and perhaps most importantly, be happy.   When viewing a film such as this, I seem to become absorbed in the more sensitive and personal aspects as opposed to the bigger picture. I was most compelled (though not in a positive way) by the physical damage and personal suffering that was felt within the film. It is not as if I can hear their thoughts or feel their pain, but based upon body language and witnessing what would be “a day in the life” of the people who have gotten the short end of the stick, I can begin to understand just how negatively oil can impact a life. The scenario with the young girl who developed cancer and had to not only work to help pay for her treatment, but also journey so far just to get medical aid was both upsetting and compelling at the same time. Knowing people who either have cancer or have died from cancer, I have heard stories about those people feeling sick or living in pain and there are times when they just cannot get up in the morning. Then, thinking about how this girl in a third world country had to work through her pain just to save herself I realized how strong people can be, even in times of incredible distress and grave circumstances. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Despite the amazing personal stories and interesting material presented throughout the film’s entirety, I was not compelled by the actions of Chevron whatsoever. The biggest problem I had with the company was its lack of respect for the area in which it was given a right to drill. If the government in Ecuador was kind enough to allow Chevron to operate within its borders, then should it not only seem fitting that Chevron show kindness in response by keeping the surrounding natural environment sanitary and livable? One might also assume that since a company as well-known as Chevron would want good business, it would take the necessary steps to ensure that problems such as those seen in Ecuador would not occur. I found it incredibly rude on Chevron’s behalf to even insinuate that Petroecuador was at fault for the pollution when it was a known fact that Petroecuador did not even operate in certain fields where oil pits were present. To knowingly do something wrong and then reject accusations of doing it, while also lying in legal battles simply to save money, is morally and ethically wrong and undoubtedly pathetic. New regulations need to be made so that the next time a company wants to sell its business to another company, inspections can be done beforehand. If people had gone out to overlook the land before Chevron turned the company over to Ecuador, then the oil pits would have been found and there would have been no question as to who was responsible for the mess. All in all, many people in this world have yet to learn how to act in a humane and respectable manner and that is something that most definitely has to change. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The film ends with a few events which imply that corrective action is on the way, but no actually changes are witnessed. For starters, the legal charges brought up against Chevron were in the pending process still, but it would probably be fair to assume that some money would come out of the case in favor of Ecuador. The President of Ecuador, after personally experiencing some of the environmental damage that has been done and becoming disgusted with lack of healthy drinking water, is working with volunteer organizations to help restore Ecuador’s natural beauty, resources, and culture. Unlike more developed nations where corrective action would be along the lines of constructing wind farms, installing solar panels, or driving hybrid cars, the solution for a place as desolate as the Amazon Rainforest is simply to leave well enough alone. By keeping oil out of the environment and restoring that area to what it once was, all that has to be done as far as physical recovery goes will be done. In the federal aspect of this story, the Ecuadorean government should personally establish more strict guidelines for the drilling process, the disposal of waste, and cleanup obligations, as well as setting up severe punishments or fines that will be received for failure to fully comply or meet with these new standards. If these fairly basic steps can be taken to tighten laws and regulations around the oil industry, then the odds of an event such as this ever happening again would be much lower or even nonexistent. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> After seeing this film, I was interested in seeing whether or not the major class action lawsuit has made any definite progress and if the government in Ecuador has worked to reform oil and energy laws. In an article from the Amazon Defense Council, entitled “Chevron Found Guilty in Landmark Trial; Plaintiffs Respond,” the final ruling made for the Ecuadorean lawsuit is revealed. After almost two decades continuous litigation, as well as uncertainty, Superior Court Judge Nicolas Zambrano took on the case and found Chevron guilty for environmental contamination and destruction in the Ecuadorean Amazon. After pouring 17 million gallons of crude oil and 18.5 billion other “highly toxic waste” that was proven to cause cancer into the rainforest region, the oil company has been fined $9 billion, along with “an additional $8.6 billion in punitive