The increasing demand for fossil fuels requires exploring new sites in remote areas. While some believe that this may not only help to meet the current demand but also may cause less air pollution in major cities, others argue that these benefits may be outweighed by drawbacks such as harming the environment and the extinction of unknown species.
To some people, new mines in remote areas mean new sources of oil and gas. These people think that existing demand could be met by simply offering more of these resources. Therefore, many people agree with exploring untouched areas. Another reason why rural areas may be seen as a potential site for digging mines is that they are far from major cities. The process of mining fossil fuels underground causes air pollution as oil and gas release carbon dioxide during the digging process. Many people, thus, tend to think that the farther the mines are located, the less impact they have on city air.
People who think in that way, however, are ignoring the fact that the sky is not divided by invisible barriers that prevent polluted air from reaching the cities. If even a small part of the environment is damaged, it may affect the whole system. That leads to my next point: the environment does not only consist of air and water. Many unknown species of animals and plants may inhabit these untouched areas of Earth. The effects of human activity may have severe damage on these inhabitants and may even lead to the extinction of some.
For these reasons, many other people believe that the advantages of exploiting rural areas may be outweighed by disadvantages. In some cases, additionally, renewable energy sources should be considered as a substitute for gas and oil, as these renewable sources of energy do not pose any serious harm to nature.
In conclusion, although there are some advantages to exploring rural areas for fossil fuels, these advantages may be outweighed by drawbacks, as the current demand for energy sources can be met by other means.