Feminism And Gender Roles By Margaret Atwood - 1518 Words

In Surfacing by Margaret Atwood, there are numerous portrayals of feminism and gender roles. There are underlying hints of distaste towards the female sex role and the predatory, aggressive behaviour of men towards women. The suppression of women is portrayed and analyzed, and Surfacing manages to tackle the theme of gender roles by exploring through the perspective of the female narrator how women are marginalized in many aspects of their lives. . Surfacing makes a case for strong women that defy stereotypical gender roles and portrays how men are continually pushing the boundaries of their roles and going to the extreme with them. When this book was written in the late 60’s/70’s, gender role was an extremely important theme. Women†¦show more content†¦Later on the mother says she’d been scared to death, but the narrator couldn’t believe that because her mother had been so positive and assured, â€Å"as if she knew a foolproof magic formula: ges ture and word. She was wearing her leather jacket† (78). This passage clearly sets an appreciation that the narrator has for her mother, and likely all women that are strong and defiant in the face of demeaning stereotypes. In the context of the book, the narrator plainly states her distaste for the typical sex role of the female. This appreciation for strong women is made visible throughout the book. Another example of the book’s support for women that defy the stereotypical gender role is when the narrator questions why David forced Anna to strip naked just for his film, or when she denies David the opportunity to service her: â€Å"â€Å"Please don’t,† I said†¦ He reached his arm around me, invading, and pulled me over toward him; his neck was creased and freckled, soon he would have jowls, he smelled like scalp. His moustache whisked my face. I twisted away and stood up. â€Å"Why are you doing this?† I said. â€Å"You’re interfering.† I wiped at my arm where he had touched it† (152). David then continues to try to coerce her and she also blocks that attempt: â€Å"You’re putting me on,† he said, â€Å"this is the twentieth century.†... â€Å"No it isn’t,† I said. â€Å"Not here† (152). Clearly, the narrator here is strongly avoiding the attempts from David toShow MoreRelatedComp atison of Spotty Handed Villainesses and Keynote Address at the Beijing World Conference on Women.879 Words   |  4 Pagesof rhetoric to support its main ideas.’ Discuss this statement, making detailed reference to at least two speeches. Great speeches are those which timelessly captivate audiences through their integrity and rhetoric treatment. This is relevant to Margaret Atwood’s speech in 1994, Spotty Handed Villainesses (hereafter referred to as Villainesses), and Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech in 1995, Keynote Address at the Beijing World Conference on Women (hereafter referred to as Keynote). The ability of a speechRead MoreFeminism In The Handmaids Tale1709 Words   |  7 Pagescreated by men, with the complicity of women† (â€Å"Margaret (Eleanor) Atwood†). The separation of the freedoms between the genders created female victimization through â€Å"sexual exploitation, isolation, and compelled ignorance that accompany severe economic and political powerlessness† (Merriman). In Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, taking place in the imaginary Republic of Gilead, Atwood displays the theme of women in a restrictive society. Margaret Atwood, a Canadian author, was born on November 18Read MoreFrida Kahlo Feminist Theory Essay1267 Words   |  6 Pagesmediums: art, journalism, and music. Frida Kahlo is known for contributing to the feminist theory, having participated in joining the Communist Party in the 1920s, which was the second wave (Helland 397). What truly led Kahlo to become an icon of the feminism and feminist theory was her expression of herself. Kahlo painted many self portraits that revealed the pains that she celebrated, such as her physical disabilities and unhappiness in love, birth, and miscarriage (Helland 400). She also encompassedRead MoreFeminism in Novel Makaan of Paigham Afaqui1301 Words   |  6 Pagesprinciples of feminism, and refers to any literary work that centers on the struggle of a woman for equality, and to be accepted as a human being, before being cast into a gender stereotype. Not all these works follow a direct approach towards this goal of equality. It is only through such media that women believed a change was possible in the way they were perceived in society. Not all feminist literature has been written by women, but also by men who understood women beyond the roles they were expectedRead MoreMargaret Atwood : A Social Activist1225 Words   |  5 PagesMargaret Atwood: a Social Activist Through Feminist Literature The 1980s signified the continuation