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Bobby Schneider Oil Politics Kim Fortun Annotation #4: Black Wave - The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez   Oil gives America energy, a heartbeat, what it needs to successfully function and survive. Anyone who has taken a chemistry or even basic science class has probably learned that oil and water do not mix. So then what happens once the two liquids collide? A 2008 film entitled __Black Wave - The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez__, directed by Robert Cornellier, answers this question perfectly. On March 24, 1989, the supertanker known as the Exxon Valdez struck the reefs of Prince William Sound in Cordova, Alaska. The main point of this film is to present to the public the economic, social, and environmental damage that the spilled oil has caused, even still to the present day. It becomes clear rather quickly that while the beneficial impact that oil has on a car may last only for a few days, the negative impact that oil has on a community and its environment can last for a lifetime.   The stakeholders and social actors can be found not only throughout the film, but also within the title of the film itself. All oil companies (specifically Exxon in this case), oil delivery companies, gas stations, and heating companies (for places such as Alaska where it is usually rather cold) are the biggest and most obvious stakeholders in this particular film. The people who live in these Alaskan cities are also important social actors because not only do they need the heat, but because they also need forms of transportation to communicate amongst Alaskan cities and the rest of America. The fishing and orca industries, along with other businesses, also rely on oil to keep their operations running smoothly.   The opening scenes of the film present the Alaskan’s dependence on oil rather indiscreetly. The locals claim to live a life of practically being one with nature, yet it was also mentioned that only plane and boat can be used to access the area because there is no roadway directly connecting Alaska to the rest of the United States. Similar to cars, these planes and boats also need some form of oil-based fuel to function and get people where they need to go. The local fishing businesses and the orca cannery that have to catch the sea life with boats are also dependent upon the oil and therefore the companies that supply the fuel as well. Accompanying these businesses and the beautiful surrounding scenery is tourism, again relying on boats or planes to arrive at visiting destinations. It becomes obvious that although Alaska is known for its natural splendor and tranquility, its foundation, just like the rest of America, is based on the production, purchase, of use of oil. Since oil seems to be so important to Alaska’s economy and life after all, how could it ever be problematic? In actuality it is not all that problematic, at least not until it gets put where it does not belong, like a body of water for instance.   Here is a puzzle: Some see Alaska as natural perfection. It has been said that one should not mess with perfection. If these two statements are true, then one should not mess with the perfection that is Alaska. With this being said, what happens when someone does in fact mess with this perfection? The answer: a lot. To add oil to an environment that was in “virtually pristine” condition is considered nothing short of a disaster. The impact of the Exxon Valdez oil spill was felt the instant it occurred, twenty days later, and more than twenty years later. As millions of gallons of oil spread across the surface of Prince William Sound, it was clear that the situation was about much more than spilled oil. As if oil in one area were not hazardous enough, a storm carried the oil out of the bay and nearly twelve hundred miles out from the source of the incident leaving a sheet of oil stretching from Prince William Sound (which still held nearly three-fourths of the oil) to the Gulf of Alaska. The event had a horrific impact on the local wildlife as almost three hundred thousand sea birds and thirty five hundred otters were found dead. Even once the problem was resolved, less than half of the species that were affected by the spill successfully recovered. The pH from the oil caused the Herring and Salmon populations to both die off and relocate thus destroying the fishing business and ultimately closing the orca cannery which was the biggest operational industry for Cordova. The region that at one time placed seventh in the national fish ranking was reduced to forty-seventh. As one fisherman described, all it took was this one catastrophic accident to make a man, who was making near one hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually, file for bankruptcy. For a few years after the spill the fish were simply nowhere to be found, but once the fish did return people began to wish that they just stayed away. The fish were not only bleeding but were also covered in unusual white spots and were swimming upside down, sideways, and every way but normal. It was later discovered that the oil led to an immunosuppression infection in fish and Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) in salmon which resulted in almost three times as many deformities and birth defects in offspring, not to mention cases of cancer. As one would expect, anyone who ate these contaminated fish were also tainted and suffered forms of disease and death. Though the consumption of fish was one way to become ill, there were also more direct approaches that led to health problems in people. As thousands of workers hired by Exxon and thousands of volunteers poured into the region to begin a clean-up effort it would be expected that someone from Exxon would know what they were doing, right? Wrong. Upon discovering that having people wipe off rocks one by one was not going to work (obviously), it was determined that the oil should be sprayed off of the rocks instead. However, the pressure from the spraying of water and other chemicals, such as the EAP22 dispersant for example, turned the globs of oil into fumes and oil droplets in the air which were then inhaled by workers for weeks. This inhalation led to a variety of health conditions ranging from short-term effects such as nausea to long-term effects including upper respiratory problems, limbic system damage, and nervous system (brain) issues. Despite complaints made to the EPA, the organization claimed that there was simply nothing they could do at the time, leaving everyone who was affected to deal with a “life [that] has been reduced to taking pills.” Biologist Riki Ott believes that Exxon was willingly accepting the fact that people were being put into risky situations because “they had to do something.” In unique cases, the stress, problems, and arguments associated with the spill even drove a couple to divorce and caused another dozen people to commit suicide for wishing that they could’ve done more to stop the mess. Social capital, or activities including parades and competitions, such as the survival suit races, used to fill the region with life, excitement, and celebration, but given the new circumstances is there really anything left to celebrate?   