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Introduction

Chevron Corporation is one of the world’s biggest energy companies, which is located in San Ramon, California, Untied States. It is regarded as the second largest oil company in the United States. The business of Chevron Corporation involves more than 180 countries and regions. In 2001, Chevron was merged with Texaco. Oil industry always refers to the exploration, exploitation, and refining of the crude oil and contributes to some environmental problems. In 2011, Chevron Corporation was condemned to be fined 8.6 million dollars by the court of Ecuador because the subsidiary company of Chevron, Texaco, dumped toxic waste in Amazon region resulting in the destruction of rainforest and the rising of cancer rates of the local people. The lawsuit of Chevron oil pollution lasts from 2003 to 2011. During the long-term rivalry between the Ecuadorian people and Chevron, Chevron refuses to acknowledge that they pollute the environment of Amazon along with the results of some scientific investigations (Ivanova, 2012). This lawsuit represents the vital interests of 30 thousand people in Ecuador. However, the oil giant Chevron shirks their social responsibilities through abusing its power to deny the judgment and threaten the related witnesses.

Environmental protection has become an important issue around the world. As the participants of the social activities, corporations take the responsibility to protect the environment and achieve the sustainable development of the society. Corporate social responsibility emphasizes that “a company’s pursuit of its self-interest does provide social benefits” (Spence, 2010). The oil pollution of Chevron influences the personal safety of the Ecuadorian people largely. The ultimate purpose of Chevron is to offer products and serve to the people. If the Ecuadorian people lose the trust for Chevron, Chevron will lose its market in Ecuador. What’s more, the reputation crisis of Chevron will probably impact the business in the world. Fulfilling the social responsibility is the road of Chevron’s future development.

Corporations drive the economic development of the society. Under this circumstance, s corporations’ improper behaviors will be winked at and shielded. Nevertheless, some people consider that corporations should be published severely due to their improper behaviors from the perspective of victims. Based on the different opinions, the goal of this research is to find out the opinion about the oil pollution from people from Linguistics 200 class.

Methodology

A survey investigation is used to conduct this research. The survey is designed as a short questionnaire with ten questions. Each question has several options. Participants are only allowed to choose an option of each question. Members of the group search the information, discuss, and design this questionnaire together. The questionnaire is uploaded on the Internet. To protect the privacy of participants, the survey is anonymous. 60 people from Linguistics 200 class take part in this questionnaire survey. The first two questions aim to research the background information of participants like age and gender. Then participants are asked whether have a car. If participants have a car, they will be asked what gas station they prefer, why they choose this gas station, how often they pump gas, what pollution caused by oil companies, which oil companies cause pollution, and how important the environmental protection is. If participants do not have a car, they are just required to answer the following three questions, what pollution caused by oil companies, which oil companies cause pollution, and how important the environmental protection is. The questionnaire lasts one week. At the end of the questionnaire survey, the group members collect the data and count the number of each option.

People’s daily life is closely related to oil, but it usually hard for people to find out oil pollution in their daily life. Gas station is a common place for people to contact petroleum products. The questionnaire starts with the question of whether the participants have a car. Besides, the following questions are based on this question. Participants are familiar with this topic. Therefore, they are willing to give the honest answers, which guarantee the accuracy of the questionnaire.

The questionnaire was an important part to find out people’s position on pollution issues of Chevron Corporation. 60 people take part in this survey. 26 people (44.1%) of them are females, 32 people (54.2%) of them are males, and there is 1 people is neither male nor female. Besides, In the option of age, 60 people come from different ages. 27 people are under the age of 18years old, 20 people come from 30-49 years old, 11 people come from 50-64 years old, and 3 people are 65 and more. Among the 60 participants. 57 people answer the question of do you own/drive a car.31 people (54.4%) have their own cars and 26 people (45.6%) of them do not have their own cars. When 60 participants are asked whether they are licensed drivers, 45 people respond that they are licensed drivers, and 15 people claims that they are not licensed drivers. The following chart shows the responses the 37 participants who  own cars prefer.

（其他=other）

As shown in the chart, 10 people (27%) prefer Arco, 9 people (24.3%) prefer Costco, 7 people (18.9%) prefer Chevron, and participants who prefer Exxon and Shell are same which both 5 people (13.5%) respectively. Also, 1 people prefers other gas stations.

The following chart shows the reason that 37 participants prefer this gas station.

As the chart shows 24 people prefer this gas station due to the low prices, 12 people prefer the location of the gas station,  10 people prefer the gas quality of the gas station, 4 people prefer the better services of the gas station, and 3 people prefer the environment of the gas station.

The following chart shows how often do 37 participants pump gas.

The chart reveals that 21 people (56.8%) pump gas 3-4 times a month, 10 people (27%) pumps gas 5-6 times a month, 5 people (13.5%) pump gas 1-2 times a month, and 1 people (2.7%) pump gas more than 6 times a month.

The following chart shows the responses of 59 participants have you heard of any oil companies causing pollution.