of an era of social and political upheaval in the United States of America. At the forefront was a socially conservative agenda that aimed to rescind women’s rights only ratified less than a decade before, a marked display of the nation’s desire to uphold traditional values that defined the preceding generation (Franà §oise). Among the devastating political climate, however, was Margaret Atwood:Read MoreCultural Criticism In The Handmaids Tale By Margaret Atwood1011 Words   |  5 Pagesvariety of perspectives and branches of knowledge to discover the compilation of beliefs and customs that characterize a group of people. For a cultural reading of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, a cultural critic would consider the historical background paired with theories such as Marxism and feminism to make assumptions about what culture engendered the creation of this novel. (104 words) Cultural criticism is oftentimes affiliated with historical criticism, more specifically NewRead MoreThe Handmaid s Tale By Margaret Atwood1709 Words   |  7 Pagesfemale characters in Margaret Atwood’s novel demonstrates how these issues affects women’s lives. Offred is the individual with whom we sympathize and experience these issues. In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood addresses her perception of the ongoing feminism issues during her time; reproduction rights, workforce inequalities and gender discrimination. Atwood uses her talent to write The Handmaid Tale to express her view on past, present, and future women’s issues. Margret Atwood was born in 1939Read MoreFeminism And The Feminist Theory1942 Words   |  8 Pages ¬Ã‚ ¬Olivia Fogel Mr. Bumiller AP Literature and Composition 10 June 2015 Feminist Theory Research Paper Though feminism and the feminist theory are often construed as the same philosophy, the two are related, yet different concepts. Feminism is defined as, â€Å"the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes† (Merriam Webster Dictionary). In turn, a feminist is an individual who believes that men and women should be equal politically, economically, culturally, and socially (DefinitionsRead MoreFeminism in Top Girls and The Handmaids Tale Essay1635 Words   |  7 PagesBoth Top Girls and The Handmaid’s Tale relate to contemporary political issues and feminism. Top Girls was written by Caryl Churchill, a political feminist playwright, as a response to Thatcher’s election as a first female British Prime Minister. Churchill was a British social feminist in opposition to Thatcherism. Top Girls was regarded as a unique play about the challenges working women face in the contemporary business world and society at large. Churchill once wrote: â⠂¬ËœPlaywrights don’t give answersRead MoreMargaret Atwood Spotty Handed Villainesses1879 Words   |  8 PagesMARGARET ATWOOD: â€Å"SPOTTY-HANDED VILLIANESSES: PROBLEMS OF FEMALE BAD BEHAVIOUR IN THE CREATION OF LITERATURE† BUI CONTEXT Margaret Atwood is once of Canada’s best known literary composers. She is best known for her ability as an author of novels such as Alias Grace, Bodily Harm, Hairball, Rape Fantasies, and the highly acclaimed The Handmaid’s Tale, which was later made into a movie. These works establish her as a feminist writer, raising issues of women in literature, the difficulties associated

Biography of Emilio Aguinaldo, Filipino President

Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (March 22, 1869–February 6, 1964) was a Filipino politician and military leader who played an important role in the Philippine Revolution. After the revolution, he served as the new countrys first president. Aguinaldo later commanded forces during the Philippine-American War. Fast Facts: Emilio Aguinaldo Known For: Aguinaldo served as the first president of the independent Philippines.Also Known As: Emilio Aguinaldo y FamyBorn: March 22, 1869 in Cavite, PhilippinesParents: Carlos Jamir Aguinaldo and Trinidad Famy-AguinaldoDied: February 6, 1964 in Quezon City, PhilippinesSpouse(s): Hilaria del Rosario (m. 1896–1921), Marà ­a Agoncillo (m. 1930–1963)Children: Five Early Life Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was the seventh of eight children born to a wealthy mestizo family in Cavite on March 22, 1869. His father Carlos Aguinaldo y Jamir was the town mayor, or gobernadorcillo, of Old Cavite. Emilios mother was Trinidad Famy y Valero. As a boy, he went to elementary school and attended secondary school at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran, but had to drop out before earning his high school diploma when his father passed away in 1883. Emilio stayed home to assist his mother with the familys agricultural holdings. On January 1, 1895, Aguinaldo made his first foray into politics with an appointment as Cavites capitan municipal. Like fellow anti-colonial leader Andres Bonifacio, he