ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Environmental impact of the petroleum industry

The petroleum industry involves finding and producing oil, which is a type of energy source. Oil is made of tiny dead plants and animals from millions of years ago that have been trapped in the Earth's ground.

When people extract oil from the Earth, they use machines and large drills. These machines are usually operated by burning a lot of oil, which creates carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a type of gas that is bad for the environment. It causes global warming, which makes the temperature hotter, and that can harm plants and animals.

When oil is used as a fuel in cars, trucks, and other vehicles, it also releases fumes that contain pollution into the air. This pollution can make it harder to breathe, and can damage natural habitats like forests and rivers.

Finally, when oil spills happen, they can damage the environment. Oil spills happen when too much oil is released from a pipe or ship, and it can damage land, water, and wildlife in the area.

Overall, the petroleum industry has a lot of negative effects on the environment, but it is still used for producing energy for things like cars. To reduce the environmental impact of the industry, people are starting to use renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and water instead of relying on oil.