Polluting the political process is one thing but get out of my kids head!
Last night I arrived home after several weeks of traveling in Canada and Europe. Over dinner at our local Chinese restaurant, I caught up with what my kids had been up to and how they are settling back into Canada after our big move from Amsterdam last month. After hearing about their proud soccer moments and new friends, the conversation turned to my book tour across Canada and my meetings in Europe with Greenpeace climate and energy campaigners from around the world. With a face shining with excitement my eight-year-old son Quinn turned to me with what he though was very exciting news, "Mommy, isn't it great that they have figured out how to do the oil sands better? Now we can get oil that we really need while leaving the forests and even the butterflies are okay." "What?!" I spluttered showering my husband in green tea. "What. Are. You. Talking. About?"
Quinn explained earnestly, "Well, I saw it on TV. A lot. There are nice people who have fixed it and now really like their jobs and they've figured everything out so that all the nature is fine because after they get the oil we need they pat dirt back on and plant flowers and trees."
To be clear, if the numerous government and independent environmental non-profit reports detailing how the tar sands is one of the most polluting and destructive projects on Earth were not enough to convince you that the industry has not "found a way to make oil sands better" this week the federal Environment Commissioner came out with a report that besides concluding that the Harper government has no plan to even achieve its own weakened targets on climate change, it also reviewed tar sands project approval and concluded that "decisions about oil sands projects have been based on incomplete, poor or non-existent environmental information that has, in turn, led to poorly informed decisions."
The thing is, after extensively touring the tar sands, meeting with First Nations chiefs, scientists and reading dozens of reports on the billions of litres of toxic water we pump out of the tar sands each day and how it is the fastest growing source of global warming pollution in Canada, I was pretty shocked when I returned to Canada and came face to face with the new 'Ethical Oil ' moniker favored by our government and the insidious billboards claiming that "Clean Air Matters" to the "Oil Sands Today" or that "Land Matters."
I was actually pretty impressed with the industry's attempt to simply cover up the destruction by claiming to care. Smart. After that, learning that the federal government had handed the oil companies $2.9 billion in taxpayer money (in subsidies and tax breaks) in the year and a half I had been away, and also watching our federal government team up with the oil industry to lobby against European low carbon fuel regulation (fearing the threat of a good example that labels tar sands output as "dirty oil"), I honestly didn't think I could be shocked anymore.
This morning, reflecting on last night's conversation with my little boy I am almost paralyzed with shock. There is a small group of people in Canada who are not only polluting our water, air and forests but are also polluting our political process to such an extent that our environmental laws are being held hostage to their pocketbooks. With the new "Oil Sands Today," they are also polluting our children's minds and ours.
Prior to this morning these were issues I tackled at work. But while I was away, this small group of vested interests entered my home. Not okay. This morning I am not only an activist; I am a very angry mother. I wonder whether it's possible to launch a class action lawsuit hold these individuals and their companies liable for polluting our children's minds with their dangerous misinformation? Any other angry mothers out there who would like to find out?
Ethical oil's excellent enemies: Saudi Arabia & Think Progress ...
Canadian campaign puts the spin on 'ethical oil' | Leo Hickman ...
Critics charged that the process was deliberately rushed to ensure it could be built before the introduction of new federal rules that would require new plants to drastically cuts their pollution.
The Maxim Power plant would emit three million tonnes of pollutions every year – the equivalent of adding 600,000 cars to roads in Canada – making it far more dirty than would be allowed by expected new regulations.
Pembina Institute and Ecojustice have filed a court challenge to appeal the decision.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/08/11/alberta-maxim-power-coal-plant-approved.html
http://www.leadnow.ca/stop-maxim-coal
The Athabasca River - how many politicians would drink the water?
http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2010/09/athabasca-river-how-many-politicians_07.html
must be on the QT if not public hearings in ALBERTA eh?
Instead of going to the public of input, the GOA commission three committees to provide them with recommendations. Not only is this a problematic form of top-down democracy, but it is concerning to see that none of the recommendations call for prioritized and preserved water rights for our families, our ecosystems and our future generations - worse all three committees call for water markets as a way to manage water allocation in the future.
