Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Water

Water is needed in huge amounts in tarsands production and in all other construction stages of tarsands infrastructure across the continent. It takes five litres of water to produce one of usable petrol. There is also water used to move gas, build new tar pits or that water which becomes polluted in the outlying areas. Waste tailings ponds are so vast as to be visible from outer space at this early point in production. Water is now being privatized in slow motion, as “access rights” are available in Alberta. As production grows and climate change continues to parch southern Albertan land, more and more water will be needed to help supply fuel for the American market. This water will ultimately be diverted from rivers, lakes, farms and cities throughout Canada; the water levels in the Athabasca River have already dropped several meters. The Deh Cho/Mackenzie River is already threatened, both from development along its valley and it is downstream from tar sands operations. A generation ago, the Athabasca River was clear and drinking was common. Now, those that live with the river consider it poison and off-limits.

Run-of-the-river projects threaten efforts to become green

Run-of-the-river projects threaten efforts to become green
By Melissa Davis, Vancouver Sun
January 29, 2010

It's not easy being green, as the saying goes, and nowhere more so than here
in British Columbia.

After all, our province has an established reputation as an incubator for
social and political change: B.C. is the birthplace of Greenpeace, the front
line in the "war in the woods" and the arena where environmentalists, first
nations, government and business came together to create the "Great Bear
Rainforest."

Alberta tar sands project will increase production

February 25, 2010
Alberta tar sands project will increase production

Calgary, Alberta – The Canadian Oil Sands Trust has announced it will increase synthetic crude oil production capacity at its Syncrude project near Fort McMurray, Alberta.

A Push to Save Greenpeace

March 5, 2010
A Push to Save Greenpeace
Employees, activists struggle against Tzeporah Berman's appointment

by Dawn Paley

Activists launched a new website today, claiming Greenpeace International's appointment of Tzeporah Berman as co-director of its climate change campaign will push Greenpeace "beyond the point of no return." The appointment would make her a leader of the organization's global climate strategy.

Tar sands snubbed by 'green' retailers

Tar sands snubbed by 'green' retailers
Eco-campaign against Alberta's oil heats up with companies' boycott
Published On Thu Feb 11 2010

By Mitch Potter Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON–Two trendy North American retail chains have washed their hands of Alberta's high-carbon oil sands, as environmentalists intensify a campaign to demonize the Canadian fuel.

A Public Relations War on all Fronts

March 7, 2010
A Public Relations War on all Fronts
BC government aims to win hearts and minds in battle to open the province up to more mining, oil and gas

by Dawn Paley →Original Peoples, →Free Trade & Gateway Projects

Beyond rhetoric about improving competitiveness and establishing the province as a centre for innovation, among the most concrete strategies suggested in the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources 2010/11-2012/13 Service Plan are government sponsored marketing campaigns to promote the benefits of the extractive industries.

Is There Such a Thing as Safe Sex when Sleeping With the Enemy? | GE & tcktcktck

Is There Such a Thing as Safe Sex when Sleeping With the Enemy?

This is a follow-up piece to ‘Sleeping with the Enemy; EYES WIDE SHUT | TckTckTck exposé’, and ACTION ALERT! Is Greenpeace International set to become GE – Greenpeace Electric?

This is not a good year for Greenpeace.

Environmental leader attacks Greenpeace climate appointment

Environmental leader attacks Greenpeace climate appointment
By Andrew MacLeod
February 26, 2010 // The Tyee
http://bit.ly/a4bTKv

A prominent British Columbia environmentalist has written a letter to Greenpeace International criticizing the recent appointment of Tzeporah Berman to a position heading the organization's climate and energy campaign.

Husky, BP help fuel tar sands resurgence

Husky, BP help fuel oil sands resurgence

Partners cite sharply lower costs in decision to push ahead with
$2.5-billion Sunrise project
David Ebner
Globe and Mail
Jan. 20, 2010

The energy industry slapped down its second multibillion-dollar bet this week on the oil sands, a strong endorsement for a key sector of the Canadian economy in which development almost stopped during the recession.

Conoco's Surmont Tar Sands expansion to quadruple production (with help from TOTAL).

Conoco's Surmont oilsands expansion to quadruple production
By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald
January 20, 2010

CALGARY — In another sign that Alberta's oilsands sector is on the mend, the Canadian subsidiaries of multinational oil giants ConocoPhillips and Total said Tuesday they plan to quadruple oilsands production by 2015, generating billions of new investment and creating thousands of jobs in the stagnant oilsands sector.

Noise limit could kill Mackenzie pipeline, Imperial says

Noise limit could kill Mackenzie pipeline, Imperial says
Jeffrey Jones, National Post
Reuters
January 29, 2010

A panel's recommendation to enforce strict noise limits at a bird
sanctuary has the potential to shut down development of the $16.2-billion
Mackenzie pipeline in Canada's Arctic, the project's backers said.

The contention is among several by Imperial Oil Ltd
and its Mackenzie partners in written responses to proposals made by the
Joint Review Panel, which assessed the massive project's environmental and
socioeconomic impacts in a report issued at the end of last year.