Statement of Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder on Oil Spills in Indian Ocean, Philippines, Lebanon
“Today’s devastating oil spill is another reminder that big oil is a big waste. Our dependence on oil is dangerous; each step of oil production pollutes the environment and its use contributes to the climate crisis.
The 1.4 million gallon crude oil spill by a Japan-bound tanker is the latest in a series of oil disasters that have damaged the environment. Recent leaks in BP’s Alaskan pipeline spilled more than 600 gallons of oil in Prudhoe Bay. Last week, a tanker spilled 528,000 gallons of industrial fuel in the Philippines. Additionally, a recent oil leak from a power plant in Lebanon contaminated 60 miles of the Lebanese coast.
The price we pay for oil goes far beyond the high price at the pump. Oil refining, development, and use causes air and water pollution and results in severe human health consequences. Oil can and must be replaced by clean energy sources and improved efficiency.”
Friends of the Earth is the U.S. voice of an influential, international network of grassroots groups in more than 70 countries.
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