Minister's Advisory Group 'Recommendations for Improving Alberta's Water Management and Allocation'
Alberta Water Council WATSUP Report 'Recommendations for Improving Alberta's Water Allocation System'
Alberta Water Research Institute 'Towards Sustainability: Phase I – Ideas and Opportunities for Improving Water Allocation and Management in Alberta'
http://www.elc.ab.ca/Content_Files/Files/CommentLARPMay2011.pdf
A. The Supreme Court of Canada has confirmed that both the Federal and Provincial Crown have a constitutional duty to consult with and accommodate First Nations when the Crown's actions potentially impact confirmed and claimed Treaty and Aboriginal rights;
B. The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench has stated that claimed Treaty water rights are not "dubious or peripheral", these claimed rights can give rise to the Crown's duty to consult and accommodate, particularly with respect to the allocation of water;
C. The First Nations in Treaties 6, 7 & 8 possess Treaty and Aboriginal water rights and are seriously pursuing these rights before the courts;
D. The management and allocation of water resources off-reserve by the Government of Alberta has the potential to profoundly impact First Nations' on-reserve water resources, the right to use and benefit from reserve lands, Treaty water rights and other Treaty and Aboriginal rights;
E. The Government of Alberta is not taking sufficient steps to meaningfully consult with and accommodate First Nations regarding the ongoing development of watershed and water management plans in the Elbow River, Bow River, Red Deer River, Athabasca River, Clearwater River, North Saskatchewan River and Battle River Basins, and other watersheds;
F. The Minister of Environment recently announced that the Government of Alberta intends to review water rights, and consider the eventual implementation of a water market throughout Alberta, but failed to state any intention to consult with First Nations;
http://sites.google.com/site/gotthirstalberta/news/violationoffirstnationstreatyrightswithalbertasnewwaterlaw
Greenpeace sold its soul years ago.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/10/14/vivian-krause-u-s-foundations-against-the-oil-sands/
While oil sand does give North America some decoupling from unreliable energy sources, a good thing, it hastens the rate of pollution of our biosphere.
We need to stop wasting energy.
We need to find replacements for combustion based energy sources.
Otherwise, we are dooming future generations to climate changes which are unlikely to be positive for human welfare.
It needs to be realized and rebroadcast repeatedly that energy companies are not going to push energy conservation, pollution control, or climate protection. They are soul-less corporations only interested in profit, preferably quicker and bigger.
They will try to appear warm and fuzzy, but they are cold blooded and scaly.
Watch their spokes people. Closely.
I used to believe that liberals were the more curious and intelligent breed who are interested in vigorous debate and pursuit of the truth. But as this tale shows, it's all about sticking to the talking points and leaving the thinking to others.
All interested in the current state of Climate Scientice must read her brilliant book. A snippet from one of the more than fifty 5 star reviews on Amazon.
"Donna Laframboise blows the lid off the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Instead of being a neutral body evaluating whether there has, in fact, been unprecedented global warming, the IPCC started with the premise that global warming was increasing at an alarming rate. Instead of investigating whether this warming was due to natural temperature cycles related to natural phenomena, human induced production of a trace atmospheric gas, carbon dioxide, was the cause celebre from the beginning. Instead of convening the world's experts, Laframboise exposes many of the IPCC "scientists" as being young, un-degreed, sometimes unpublished fledglings! She shows abundant examples of true world experts, purposely avoided by the IPCC........instead of gathering scientists with no preconceived notions of climate change, Donna Laframbroise lays bare the high percentage of IPCC scientist who had been closely associated with and many times employed by the powerful and monied environmental activist groups, such as the World Wildlife Fund, The Environmental Defense Fund, and others. Thus, these IPCC staff were following an agenda. They were "more activist than scientist!" She exposes The IPCC as a shoddy organization who didn't even follow what few rules it had..."
http://tinyurl.com/3ofu232
Tar sands extraction is the worst oil production method for the environment.
There is nothing ethical about the manner in which the oil is produced. There is nothing ethical about oil.
Just think if your child was exposed to violent programming during this unsupervised tv time...then you would be REALLY mad I bet.
Again, please quote the "blatant lies" that are in the commericals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swQTTG3NcYY&feature=player_embedded
This city is featured in "Natural Capitalism" which shows how people and business can live in harmony with profit but sustainable and high quality life!