also joined the Masons. Philippine Revolution In 1894, Andres Bonifacio himself inducted Aguinaldo into the Katipunan, a secret anti-colonial organization. The Katipunan called for the removal of Spain from the Philippines by armed force if necessary. In 1896 after the Spanish executed Jose Rizal, the voice of Filipino independence, the Katipunan started their revolution. Meanwhile, Aguinaldo married his first wife, Hilaria del Rosario, who would tend to wounded soldiers through her Hijas de la Revolucion (Daughters of the Revolution) organization. While many of the Katipunan rebel bands were ill-trained and had to retreat in the face of Spanish forces, Aguinaldos troops were able to out-fight the colonial troops even in a pitched battle. Aguinaldos men drove the Spanish from Cavite. However, they came into conflict with Bonifacio, who had declared himself president of the Philippine Republic, and his supporters. In March 1897, the two Katipunan factions met in Tejeros for an election. The assembly elected Aguinaldo president in a possibly fraudulent poll, much to the irritation of Bonifacio. He refused to recognize Aguinaldos government; in response, Aguinaldo had him arrested two months later. Bonifacio and his younger brother were charged with sedition and treason  and were executed on May 10, 1897, on Aguinaldos orders. Internal dissent seems to have weakened the Cavite Katipunan movement. In June 1897, Spanish troops defeated Aguinaldos forces and retook Cavite. The rebel government regrouped in Biyak na Bato, a mountain town in Bulacan Province, northeast of Manila. Aguinaldo and his rebels came under intense pressure from the Spanish  and had to negotiate a surrender later that same year. In mid-December 1897, Aguinaldo and his government ministers agreed to dissolve the rebel government and go into exile in Hong Kong. In return, they received legal amnesty and an indemnity of 800,000 Mexican dollars (the standard currency of the Spanish Empire). An additional 900,000 Mexican dollars would indemnify the revolutionaries who stayed in the Philippines; in return for surrendering their weapons, they were granted amnesty and the Spanish government promised reforms. On December 23, Aguinaldo and other rebel officials arrived in British Hong Kong, where the first indemnity payment of 400,000 Mexican dollars was waiting for them. Despite the amnesty agreement, the Spanish authorities began to arrest real or suspected Katipunan supporters in the Philippines, prompting a renewal of rebel activity. Spanish-American War In the spring of 1898, events half a world away overtook Aguinaldo and the Filipino rebels. The United States naval vessel USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana Harbor, Cuba, in February. Public outrage at Spains supposed role in the incident, fanned by sensationalist journalism, provided the United States with a pretext to start the Spanish-American War on April 25, 1898. Aguinaldo sailed back to Manila with the U.S. Asian Squadron, which defeated the Spanish Pacific Squadron in the Battle of Manila Bay. By May 19, 1898, Aguinaldo was back on his home soil. On June 12, 1898, the revolutionary leader declared the Philippines independent, with himself as the unelected president. He commanded Filipino troops in the battle against the Spanish. Meanwhile, close to 11,000 American troops cleared Manila and other Spanish bases of colonial troops and officers. On December 10, Spain surrendered its remaining colonial possessions (including the Philippines) to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. Presidency Aguinaldo was officially inaugurated as the first president and dictator of the Philippine Republic in January 1899. Prime Minister Apolinario Mabini headed the new cabinet. However, the United States refused to recognize the new independent government. President William McKinley claimed that doing so would be at odds with the American goal of Christianizing the (largely Roman Catholic) people of the Philippines. Indeed, although Aguinaldo and other Filipino leaders were unaware of it initially, Spain had handed over direct control of the Philippines to the United States in return for $20 million, as agreed to in the Treaty of Paris. Despite rumored promises of independence made by U.S. military officers eager for Filipino help in the war, the Philippine Republic was not to be a free state. It had simply acquired a new colonial master. Resistance to American Occupation Aguinaldo and the victorious Filipino revolutionaries did not see themselves as the Americans did, as half-devil or half-child. Once they realized they had been tricked and were indeed new-caught, the people of the Philippines reacted with outrage. On January 1, 1899, Aguinaldo responded to the American Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation by