Sensitive Content Warning
The Willow Project is a reckless and environmentally damaging venture supported by the Biden administration, which seeks to extract petroleum from the Alaskan North Slope. This massive undertaking involves drilling down into the region, to exploit its vast oil reserves and potentially generate 180,000 barrels of oil per day. While this may sound promising to some, the reality is that it amounts to only 1.5% of total U.S. oil production and hardly justifies the ecological devastation that it could cause. The project's long-term impact is likely to be disastrous, given the adverse effects of oil drilling on the fragile Arctic ecosystem. This includes damage to the habitats of countless species, as well as the potential for oil spills that could have catastrophic consequences for the region's delicate balance. Moreover, the environmental costs of the project are likely to outweigh any potential economic benefits, given the significant investment required in infrastructure and technology, as well as the risks associated with drilling in such a remote and inhospitable environment.
The Willow Project is a highly concerning initiative that is poised to have a devastating impact on the environment and indigenous communities. By drilling for oil in the Alaskan North Slope, the government is showing a lack of foresight and a disregard for the consequences of large-scale industrial projects. The potential for pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from this project is immense, and it will undoubtedly contribute to the acceleration of climate change. We can expect to see more extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, as well as prolonged droughts and rising sea levels. The Arctic environment, which is already fragile, will be further degraded by the toxic chemicals and waste produced by oil drilling. This poses a grave threat to the health and well-being of local wildlife, such as polar bears and caribou, and could have long-term impacts on the ecosystem.
Moreover, the forced relocation of indigenous communities is an affront to their cultural heritage and a violation of their basic rights. This is a community that has lived on this land for generations and has developed a deep connection to the land and its resources. The loss of habitat, food sources and traditional ways of life will have profound social and cultural impacts on these communities, and it is unlikely that they will ever fully recover. The project poses a serious threat to biodiversity, which is essential to the health and well-being of our planet. The destruction of ecosystems and the loss of plant and animal species could have far-reaching consequences for the natural world and human society as a whole.
The left page's background depicts a pristine Arctic environment with clear blue skies, abundant ice and snow, and thriving animals and people of the Inuit tribe. Unfortunately, the Inuit tribe is one of many native Arctic tribes that will be relocated by the Willow Project, which threatens to destroy their homes and habitats. Alongside this, due to the excessive levels of pollution they will be exposed to, their community experiences an inequitable burden of chronic illnesses such as cancer and respiratory ailments.
The small animal next to the tribe is an endangered American Pika, which is highly vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change that the Willow Project will bring. The Pika relies on the cold Arctic temperatures to survive and may be the first animal to go extinct due to climate change. Similarly, the Caribou Reindeer, a large animal on the right, also needs cold weather to survive and would be at risk of displacement and extinction due to the Willow Project. The loss of this animal will affect the Inuit tribe as well seeing as the caribou are a large source of food for the village. At the top of the page, there is a metal tube representing the oil pipeline that marks the beginning of the Willow Project and oil drilling, which continues onto the right page.
The right page portrays the potential consequences of passing the Willow Project. A whale, a local species of the northern Arctic, has been depicted with an oil pipeline running through it. Whales, being great carbon sequesters, store carbon in their bodies during their long lives, and upon death, they sink to the bottom of the ocean, taking the carbon out of the atmosphere for centuries. However, due to oil spills and hunting, whales are now an endangered species. The oil pipeline through the whale represents how the Willow Project would exploit a beautiful creature for factories and profits, resulting in more pollution. The brown-tinted water, barren islands, and hazy orange sky depict the bleak future of the Arctic if we continue to pollute the planet. The whale symbolizes the impact of the oil industry on wildlife and the planet as a whole, with the oil operation on its back serving as a stark reminder of this fact. An oil plant in the water signifies the increased presence of such structures in the Arctic. The two animals at the bottom, a caribou and a polar bear are already endangered due to climate change, and the Willow Project would only accelerate their path toward extinction. A quote from "The Lorax" has been included to emphasize how the destruction of natural beauty will ultimately lead to everything becoming artificial.
Hewitt, Sian. “What Is the Willow Project? Controversial Oil Fight Explained.” Evening Standard. Evening Standard, March 1, 2023. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/us-politics/willow-project-controversial-us-oil-explained-joe-biden-alaska-b1063956.html.
POW, Editors. “The Willow Project.” Protect Our Winters, February 22, 2023. https://protectourwinters.org/campaign/willow/.
Ahk, Sonny. “Sign the Petition.” Change.org, 2023. https://www.change.org/p/joseph-r-biden-biden-administration-and-conocophillips-say-no-to-the-willow-project.
NWF, Editors. “American Pika.” National Wildlife Federation, 2022. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/American-Pika.
Ellen, and Dyani Chapman. “The Most Absurd Thing about ConocoPhillips' Willow Project.” Environment America, February 13, 2023. https://environmentamerica.org/articles/the-most-absurd-thing-about-conocophillips-willow-project/.