Alaskan Oil Reserves Feb 27, '08 8:05 AM
for everyone I'm not an environmentalist, just a geologist. In fact, I believe some of what passed as environmentalism actually harmed the environment. 

Here are some facts about the Alaskan Oil Reserves some say are needed to make America more energy independent: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/fs045-02/

At most, the USGS shows 12.4 billion barrels of oil reserves in ANWR and other Artic drilling areas. America uses about 20 million barrels of oil per day so 12,400 million barrels divided by 20 million barrels equals 620 days of supply. 

If we put our time, energy, and money into developing renewable fuels instead of debating whether to drill in ANWR or not, I believe we would make real progress towards energy independence. To rationalize drilling in a wilderness preserve for 620 days supply of oil makes economic sense to some, but does little to move this country towards energy independence and costs the planet another wilderness area for scientists to study and for the rest of us to learn from.