publishing his own counter-proclamation: My nation cannot remain indifferent in view of such violent and aggressive seizure of a portion of its territory by a nation which has arrogated to itself the title Champion of Oppressed Nations. Thus it is that my government is disposed to open hostilities if the American troops attempt to take forcible possession. I denounce these acts before the world in order that the conscience of mankind may pronounce its infallible verdict as to who are the oppressors of nations and the oppressors of mankind. Upon their heads be all the blood which may be shed! In February 1899, the first Philippines Commission from the United States arrived in Manila to find 15,000 American troops holding the city, facing off from trenches against 13,000 of Aguinaldos men, who were arrayed all around Manila. By November, Aguinaldo was once again running for the mountains, his troops in disarray. However, the Filipinos continued to resist this new imperial power, turning to guerrilla war after conventional fighting failed them. For two years, Aguinaldo and a shrinking band of followers evaded concerted American efforts to locate and capture the rebel leadership. On March 23, 1901, however, American special forces disguised as prisoners of war infiltrated Aguinaldos camp at Palanan on the northeast coast of Luzon. Local scouts dressed in Philippine Army uniforms led General Frederick Funston and other Americans into Aguinaldos headquarters, where they quickly overwhelmed the guards and seized the president. On April 1, 1901, Aguinaldo formally surrendered and swore allegiance to the United States. He then retired to his family farm in Cavite. His defeat marked the end of the First Philippine Republic, but not the end of the guerrilla resistance. World War II Aguinaldo continued to be an outspoken advocate of independence for the Philippines. His organization, the Asociacion de los Veteranos de la Revolucion (Association of Revolutionary Veterans), worked to ensure that former rebel fighters had access to land and pensions. His first wife Hilaria died in 1921. Aguinaldo married for a second time in 1930 at the age of 61. His new bride was 49-year-old Marà ­a Agoncillo, the niece of a prominent diplomat. In 1935, the Philippine Commonwealth held its first elections after decades of American rule. Then 66, Aguinaldo ran for president  but was soundly defeated by Manuel Quezon. When Japan seized the Philippines during World War II, Aguinaldo cooperated with the occupation. He joined the Japanese-sponsored Council of State  and made speeches urging an end to Filipino and American opposition to the Japanese. After the United States recaptured the Philippines in 1945, the septuagenarian Aguinaldo was arrested and imprisoned as a collaborator. However, he was quickly pardoned and released, and his reputation was not too severely tarnished. Post-War Era Aguinaldo was appointed to the Council of State again in 1950, this time by President Elpidio Quirino. He served one term before returning to his work on behalf of veterans. In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal asserted pride in Philippine independence from the United States by making a highly symbolic gesture; he moved the celebration of Independence Day from July 4 to June 12, the date of Aguinaldos declaration of the First Philippine Republic. Aguinaldo himself joined in the festivities, although he was 92 years old and rather frail. The following year, before his final hospitalization, he donated his home to the government as a museum. Death On February 6, 1964, the 94-year-old first president of the Philippines passed away from coronary thrombosis. He left behind a complicated legacy. Aguinaldo fought long and hard for independence for the Philippines and worked tirelessly to secure veterans rights. At the same time, he ordered the execution of his rivals—including Andres Bonifacio—and collaborated with the brutal Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Legacy Although Aguinaldo is today often heralded as a symbol of the democratic and independent spirit of the Philippines, he was a self-proclaimed dictator during his short period of rule. Other members of the Chinese/Tagalog elite, such as Ferdinand Marcos, would later wield that power more successfully. Sources â€Å"Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy.†Ã‚  Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy - The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War (Hispanic Division, Library of Congress).Kinzer, Stephen. The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire. St. Martins Griffin, 2018.ï » ¿Ooi, Keat Gin.  Southeast Asia a Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor. ABC-CLIO, 2007.Silbey, David.  A War of Frontier and Empire: the Philippine-American War, 1899-1902. Hill and Wang, 2007.