After suffering through all of these hardships, the people of Prince William Sound were probably wishing that they lived in world without the chaos they had just witnessed, a world without oil. What would this world that has moved away from oil be like? Since the film seems to focus on the depiction of just how painful the Valdez oil spill was, there is not a large discussion on what a world without oil would be like for the people of Prince William Sound and Cordova. However, based upon the opening of the film, as well as some interviews and video clips, one can image the world in which they would live. The truth is that while many regions in America may have drastically different lives without oil in the world, the people of Alaska have lived a fairly environmentally-conscious life and so a life without oil would be relatively similar to the lives they currently lead. Some of the earliest words in this movie come from a local girl who states that fishing used to be “so close to life and nature.” The people of Cordova, Alaska like to experience the great outdoors and support nature’s beauty before all else. At one point in the film there is a scene with some locals sitting outside and that same girl is playing her guitar and singing. This is what Cordova is and always will be about: a tight-knit community full of love for the environment, simple living, and honest happiness.   Throughout the film there were many interesting scenes that grabbed my attention for a variety of reasons. The scenes that I found the most compelling actually had nothing to do with the oil situation (because I do not find any scenes with oil soaked waters all that compelling). Instead, I enjoyed the beginning and closing of the movie in which the natural beauty, tranquility, and sense of community was shown. Not only was the scenery nice to observe, but the limitations that the towns place on themselves, such as only allowing 275 boats (150 after the spill) to have permits for the area was also nice to know. This shows that while the societies are well-aware that they have to allow for some fishing market to sustain revenue, they are also well-aware of the rare beauty in the environment that surrounds them and they are committed to taking care of it. I also enjoyed hearing the simple information including the fact that there were no roads leading into the region and the only way to access the area was via boat or small plane. Hearing this again established that idea for me that by not having roads connecting to the rest of the country, Alaska has a sense of self and independence that will prevent it from falling victim to the rest of the oil-obsessed nation. I think it is great that there are still some people left in America who can find happiness in such basic ways and accept nature’s beauty as one of the most important aspects of life. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Though the movie was interesting to watch, there were some parts that I did not like, or at least felt disgust towards. The most repulsive behavior that I found in this film was the actions of both Exxon and the government during and after the response efforts. Initially, Senator Ted Stevens promised “not one drop of oil will touch the waters of Prince William Sound,” and he was right. One drop of oil did not hit the water, trillions upon trillions of drops did. Putting those words of false security and trust into the minds of the Alaskan locals was wrong to begin with, but then to follow that up with broken promises of restoring life to the region after the spill just made matters worse. Exxon had assured residents that they would have 300,000 gallons of the spill taken care of within three days, yet hours passed before anyone from a cleanup crew had even arrived at the spill site leaving the locals in the community to take action into their own hands and start cleaning up themselves. Poor techniques, such as wiping off rocks by hand and using toxic sprays on beaches seemed like a perfectly good method for tackling this situation in the eyes of the government, which leaves questions as to how much our government actually cares, as well as who actually has control of this country. In fact, a banner was tied to a mast of a ship that declared “Exxon – Above the Law” because clearly the government was allowing Exxon to do as it pleased during this time and failed to enforce a strong and timely cleanup response. America needs a government that leads, not a government that is led. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> As previously stated, the main point of this movie was to help get the message across about how destructive oil can be as opposed to what life would be like without oil. However, it is quite easy to paint a picture as to how the people in Prince Williams Sound, as well as the rest of America, would be living. Even CEO of Exxon, Rex Tillerson, stresses the importance of America’s energy needs. Unfortunately, instead of focusing on going green and searching for alternative energy sources, the oil companies are still emphasizing our primary need for oil as the energy demand rises, and that is a problem. Rather than sacrificing Earth and life for oil, why not sacrifice oil for the Earth and future life of mankind? Somewhere along the line America’s Constitutional promise to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity” was lost and became something that sounds a little more like “secure oil for ourselves and our posterity.” In the United States, the people are supposed to have the power and it is the job of the government to ensure that the decisions of the people follow through, as well as to make judgments that will benefit American citizens to the greatest extent possible. The answer to