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Greenpeace activists interrupt Syncrude tar sands operation
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by mtippett | July 25, 2008 at 07:12 am
729 views | 13 Recommendations | 7 comments
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This came from the Greenpeace website:
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada — Greenpeace activists entered Syncrude’s Aurora North Tar Sands facility earlier today, erecting a banner that transformed the opening of a tailings pond pipe into the “mouth” of a giant skull, spewing toxic sludge into the same tailings pond that earlier this year killed 500 migrating ducks. Activists also deployed a massive banner reading “World’s Dirtiest Oil: Stop the Tar Sands.” A third group of activists attempted to block another pipe to prevent further toxic contamination of Alberta’s environment, but were intercepted by Syncrude security before they could completely block the pipe.
According to the CBC:
Organization spokeswoman Jessica Wilson said the activists were detained, handed trespassing tickets carrying a $287 fine and released.
Greenpeace is attempting to raise awareness of the effects of the operation. A Greenpeace spokesman said:
we have to start caring about our water, climate and about the health of the people that live around here,
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mtippett
Vancouver, Canada
Grant Neufeld
Calgary (Connaught / West Victoria Park), Alberta, Canada
oxygensmith
Edmonton (South Bonnie Doon / East University), Alberta, Canadaonetokenangel
Canadasharp dressed man
Canada
Skullerman
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (7)
at 07:32 on July 25th, 2008
What do they want, to keep all of North America dependent on the Arabs for oil? I agree that the companies need to do lots more about their effects on the environment. What's your take on it, from the perspective of a Canadian?
at 08:31 on July 25th, 2008
mtippett, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 08:31 on July 25th, 2008
mtippett, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 12:15 on July 25th, 2008
That photograph by Sharp Dressed Man is so terrifying. I would like to see circulation of more photographs of the actual operations in the Tar Sands. I think it would help me, and other people, visualize the devestation that is going on there.
The end of plastics is not the end of modern civilization. We can adapt. But we have to start now on finding good solutions that won't poison the world.
at 12:54 on July 25th, 2008
SUVs are now considered Suddenly Useless Vehicles down here, and are turning used car lots into SUV graveyards. I do not drive a Ford F-350.
Why do you think the Louisiana wetlands are disappearing? It's not just the river being leveed and jettyed, nor just the nutria. It's the excessive canals that were dug for oil rigs and pipelines. And I've seen worse damage than in those pictures in the open pit mines for coal and copper.
Everytime I've driven east of Leadville, Colorado, I've been shocked and sickened by the mining companies' gross chemical lakes and ponds and their damage to the mountains and the environment, which can never be repaired in our lifetimes. It makes you want to throw up.
Save the oil for plastics!? The bane of the dump, it never decomposes. I hate seeing plastic bags blowing in the wind everywhere I go. And plastic bottles? they out-gas into whatever they contain, poisoning you. Give me glass containers, deposits and recycling. A coke never tastes the same in plastic or aluminum.
Everybody down here is cutting back on driving, carpooling, getting better mileage vehicles, riding bikes or buses and streetcars, getting solar and wind power, and we've managed to cut down on the demand for gas so far. and are still trying. Also eagerly lining up for alternative energy vehicles. We're just not ready to go back to the horse and buggy days yet.
So do what you can to make those companies clean up after themselves. They can, if they try. But it may take a huge public demand to force them.
So good luck. And hope your clear-cut forests grow back, too.
at 15:08 on July 25th, 2008
mtippett, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Change to de-central energy, gives people a sustainable future. I agree to build on dirty sand is a short term error.
at 01:32 on July 26th, 2008
So if we shut the oil sands and other oil production down now, before we have a grip on other forms and used properly as well as making a living, what happens to all the thousands of people out of work?
Where do we Canadians get the money for all the welfare to help all these people who are on the street? What about the mass bankruptcies?
How do we recover from all that?
I do agree Canada has to clean it up and I am not trying to justify any of this but I do look at the deep picture for lives of Canadians whose lives depend on these recourses until it is cleaned up.
It seems to me they all, (Oil sands companies) are working and adding new technologies every day to improve the sands, but it is going to take a while just like all the past issues took.
I know if the Oil sands are shut off, Canada will be hurting financially and economically for many years to come. Ideas to replace all this gas and oil are still in the beginning stages and until it is set, we need to work hard to make the Oil sands better not shut it down and hope for the best.
Skullerman.