Tar Sands 101
The Tar Sands "Gigaproject" is the largest industrial project in human history and likely also the most destructive. The tar sands mining procedure releases at least three times the CO2 emissions as regular oil production and is slated to become the single largest industrial contributor in North America to Climate Change.
The tar sands are already slated to be the cause of up to the second fastest rate of deforestation on the planet behind the Amazon Rainforest Basin. Currently approved projects will see 3 million barrels of tar sands mock crude produced daily by 2018; for each barrel of oil up to as high as five barrels of water are used.
Human health in many communities has seriously taken a turn for the worse with many causes alleged to be from tar sands production. Tar sands production has led to many serious social issues throughout Alberta, from housing crises to the vast expansion of temporary foreign worker programs that racialize and exploit so-called non-citizens. Infrastructure from pipelines to refineries to super tanker oil traffic on the seas crosses the continent in all directions to allthree major oceans and the Gulf of Mexico.
The mock oil produced primarily is consumed in the United States and helps to subsidize continued wars of aggression against other oil producing nations such as Iraq, Venezuela and Iran.
To understand the tar sands in more depth, continue to our Tar Sands 101 reading list
McMurray Airport Passenger Numbers Still Growing
Airport passenger numbers still growing
By CHUCK CHIANG
Today staff
Tuesday January 22, 2008
If the Fort McMurray Airport seems more crowded than ever these days, it’s because that is exactly what’s happening, according to the latest passenger numbers.
The airport saw 559,059 passengers either board or get off scheduled commercial flights last year, a record high and 34 per cent higher than 2006’s 415,965 figure.
Airport officials said the pace of growth has surprised even them, noting that passenger numbers only reached 106,768 ten years ago.
It will cost Suncor $200 Million to deal with the fact they literally stink
Odour problem fix will cost $200M, Suncor says
Firebag output to be expanded
Reuters; With files from Canwest News Service
CALGARY - Suncor Energy Inc. says clearing up odour problems at its Firebag thermal oilsands operations near Fort McMurray will cost about $200 million, but it hopes to complete the work later this year, allowing it to boost output at the site.
Deline says no to further uranium development
Deline says no to further uranium development
Guy Quenneville
Northern News Services
Published Monday, January 21, 2008
FORT FRANKLIN - The Deline Land Corp. will oppose all future uranium development in its district until outstanding issues having to do with the old Port Radium mine are resolved, the organization announced recently.
A different kind of climate politics is needed
A different kind of climate politics is needed
Environment Minister Baird even copied his Washington mentors by holding out to the last minute and then dramatically withdrawing his objections so that the vote could be unanimous.
by Ian Angus
January 16, 2008
“We are ending up with something so watered down there was no need for 12,000 people to gather here in Bali to have a watered-down text. We could have done that by email.” —Dr. Angus Friday, Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States
Time for us to say "No More Oil for War" to the US
TIME FOR US TO SAY 'NO MORE OIL FOR WAR' TO US
RICARDO ACUÑA / ualberta.ca/parkland
There are few things we progressive Albertans enjoy more than the opportunity to take a holier-than-thou attitude towards the United States.
Selling out sovereignty in orbit and the North
Selling out sovereignty in orbit and the North
Jan 22, 2008 04:30 AM
Michael Byers
Stephen Harper talks a fine game on Arctic sovereignty. He's told Canadians that we need to "use it or lose it." He's publicly berated U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins over the status of the Northwest Passage. He's even promised to build a deepwater dock on northern Baffin Island and ice-strengthened patrol vessels for the Canadian Navy.
Premier tells U.S. that environmental toll from tar sands is a "myth"
Premier tells U.S. that environmental toll from oilsands is a "myth"
5 days ago
WASHINGTON - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach asked American business leaders Wednesday not to buy into the "myth" that oilsands production comes at too high an environmental cost, saying attempts to curtail it "don't make sense."
But he faced disbelieving protesters at every turn on the first day of his trade visit to the United States, including about 35 environmentalists who passed out flyers to guests arriving at a Canadian embassy reception.
Peak oil: Why is it so difficult to explain/understand?
Published on 10 Jan 2008 by Energy Bulletin. Archived on 20 Jan 2008.
Peak oil: Why is it so difficult to explain/understand?
by Martin Payne
After several years of partial success in explaining the physics-based phenomenon sometimes known as “Peak Oil”, this author has come to one conclusion: Peak Oil is difficult to explain, and it is difficult for most people to understand.
N Dakota: Feds say Keystone won’t harm environment
Feds say Keystone won’t harm environment
Janell Cole N.D. Capitol Bureau
Published Friday, January 18, 2008
BISMARCK — The TransCanada Keystone Pipeline “would result in limited adverse environmental impacts” in North Dakota and other states it will pass through, the U.S. government says.
The State Department has released its final environmental impact statement on the project, though it will still accept public comment until approximately Feb. 11, then issue a final order, according to a cover letter to “colleagues and stakeholders” dated Jan. 11.
The Dirty Dilemma of Canadian Crude...
The Dirty Dilemma of Canadian Crude
Tar sands oil comes at an environmental cost. But blocking it from the U.S. may make matters worse
By Damian Joseph
January 21, 2008