Hamlet, By William Shakespeare Essay - 1636 Words

Elisabetta Veltri Period 3 Mr. Levine English 101 Research Paper Hamlet Hamlet is categorized as one of the greatest plays ever written. In the play the main character Prince Hamlet has a very complicated character. As the play goes along Hamlet displays a wide range of emotions through his actions and his words. With doing this, it creates controversy amongst the critics and readers of the play. They find it difficult to come to a conclusion of whether Hamlet s â€Å"madness† is sincere or if he is simply a fake. However there is evidence in order to support one side of this debate. The answer simply lies in the actor s performance. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, it is clearly evident Prince Hamlet is feigning madness in an effort to outsmart his enemies and avenge his father’s murder. Hamlet is distinctly pretending to have lost a grip on his own life. â€Å"There need be no doubt, then, that Hamlet s madness was really feigned† (Crawford).Throughout the entirety of the play many of the other characters such as Polonius question Hamlet s mental state. They are unsure whether he is acting crazy or if he has really gone insane. Polonius states â€Å"Though this be madness, yet there is method in t.†(Act 2, Scene 2), Polonius suggests that, even though Hamlet sounds crazy, he actually makes sense or he has a method. Polonius believes Hamlet is acting â€Å"mad† because his love of Ophelia has driven him to such a state. While Polonius is correctShow MoreRelatedHamlet, By William Shakespeare880 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is praised as the pioneering English poet and playwright whose collection of theatrical works is regarded as the greatest artistic value throughout the history of English literature. Shakespeare delved into the spiritual and mental component of humanity and the consequences that arise from this human spirit when it is disputed. The most famous revenge tragedy play, Hamlet, is an excellent illustration of Shakespeare’s philosophical study of human nature. In Hamlet, the arguableRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare899 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare, author of Hamlet, was a well-known author in the 1500s and is still popular today. He was born on April 24, 1564 in London, England. Although there were no birth records at that time, it shows he was baptized one year prior to that, which leads us to believe his birthday was in 1564 because children were normally baptized a year after their birth. Shakespeare’s writing style was very different than others at that time. He used many metaphors and rhetorical phrases, and most ofRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare996 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet, written by William Shakespeare, with out a doubt holds the most famous soliloquy in English history spoken by Hamlet in Act III, scene i, lines 57-90. This soliloquy holds much importance to the play as a whole because it ties together the reoccurring themes of suicide and Hamlet’s inaction portrayed by S hakespeare. Hamlet poses a problem, which is the driving force of the play: â€Å"To be or not to be?†(III.i.57). Shakespeare uses this logical question asked by Hamlet to drive out his underlyingRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1178 Words   |  5 Pages In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the protagonist suffers from struggles with major characters, especially with the women in his life. While reading the play Hamlet, Hamlet appears to be a disillusioned man. Throughout the play, Shakespeare has only casted two females: Gertrude and Ophelia. Gertrude is defined to be incestuous, naà ¯ve and cold-hearted. On the other side, Ophelia is characterized to be ignorant, innocent and fearful. After the quick marriage of his mother and evil uncle, Hamlet’sRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1308 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet is arguably one of the greatest tragedies in all of literature and when most people think of tragic plays, they think of none other than the one who wrote it, William Shakespeare. This classic story of revenge excites it’s readers with its main character, Prince Hamlet, who goes through the unique human-like process of revenge that is often overlooked. Many other stories rely heavily on the logi c of good people doing good things and bad people doing bad things just for the sake of their natureRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare Essay1453 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet by William Shakespeare explores many aspects of mankind--death, betrayal, love, and mourning. Out of these, the most prominent theme in this play is death in the form of suicide. The main character, Hamlet, finds himself questioning the quality of life and the uncertainty of the afterlife once he discovers news of his father s death and the corruption in the kingdom that follows. Ophelia, Hamlet’s lover, is found dead later in the plot and is presumed to have committed suicide. In Hamlet’sRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1146 Words   |  5 PagesA character so complex, enticing and fascinating, his name is Hamlet. We are all Hamlet, and that, is the argument. Hamlet is an enigmatic character with many flaws. These flaws are the ones that prove similarities between us and him. A play so popular and significant is due to its huge relevance to us as a society. