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
In Oil Spill Address, Obama Offers No Answers on Climate Bill
In Oil Spill Address, Obama Offers No Answers on Climate Bill
President Avoids Mention of Climate Change or Carbon Cap
By Aaron Wiener 6/16/10 12:00 AM
In his speech to the nation from the Oval Office Tuesday night, President Obama laid out a three-step plan to mitigate the damage from the BP oil spill and compensate affected residents along the Gulf Coast.
Rethinking Alberta's energy sector
Rethinking Alberta's energy sector
Oilsands and emissions are key issues in report from a think-tank funded by BlackBerry billionaire Jim Balsillie
By Deborah Yedlin, Canwest News Service June 16, 2010
There are a number of interesting, if not controversial, assumptions made in a study released last week by the Canadian International Council, the think-tank funded by Research In Motion billionaire Jim Balsillie.
Liberal MP accuses government of stalling release of tar sands report
Liberal MP accuses government of stalling release of oilsands report
By Laura Stone, Canwest News Service
June 15, 2010
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP has accused the Conservative government of blocking the release of an environmental report that highlights the negative impact of the oilsands on Canada's freshwater supply, even as meetings to discuss the report are supposed to remain closed to the public.
Cenovus plans five-fold boost in tar sands output
Cenovus plans five-fold boost in oil sands output
Wed Jun 16, 2010
CALGARY, Alberta, June 16 (Reuters) - Cenovus Energy Inc (CVE.TO), the oil sands company spun off by EnCana Corp (ECA.TO) late last year, said on Wednesday its northern Alberta properties contain more than enough oil to support plans for a five-fold rise in production over the next decade.
Comparision of the People´s Agreement and the Copenhagen Accord
A lot of people-- especially ENGO's from North America-- are systematically denying the possibility that we can do the organizing and politicking needed to build a movement that can *really* tackle climate change. The arguments are that the "political will" simply is not there. But what is never mentioned about this line of argument is that the needed will to get there, speaking planet wide, not only is "there" it is _already happening_.
Part One: Peak Oil Goes Mainstream
Part One: Peak Oil Goes Mainstream
The Archdruid Report (June 09 2010)
Druid perspectives on nature, culture, and the future of industrial society
Longtime readers of this blog will recall that one of its central projects
early on was an attempt to deconstruct the most deeply entrenched set of
myths industrial culture uses to define the future. To borrow a phrase
from Carlos Castaneda, the myth of progress and the myth of apocalypse
were worthy opponents, and I hope the confrontation with them was as
educational, and occasionally entertaining, to my readers as it was to me.
Delay refinery until health effects are studied, Alberta regulator urged
Delay refinery until health effects are studied, Alberta regulator urged
Josh Wingrove
Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.
Globe and Mail
Jun. 11, 2010
The latest in a string of applications to build a massive oil refinery in an Alberta farming community – one coping with a rising cancer rate and soaring number of hospitalizations – should be put off until an inquiry can be called to examine the health impact of rapid industrial development, an energy hearing was told on Friday.
Saskatchewan tar sands development could hurt environment: think-tank
Saskatchewan oilsands development could hurt environment: think-tank
By James Wood, Canwest News Service
June 13, 2010
REGINA — Developing Saskatchewan’s oilsands could harm the environment, a think-tank warns.
A fact sheet released by the Alberta Pembina Institute compares “in situ” extraction used for deep reserves of bitumen — like those found in Saskatchewan — and the surface mining used for shallower deposits.
U.S. emissions laws could backfire, Alberta minister warns
U.S. emissions laws could backfire, Alberta minister warns
By Archie McLean, Canwest News Service June 14, 2010
EDMONTON — New low-carbon fuel standards proposed in the Northeastern U.S. could actually slow the greening of the oilsands, Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner warned Monday.
“We need to make sure that whatever we do doesn’t have the unintended consequence (of discouraging further investment) into technology that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Renner said from Boston, where he was attending an energy forum.
UK Co-op campaign for ban on tar sands fuel
Co-op campaign for ban on tar sands fuel
June 14, 2010
A coalition led by Manchester’s Co-operative Group has accused EU lawmakers of watering down landmark climate change legislation in order to allow fuels derived from the controversial Canadian tar sands to be imported into Europe.
Last year the European Commission’s proposals for the fuel quality directive penalised tar sands oil for emitting significantly more greenhouse gases than conventional oil, but following lobbying by the Canadian government all reference to tar sands has been dropped.