America’s oil problem is simple: take away the oil and then the pain, suffering, and problems associated with it will go away as well. The time for us to begin searching for renewable and eco-friendly energy sources has already passed. Now, it is about finding those sources and making up for lost time before it is too late to even accomplish that much. Wind, sun, water, and plants can all supply America with a natural, renewable, and healthier source of fuel and power. In the meantime, there are a few precautionary steps which could be taken in order to assure that an event such as the Exxon Valdez spill will not happen quite as easily as it did. As mentioned in the film, it was said that Exxon promised double-hulled ships, but instead continued to use single-hulled boats, thus making it more likely that oil could escape from a crashed tanker. If corrective action, such as using the double-hulled tanker which is closer to two inches thick instead of just nearly one, was taken then the chances of oil spilling from ships will greatly be reduced. In addition, heavier government regulation should be used in the construction, maintenance, and safety of oil tankers and any ships that do not meet these requirements should not be permitted to operate on the water. By mandating simple safety and maintenance regulations, as well as actually making an effort to find new energy resources, America could become that picture-perfect, eco-friendly society that currently seems to be far out of reach. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Seeing the events that occurred in this video has led me to think about the various ways that oil can harm wildlife and also look further into the pro-nature lifestyle of Cordova, Alaska. In an article by Jennifer Kennedy called “Effects of Oil Spills on Marine Life,” the truly devastating impacts that oil has on local wildlife, especially in Alaska, are revealed. Depending on environmental situations and the current weather conditions, animals can suffer from a range of health conditions including: hypothermia, poisoning, decreased reproduction, increases in predation, and destruction of habit. Mousse, a combination of oil and water, coats over and compresses animal feathers and fur, thus causing a lack in insulation ability that could ultimately lead to hypothermia (pg. 1). The additional weight from the mousse can cause animal to drown or lead to higher predation levels because the animals will be too heavy to fly or swim away to escape. Also, oil can damage kidneys, red blood cells, and an animal immune systems and fumes can lead to respiratory problems as well (pg. 1). If these animals are eaten by predators, these predators can in turn become poisoned and suffer the same problematic conditions. This increase in predation is especially bad because the contamination of oil can also influence low reproductive success and lead to abnormal animal behavior and birth defects (pg. 1). On the shoreline, a layer of oil can coat over wild algae and to make things worse, oil that has soaked beneath the ground can either reenter the ocean at a later date or harm more wildlife, including crabs (pg. 2). <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Cordova, Alaska, as an article by Brielle Schaeffer claims, is “Not just for the birds.” According to Schaeffer, this small town is the “ideal place to spot wildlife and experience serene surroundings” and executive director in the Cordova Chamber of Commerce, Martin Moe, believes that “we [the people of Cordova] have in a tiny little spot so much to offer of the Alaskan experience” (pg. 1). As a region that is “off the beaten track” and home to the Pacific Coast’s biggest wetland, Cordova is an area known for its array of natural adventure including, but certainly not limited to camping, hiking, fishing, and river rafting (pg. 1). Being an area that lacks “those icons of mainstream American monoculture,” such as major retail stores or well-known dining establishment, the major tourist attractions for the area are the Cordova Historical Museum, Childs Glacier, the Ilanka Cultural Center, and the Million Dollar Bridge (built for the railroad transportation of copper in the 1900’s). In the Cultural Center there is even a “shame pole” which represents the pain felt from the Exxon Valdez incident (pg. 2). Between the outdoor adventures, the culture, and its isolation from the hustle and bustle of urban America, Cordova is an incredible place full of life, peace, and beauty, especially when there is no oil within view. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In the present day the spill has been referred to as a cancer survivor: overall (the bigger picture) everything looks better, but there are spots every so often (looking at the details) that cause problems. Since there is no chemotherapy for the Earth, the question now becomes: How do we cure this problem? What steps can be taken to ensure that this “cancer” will disappear permanently so that the people who live in pain can one day live worry-free and happy? Exxon promised the people in Prince William Sound one simple thing: “We will make you whole.” Today, they still wait and pray for that promise to follow through. It is important for both industry and the American government to finally realize that “our lives count more than corporate values.” The emotional, physical, and psychological impacts that this environmental disaster caused were felt for years and they will continue to be felt for years to come. How many more of these incidents is it going to take before the world starts to realize that maybe, just maybe, this is not working? Oil is a temporary safety net of energy for humans, but that support system will not be there much longer so it is time for us to finally put our trust into a new safety net that is both long-lasting and eco-friendly. <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;">Cornellier, Robert. __Black Wave: The Legend of the Exxon Valdez__. Riki Ott. Macumba <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> International, 2008. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kennedy, Jennifer. “Effects of Oil Spills on Marine Life.” __About__. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> < <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;">Schaeffer, Brielle. “Not just for the birds.” __The Anchorage Daily News__. April 23 2009. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> < <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;">>.