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s character and metaphor to demonstrate that when one is left alone to their thoughts, these thoughts overtake reason. ConsequentlyRead MoreHamlet by William Shakespeare1456 Words   |  6 PagesThe play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, takes place in a time where the impossible was a part of the lives of everyday people. Occurrences that people in the modern time would believe unbelievable. Yet, with just a quill and parchment Shakespeare’s is able to connect the past and present by weaving a plot with skill that is still unparalleled to this day. The play Hamlet this exceeds this expectation by revealing depth of Hamlets, the protagonists, character personality through the useRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1920 Words   |  8 PagesIn the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the character Hamlet must deal with both external and internal conflict. Hamlet encounters many struggles and has trouble finding a way to deal with them. With so many corrupt people in his life, Hamlet feels as if there is no one that he can trust and begins to isolate himself from others. A result from this isolation leads Hamlet to become melancholy. Hamlet struggles with suicidal thoughts, wants to kill King Claudius, and is distraught over his mother’sRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare846 Words   |  4 Pagesalways been a contemplative topic. In Hamlet, the main character Hamlet thinks to himself about suicide. Hamlet was written by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet between 1599 and 1602. William Shakespeare is one of the greatest playwrights in history. Hamlet is about Prince Hamlet of Denmark who is trying to find out about the death of his father after his father s ‘ghost’ comes to him telling him it was his uncle who had killed him. While Hamlet contemplates suicide he gives his famous

Impact of the Oil and Gas Exploration

Question: Discuss the impact of the Oil and Gas exploration. Answer: The essay discusses the impact of the Oil and Gas exploration, production and distribution on the environment. In particular, the essay discusses the impact of activities undertaken by oil and gas industries on the water pollution. The essay has also discussed the measure that can be taken to minimize water pollution caused by oil and gas industries. Since the discovery of crude oil, it has huge impact on the civilization and with the advent of industrial revolution and until today is the single most sought after natural resource (Nissen et al. 2014). Oil has become the driving force for the development of economy for every country. Many of the economy are running on the revenues earned from petroleum and it has been the centre stage for many modern day wars. Although, most of the countries depend on the oil and gas for its energy needs and actively produce or take part in petroleum trade activities, to boost their economy; these practices have cause serious damage to the environment either intentionally or unknowingly. One of the major problems linked with this dependency on oil is the extremely destructive effects that extraction, production and distribution have on the environment (Merrill and Schizer 2013). Environment pollution by oil and gas industries activities has caused significant damage to the environment by oil waste dumping into the ground, pollution during the production process, oil spills, gas flaring, etc. It has affected the surrounding wildlife and natural habitat for many species. The source of pollution in the oil and gas industry is entangled in all the stages of exploration, extraction process, storage and transportation of petroleum oil. It may be due to release of pollutants correlated with the oil and gas industry into the environment. The major causes of oil spills are flow lines and pipeline leakages. Blowouts from wellheads due to inadequate maintenance and oil spills from flow stations also contribute to marine pollution (Chu and Majumdar 2012). Oil spills releases hazardous hydrocarbons into the environment. These spills affect vast stretches of ocean beds adversely affecting the marine life. Mangrove forests are particularly affected by the oil spills as they have a tendency to absorb oil and then rerelease it every rainy season, thereby magnifying the impact of pollution. In the due process, the efficiency of mangrove trees in photosynthesis decreases the trees subsequently withers and dies. Mangroves are important for ecosystem in many as they acts as buffer between land and sea and helps in protecting soil erosion in coastal areas; in addition mangroves also acts as a breeding ground for many species. Another source of water