Growing up near the Chesapeake Bay, I was bombarded with guest speakers since elementary school about protecting the environment. I knew what an ecosystem was in fifth grade, and in seventh grade our class went on a field trip to Smith Island and Port Isabel in the Chesapeake Bay for more intensive education on how humans are connected to ecosystems. Water and ecosystems are important to public health around the world, as water touches all of our lives. And when this water is contaminated with oil, many global health problems occur, but these health problems may be worth the profits gained from oil. This is especially evident in the context of the lower Mississippi Delta, where for many Louisianans; oil rigs provide them with jobs. Humans depend on oil as one of the Earth's limited resources, and it is fundamental to our way of life: transportation, heating fuel, electricity generation, common materials and even plays a role in the production of our food (Catherine Gautier ). The economic profits from oil are many; new technologies and innovations using oil as a key factor are creating a prosperous future. Every time we use oil, even if we recycle it, some of it will be lost forever. Therefore, hoping that the free market has the ability to efficiently allocate a non-renewable resource over time (Stephen F. Williams) does not solve our oil problems now or in the future. Lack of oil or energy in a region commonly leads to poverty and fear (Gautier). This dependence on oil, or crude oil, could be harmful if the Earth runs out of this resource. In addition to the accidental spill causing serious damage to the environment and therefore harm to humans, oil has a direct impact on human health. Problems like this... middle of paper... William Keck. "Environmental health in public health". Principles of public health practice. Albany: Delmar Publishers, 1997. 584-588. Print.AWF. "Control of the Louisiana River." American Wetlands: Resource Center. American Wetlands Foundation and Web. November 16, 2011. .Williams, Jeff. “Louisiana's Coastal Wetlands: A Resource at Risk.” Marine and Coastal Geology Program. U.S. Geological Survey, November 3, 1995. Web. November 14, 2011. Marshall, Bob. “LAST CHANCE: The fight to save an endangered coast.” New Orleans, LA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - NOLA.com. The Times-Picayune, March 4, 2007. Web. November 15. 2011. .