The Keystone Pipeline is a highly debated argument at the moment, generating opinions ranging from potential environmental damages to job creation and economic stimulus. It is my goal to explore some of these opinions at face value and then proceed to generate an ethical opinion of this on my own.
To begin, only 35 permanent jobs will be created by the Keystone Pipeline (source), and while job creation is good, this is hardly something to get excited about. However it will generate 42,000 annual jobs, 29% will come from regions where the pipeline will be located.
The next opinion that pops up is the environmental issue. Environmentalists argue that the pipeline will cause huge environmental damages especially if an oil spill occurs. Now I consider myself an environmentalist and I don't agree with that opinion, one must consider the current method of transporting oil, transporting it using 18-wheelers. The 18-wheelers are consuming oil and producing carbon dioxide, and this is more environmentally detrimental than making a pipeline (which in turn will require the release of carbon dioxide to make). Additionally one must think that the 18-wheeler drivers will be out of a job if the pipeline gets made.
Ultimately I believe that ethically the pipeline is a good idea, It will create jobs, simplify our oil obtaining process (even though I don't agree with it), be more environmentally friendly and stimulate our economy. Environmentalists need to stop rallying against the pipeline and focus on developing better efficiency energy processes and a carbon tax instead.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/03/the-keystone-xl-pipeline-and-its-politics-explained/
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