pollution by oil and gas exploration is the discharge of effluents into the water bodies (Jackson 2014). In the process of exploration, activities like cuttings and drilling, mud and fluids are used for stimulating production. Chemicals are also used in seismic activities that are harmful for the environment. The key constituents of drill cuttings when discarded onto the ground restrict native plant growth and in the water bodies, these materials disperses, sinks, and may kill plants and animals living at the bottom. The dumping of wastes in the sea from oil facilities is directly linked with the fish stocks (Vidic et al. 2013). Exploratory drilling results in gas venting and flaring which causes natural hazards and risks in the form of well blowouts, localized land subsidence and land and water contamination. Exploratory drilling and production method requires drilling and cutting activities that releases contaminated water and toxic spillages into the marine ecosystem. It causes surface water pollution in the form of creating a layer above the surface of water, this phenomenon is known as interphase. Drilling activities by oil and gas industry disrupts ground water systems and flows in the form of hydraulic fracturing (Rahm et al. 2013). These activities results in climate change in the form of extreme weather conditions, rise in sea level, temperature rise and reduced water availability. In the refining of crude oil, huge quantity of water is used that makes the water unsuitable for consumption or agricultural uses and is discharged in the water bodies that further pollutes the water resources. Pollution of underground water caused by oil and gas explorations is serious threat. Oil spills, effluent discharges seeps into the soil and contaminates the underground water (Olmstead et al. 2013). Oil and gas resources procures a lot of revenues for the government, therefore, the environmental concerns are often being violated by the companies. The impact of ecological imbalance and the phenomenon of global warming have forced the governments and the companies to adopt a sustainable development path as the problem is not for only for a particular country or geographical region but is a matter of concern for the whole world. The activities of Oil and Gas industry have to adopt sustainable development both socially and environmentally (Bamberger and Oswald 2012). Oil and gas industry requires vast quantities of water in the refining stage of petroleum and thereby contaminates water in the form of effluents, wash water and cooling water discharges (Davies et al. 2014). Contamination of water due to water effluents that are rich in inorganic salts renders the water unsuitable for livestock usages. This situation can be avoided if the oil company they install water treatment facility near the petroleum refining centre and discharge the water into the water bodies such as rivers or ocean after proper treatment. In addition, the treated water can be reused by the oil and gas industry to minimize water wastages and subsequent pollution of water (Rozell and Reaven 2012). The effluents produces in the process of refining contains inorganic salts that non-biodegradable and hazardous for the aquatic ecosystem therefore it is necessary for the refining companies to treat these effluents with neutralization agents before discharging into the water bodies. The process of aeration, flocculation, oil separation, carbon absorption, reverse osmosis, bio treating, etc, must be employed for treating wastewaters before discharging it into the water bodies. Wastewaters discharged from the refining facilities are of high temperature than that of the receiving water bodies this causes thermal pollution (Warner et al. 2013). Discharge of liquid effluents into the water bodies must conform to the standards determined by laws and regulations of each country. Solid wastes that have a tendency to seep due to rains must be kept in closed and isolated containers to prevent contamination of ground water and surface water bodies by the drainage process (deMelo 2014). Avoid oil spills through better pipeline management, introduction of reinjection techniques and halting methane flaring. Investment should be made on Research and development activities to find better and sustainable sources of energy. Government must act to decrease dependency on petroleum and provide incentives to encourage the use of renewable and greener sources of energy, focus on achieving fuel efficiency and fuel conservation (Merrill and Schizer 2013). Specific measures can be to reduce the impact on environment from oil and gas production. In order to identify and implement mitigation measures, it is important to analyze potential negative impact on the environment. Then project and location of the project must be must be evaluated from all aspects i.e. financial, social, environmental to determine whether the project can be executed following the sustainability principle and minimizing the damage of the environment (Vengosh et al. 2014). Many of the water pollution issues can be avoided by adopting appropriate mitigation measures. Most of