students happy

Everything you should know about the Willow Project

Posted: 22nd March 2023

What is the Willow Project?

The Willow Project is a proposed plan for oil production, for an oil company called ConocoPhillips where a 23 million-acre area of land in Alaska, the largest area of undisturbed land in the US, will be sold for oil drilling. The Willow Project would bring in approximately $17 billion dollars in revenue for federal and state governments. Yet it would also worsen climate change and destroy the habitats of many animals found in Alaska, and go against President Biden’s promise in 2021 to fight Climate Change. On March 13th, Biden and his administration went against their promises of 2021 and approved the Willow Project, causing an uproar of panic about how this will affect our planet.

Should we panic?

The short answer: yes.

Nasa announced shortly after the release of the Willow Project’s approval that we have until 2030, instead of 2050, to solve global warming before it will be a permanent issue. The Willow Project would release approximately 287 million tons of carbon emission. We are all living on a planet threatened by global warming and whether we like it or not, we are all responsible for containing this issue. We should all be panicking but not to the point of distress. We should be in a panic to figure out how to help prevent the Willow Project.

The truth is that this project might bring in huge amounts of revenue, but you cannot put a price on life.

We live on this earth; we have formed lives for ourselves, and this project is not to benefit our futures, but instead to put a price tag on it. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent this project from happening.

How can we solve it?

The only way to prevent the Willow Project is essentially to vote.

The Willow Project will commence in 2027 and US Presidential Elections are in 2024.

A new President and administration could prevent or prolong the launching of this project. Whether you can participate in this election or not, encourage others to vote. Voter turnout has decreased internationally in recent years because many people simply don’t understand how one single vote can create such a significant impact.

No matter your education, wealth or status, everyone’s vote has the same impact and there is no excuse to not participate. Our world is not a magic vessel of oil, it is our home. And yet, there are still people who see it that way, which is why I urge you to be in a panic to vote or encourage others to vote.

We all deserve to live in a world where there is not a price tag over each of our futures.

By Antonia Schewitz, student

Categories: Student Blog