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
No special treatment for tar sands
No special treatment for tar sands
Sep 16, 2009
James Hansen
TheStar.com
In 1988, when I addressed the U.S. Congress on the dangers of global warming, I warned leaders that it was time to stop waffling. Humans were changing the climate in new and dangerous ways and we needed to take action. At the time, I knew we could expect stiff resistance from the usual suspects, but if you had told me that 20 years later, one of the most stubborn holdouts would be a self-interested Canada, I wouldn't have believed you.
As Obama and Harper meet, activists block mine and company faces trial
U.S., Canada ties get messy with oil sands issue
As Obama and Harper meet, activists block mine and company faces trial
Sept. 16, 2009
MSNBC
WASHINGTON - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Wednesday met with President Barack Obama at the White House, bringing with him some environmental baggage: Activists back home were squatting at a huge open pit mine used to get oil from tar sands, while a company this week pleaded not guilty to charges it was negligent in the deaths of 1,600 birds that flew into a tar sands waste reservoir.
Greenpeace activists still holding Albian on Day 2 of tar sands protest
Hats off. Amazed they have held it more than an hour. A very good surprise!
--M
Greenpeace activists enter Day 2 of oilsands protest
Edmonton Journal
September 16, 2009
EDMONTON — Greenpeace activists who have chained themselves to equipment at an oilsands mine in northern Alberta were hunkering down for another day of protest Wednesday.
Edmonton Journal Spin to ramp up security at Tar Sands mines
It was only a matter of time that the corporate media and their owners used resistance to tar sands destruction and death to raise the spectre of "terror". Let's hope that people are able to defend their civil liberties from this utter nonsense.
--M
Greenpeace protesters breach “secure” oilsands site
By Richard Warnica, edmontonjournal.com
September 15, 2009
Why the British are invading the oil patch
Why the British are invading the oil patch
Nathan Vanderklippe
Calgary — Globe and Mail
Sep. 09, 2009
At a time when thousands of Alberta's oil and construction workers have lost their jobs, the British Trade Office in Calgary has added to its numbers as it handles a surge in interest from corporations back home, many of them interested in bringing to Canada expertise gained from work in the North Sea.
Syncrude pleads not guilty to duck deaths
Syncrude pleads not guilty to duck deaths
September 15, 2009
ROLAND CILLIERS
Fort McMurray Today staff
Syncrude Canada is pleading not guilty to government charges laid as a result of 1,606 birds that were killed on the companies work-site last year.
Greenpeace activists set up blockade at Albian Sands site
Greenpeace activists set up blockade at Albian Sands site
September 15, 2009
ASHLEY CREWE
Fort McMurray Today staff
More than 25 Greenpeace activists have locked down part of the open pit mine at Shell Albian Sands hoping to send a message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama and other international leaders.
Jessica Wilson, Greenpeace spokeswoman, said activists entered the site around 8 a.m. this morning and “effectively blocked and stopped production on a good part of the open pit mine.”
CNRL gets three-month extension to enter plea on worker deaths
CNRL gets three-month extension to enter plea on worker deaths
Posted September 14, 2009
ROLAND CILLIERS
Fort McMurray Today staff
Canadian Natural Resources Limited was given an extra three months this morning to enter a plea to charges in connection with the 2007 deaths of two workers on site.
The company, along with, Sinopec Shanghai Engineering and SSEC Canada are facing a combined 53 charges in relation to the fatalities and are now scheduled to be back before a judge Nov. 4. There are 29 occupational health and safety-related charges filed against CNRL.
British environmentalists link with natives to fight tar sands
British environmentalists link with natives to fight oil sands
Kevin Libin, National Post
September 11, 2009
Tar sands under attack on environment globally
Oil sands under attack on environment
The industry is accustomed to defending its image in North America, but it now faces a multifront war, with opposition growing from Norway to Washington
Shawn McCarthy
Ottawa — Globe and Mail
Sep. 15, 2009
The environmental battle over Alberta's oil sands is going global, forcing the industry to respond to new attacks on its record and putting fresh pressure on Ottawa.