the water related issues in oil and gas industry is associated with project footprint as soil erosion, changes in water runoff patterns, contamination of underground water, harm of marine biodiversity, oil spills, etc. Many of these issues can be avoided if the companies act responsibly and develop project following the principles of sustainability at the designing stage of the project and predetermining the measures to avoid environmental damage (Murray 2013). The oil and gas companies need to adopt proactive approach in their business instead of reactive approach, because the impacts of mismanagement of the operations or activities usually have major impact on the environment (Olmstead et al. 2013). Various steps that an oil and gas company can adopt to minimize the damage of water bodies may include identifying and avoiding unstable slopes to protect ground water conditions, seismic activity and geologic structure. Proper research of local hydrogeology in order to identify areas of ground water discharge and recharge and the relationships between surface water bodies and ground water quality (Ferrar et al. 2013). It is important not to build conduit between two water bodies; discharge of untreated effluents to the local water bodies, rivers, wetlands must be avoided as these water bodies; use of special construction techniques to avoid water runoffs and using existing drainage systems in sensitive areas such as erodible soils and steep slopes. It is important to minimize the impact on environment at all the stages of oil exploration to retailing to be able to develop sustainably (Carson et al. 2013). The oil and gas companies are regulated by various laws to protect the environment from unchecked exploration, production and distribution activities of petroleum industries. However, due to the negligence either on the part of government or the oil companies to comply with these laws has caused severe damage to the environment. For instance, the petroleum exploration in Nigeria led to large-scale violations of environment laws and the government did nothing to address the issue rather it acted as a partner of oil companies, also the oil spill by BP had hugely impacted the marine ecosystem. Therefore, to address these issues it is important to build a centralized, global and autonomous body look into the affairs of oil and gas companies and defining guidelines for the petroleum industries. It is important to demark ecologically sensitive areas and restrict the activities of oil and gas companies on those areas. In addition, it is important to search for greener sources of energy and reduce the dependency on petroleum. The government needs to invest heavily on the research and development of finding alternative sources of energy and build infrastructure to reduce the usage of oil and gas. The oil companies also have the responsibility to restore the environment damaged by their activities and take step to reduce its footprints on the environment. Usage of efficient technology and equipments, proper maintenance of pipelines, waste disposable mechanisms has to be adopted and followed rigorously. With the use of technology that has been made available to in the recent years, oil and gas companies can minimize pollution and can contribute in making a cleaner environment. Some of these technologies are Green Completions that helps in capturing the leaked natural gas from the well and makes available for use; Plunger Lift System is used to remove the blockages from the oil wells formed from liquid accumulation and increases the efficiency, some of the other technologies include pipeline maintenance and repair systems, TEG dehydrator emission control, desiccant dehydrators, dry seal systems, automated leak monitoring and repair mechanisms etc. With the inclusion of these technologies oil and gas pollution can be contained and it also saves precious natural resources (Olmstead et al. 2013). It can be concluded from the above discussion, that externalities of oil and gas exploration and production have resulted in profound adverse effect on the environment. The level of pollution caused by oil and gas companies has increased considerably and has diluted the quality of air, water, soil, etc. Oil and gas industry has significantly contributed in water pollution; the water bodies including fresh water sources to oceans have been polluted by the activities of oil and gas companies. The fresh water sources such as rivers, lakes or underground water reserves near the exploration, production or distribution centers have a poor quality of water. In addition, the offshore activities of oil and gas companies in the deep sea have polluted the ocean water and have posed huge risks for the fragile marine ecosystem. Therefore, it is important for the oil companies to understand the harmful effects of pollution caused by their activities and develop business models on the principles of environmental sustainability using modern techniques and equipments to minimize the damage on the environment. References Bamberger, M. and Oswald, R.E., 2012. 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