It’s 2023 and animals are losing their homes, temperatures are rising abnormally, and the air is being polluted. World leaders have acknowledged that climate change is a dire issue, but the US government just made the decision to make things exponentially worse.  The Willow Project, which was recently approved, will only continue this downward slope and negatively affect future generations. The Earth is on a path to irreversible damage, and the Willow Project will take us further down it.

The Willow Project is a $6 billion proposal to drill oil and gas in Alaska. This will retrieve petroleum stored in the North Alaskan slope. The area where the project is to take place will hold up to 600 million barrels of oil. The idea is to help the economy and oil production.

While this project may seem like a helpful boost to the economy, this new project can generate 239 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the air over the course of 30 years. Fossil fuels are the main cause of pollution and climate change, and this new proposal is risking the lives of future generations. This sets the stage for potential health risks and destroying the earth. It is evident that the government cares more about money than saving the earth from unrecoverable damage. 

Carbon emissions are extremely harmful to our planet and global warming is extremely problematic. If the Willow Project continues, it will continue to cause devastating effects on the environment. Carbon dioxide leads to rising temperatures by trapping heat in the atmosphere. This causes more severe natural disasters and the destruction of delicate ecosystems. These types of problems will be exacerbated by the Willow Project and will make life on earth untenable.

In a speech in Somerset, Massachusets, President Biden spoke about the climate crisis and what he can do about it. He stated, “I will do everything in my power to clean our air and water, protect our people’s health, to win the clean energy future. This, again, sounds like hyperbole, but our children and grandchildren are counting on us. Not a joke. Not a joke.” 

Approving the Willow Project isn’t keeping the promises he made when he campaigned, and people are rightfully angry. 

Power and money-hungry men ruling this country care more about themselves than the future. President Biden made a commitment to help clean the air and protect our people’s health. However, The Willow Project affects the safety of biodiversity and the future of the earth.

Environmentalists are calling for politicians to listen to the people, their children are the bearers of this burden. The countless petitions and letters have not worked, and the only thing left is to vote. Vote out the lawmakers with agendas against the betterment of our future and never stop advocating.

The people in charge of this country have the past, present, and future in their hands. If they continue to do bad things that impact future generations, the earth will be permanently damaged. The Willow Project is a perfect example of these leaders thinking about the economy more than the safety of our future. 

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