damages if Chevron failed to publicly apologize for its wrongdoing within 15 days” (“Chevron Found Guilty in Landmark Trial; Plaintiffs Respond,” 2011, pg. 1, 2). The Northern Amazon Coordinator, Kevin Koenig, stated that “‘this verdict vindicates what indigenous peoples and local residents have been saying, and suffering from, for decades- that Chevron drilled, dumped, and never looked back’” (“Chevron Found Guilty in Landmark Trial; Plaintiffs Respond,” 2011, pg. 1). Although, according to Amazon Watch’s Han Shan, “‘this is a historic victory for human rights, environmental justice, and corporate accountability,’” the people of the Ecuadorean Rainforest still face “‘a struggle that will not end until the affected communities get the cleanup, clean water, and critical health care they need, and have sought for so long’” (“Chevron Found Guilty in Landmark Trial; Plaintiffs Respond,” 2011, pg. 2). Although Shan knows the fight is not over, the progress made thus far “‘is a critical benchmark in a long struggle for justice.’” <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> An article published by the Beveridge & Diamond environmental law firm, called “Ecuador Establishes State Oil Companies and Considers Bills to Reform Its Oil Law,” discusses the key oil industry changes that have been or soon will be made to Ecuador’s legal system. For starters, President Rafael Correa Delgado established two distinct oil companies: PetroEcuador EP will manage the nation’s petroleum development and PetroAmazonas EP will take charge of oil fields located within the Amazon region, both of which will be a part of the new Ministry of Non-Renewable Resources (“Ecuador Establishes State Oil Companies and Considers Bills to Reform Its Oil Law,” 2010, pg. 1). In order to “supervise petroleum production and enforce regulations,” an Agency of Hydrocarbon Regulation and Control, as well as a Hydrocarbon Secretariat, will accompany the newly proposed oil law reform, which also increases government revenue and control in the oil industry (“Ecuador Establishes State Oil Companies and Considers Bills to Reform Its Oil Law,” 2010, pg. 1, 2). The Hydrocarbon Secretariat would primarily be in charge of establishing contracts with any industry members who would be playing a role in the “exploration, extraction, refining, and transport of petroleum.” Similar legal documents were created by other parties including the “Ley Reformatoria de la Ley de Hidrocarburos,” which will force companies to pay thirty percent of the value of their reserves (“environmental bond”) so that in the event of another environmental incident the company money can be used to clean up the mess. Another proposal, called the “Ley Reformatoria a la Ley de Hidrocarburos,” would force companies in the oil business to pay a fee of $100 per hectare in order to support local efforts to increase sanitation (“Ecuador Establishes State Oil Companies and Considers Bills to Reform Its Oil Law,” 2010, pg. 2). Furthermore, the Vaca bill would keep companies aware of their presence in Ecuador and its culture by ensuring that all oil companies operating in Ecuador employ a certain number of Ecuadorean citizens, thus also helping to increase the national job employment rate. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “The Amazon is the lungs of the world” and when the lungs cannot breathe, the world clearly has a big problem on its hands. Whether in a developed country, such as America, or a third world country, such as Ecuador, oil influences everyone in one way or another. Sometimes the oil has a good, beneficial impact on life and society, while other times it can cause pain and devastation beyond belief. It is important for the governments and industries of the world to come to the realization that “the people’s right cannot be disregarded” and incredible efforts must be made to increase safety precautions and cleanup procedures involved with the oil drilling process. The problems seen in Ecuador are found in many more regions throughout the world and for some reason people do not seem to care unless the problem is found in their own backyard. People must stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about the world as a whole in order to make a more effective and eco-friendly change before it is too late; “it’s now or never,” so let’s choose now. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Works Cited <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Berlinger, Joe. __Crude: The Real Price of Oil__. Entendre Films, Radical Media, Red Envelope <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Entertainment, Third Eye Motion Picture Company, 2009. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Chevron Found Guilty in Landmark Trial; Plaintiffs Respond.” __Amazon Defense Coalition__. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> 15 Feb. 2011. < <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">[] <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">>. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Ecuador Establishes State Oil Companies and Considers Bills to Reform Its Oil Law.” <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> __Beveridge & Diamond__. July 2010. < <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">[] <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">>.