Con - Opening Statement

        In our modern world of depleting resources, the key focus of environmentalists and corporate business people alike should be sustainable practices.  While sustainability is a term ordinarily found in environmental jargon, it should also be considered in economic decisions.  
        The Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge protects the greatest diversity of animals above the Arctic Circle and is the last area left un-drilled along the Alaskan coast.  The artic tundra is a very fragile biome, important to scientific research and vulnerable to major ecosystem changes.  For example, the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge is home to over 130 species of migratory birds, so drilling in this region could disrupt their migratory pattern.  
        In contrast to the rich sustainable diversity of the Wildlife Refuge, the prospected profits from drilling for oil are remarkably small.  There is only a 19% chance that enough oil will be found to fuel all of the United State’s needs for 7 – 24 months.  Once oil companies use this land for such a brief period of time, the land may never be completely reclaimed, because invasive machinery and possible accidents such as oil spills could devastate the region.
        Thus, it is not a sustainable practice to drill in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge from both an environmental and an economic perspective.  The drilling of the land will not reduce oil imports in the long run, but it could forever alter the biodiversity of the region.  Therefore, instead of drilling in the Wildlife refuge, it would be more advantageous to all parties involved to find an alternate method of energy production, or towards increased fuel efficiency.  

Miller, Tyler G., Living in the Environment, Fourteenth Edition, pgs. 359-360.

http://www.savearcticrefuge.org/scientist.pdf