THE Tar Sands Thread (merged)

[Denny]

Very impressive pictures. It is amazing to see the immensity of it all.

[Pablo2079]

There are some before pics later on in the slide show.... or at least pics that show what the boreal forest was probably like before the mining.

This is just the beginning

[alokin]

are there serious protests in Canada? Like occupations, huge demonstrations etc?

[eric_b]

I could not stop shaking my head, and laughing, as I read that. Completely rape the land to squeeze out a little oil. And it's profitable. Demonstrates the need and demand for oil.

I liked this bit:

But for friendly Canada the tar sands are rapidly becoming an environmental liability as well as an economic hurricane. Described by the United Nations Environment Program as one of the world's top "environmental hot spots," the project will eventually transform a boreal forest the size of Florida into an industrial sacrifice zone complete with lakes full of toxic waste and man-made volcanoes spewing out clouds of greenhouse gases. Are Canadians willing to create an environmental disaster in Alberta in order to provide the U.S. market with some of the most expensive oil in the world? The answer seems to be an emphatic yes.

We're doomed.

Excellent article.

[seldom_seen]

The US is a world leader in destroying their own countryside.

We don't have anything on Canada though. From the Amazon style devastation of British Columbia's old growth forests to shoveling up the province of Alberta and turning it upside down. They win!

[TheDude]

Try using StumbleUpon and searching for tar sands - or anything else - you'll find some interesting stuff. More varied responses than Googling and parsing results.

[vetusfirma]

Now that the Soviet Union is dead, I think Brazil is probably the world leader in destroying their own country. But its so popular to bash America it's understandably that you missed that.

[Homesteader]

The IOC open pit iron ore mine outside of Labrador City, Labrador at 100 sq. miles is the largest of its kind in North America. Same kind of country as the tar sands. The Taiga is hauntingly beautiful country.

[Aaron]

The US is a world leader in destroying their own countryside.

We don't have anything on Canada though. From the Amazon style devastation of British Columbia's old growth forests to shoveling up the province of Alberta and turning it upside down. They win!

Just wait till the US begins leveling the Rocky Mountains for Shale.

It's energy negative... it's environmentally devastating & the rate of production is a joke.

And it's a sure bet the US will do it anyway.

Know why?

Despite all the negative implications... it's profitable @ today's oil price.

Talk about Rocky Mountain High... more like Rocky Mountain Wasted out of your freakin' mind.

John Denver wants revenge.

[Ludi]

Mountain top removal coal mining in the US




Kentucky and West Virginia

[Serial_Worrier]

Mountain top removal coal mining in the US




Kentucky and West Virginia

It's not so bad, it will regenerate itself. Besides we don't need all that pristine forest land anyways. Sweet black coal is more important! *cough*

[TheDude]

Google Earth Blog: End Mountain Top Removal Campaign with Google Earth

There's GE projects for tar sands and ANWR as well.

Will be interesting to see what Pres. O-bomb recommends in re: energy independence - he has ties with the coal industry.

[paimei01]

There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with people. Given a story to enact that puts them in accord with the world, they will live in accord with the world. But given a story to enact that puts them at odds with the world, as yours does, they will live at odds with the world. Given a story to enact in which they are the lords of the world, they will act like lords of the world. And, given a story to enact in which the world is a foe to be conquered, they will conquer it like a foe, and one day, inevitably, their foe will lie bleeding to death at their feet, as the world is now

From "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn

[WildRose]

Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure!?

http://www.jirirezac.com/stories/oilsands/

That's an excellent collection of pics. They show the devastation quite well.

Stop already! I'll walk!!

[gampy]

I hope the good people of North America (or at least this website) understand what our current lifestyles truly cost.

Oh....the awful oil companies.

Don't blame them. Blame yourselves. Blame all of us.

Alberta will resemble Mordor in another 10 years as production and investment ramps up.

Park your cars, don't buy plastic, or nylon clothing. The only way to get people to stop using that awful stuff under the boreal forest is to curb demand.

Anyways, I am sad, and resigned to the fact that Alberta (and the watersheds down river of the area) are going to be sacrificed for a steady supply of motor fuel for North America.

But I am kind of angry that Alberta's government (and hence, her peoples) don't give a shit.

Oh well. Not my neck of the woods. Hopefully, when the whole thing is over, they don't mind trying to eke out a living in a ecological wasteland. Good luck with that.

It's a crime what the Albertan government has allowed to happen. All for a few bucks. I know thjere are a few Albertans who visit this website, and some of them don't give a rat's ass about what's going on, but I would hope that public opinion would start to pressure the government to regulate the industry up there a little better.

Rant over. Enjoy your daily commutes, and 3000 mile tomatoes.

[Homesteader]

I hope the good people of North America (or at least this website) understand what our current lifestyles truly cost.

Oh....the awful oil companies.

Don't blame them. Blame yourselves. Blame all of us.

Alberta will resemble Mordor in another 10 years as production and investment ramps up.

Park your cars, don't buy plastic, or nylon clothing. The only way to get people to stop using that awful stuff under the boreal forest is to curb demand.

Anyways, I am sad, and resigned to the fact that Alberta (and the watersheds down river of the area) are going to be sacrificed for a steady supply of motor fuel for North America.

But I am kind of angry that Alberta's government (and hence, her peoples) don't give a crap.

Oh well. Not my neck of the woods. Hopefully, when the whole thing is over, they don't mind trying to eke out a living in a ecological wasteland. Good luck with that.

It's a crime what the Albertan government has allowed to happen. All for a few bucks. I know thjere are a few Albertans who visit this website, and some of them don't give a rat's ass about what's going on, but I would hope that public opinion would start to pressure the government to regulate the industry up there a little better.

Rant over. Enjoy your daily commutes, and 3000 mile tomatoes.

I agree with the tenor of your post. However, if th tar sands where located elsewhere the outcome would be the same.

[WildRose]

I hope the good people of North America (or at least this website) understand what our current lifestyles truly cost.

Oh....the awful oil companies.

Don't blame them. Blame yourselves. Blame all of us.

Alberta will resemble Mordor in another 10 years as production and investment ramps up.

Park your cars, don't buy plastic, or nylon clothing. The only way to get people to stop using that awful stuff under the boreal forest is to curb demand.

Anyways, I am sad, and resigned to the fact that Alberta (and the watersheds down river of the area) are going to be sacrificed for a steady supply of motor fuel for North America.

But I am kind of angry that Alberta's government (and hence, her peoples) don't give a crap.

Oh well. Not my neck of the woods. Hopefully, when the whole thing is over, they don't mind trying to eke out a living in a ecological wasteland. Good luck with that.

It's a crime what the Albertan government has allowed to happen. All for a few bucks. I know thjere are a few Albertans who visit this website, and some of them don't give a rat's ass about what's going on, but I would hope that public opinion would start to pressure the government to regulate the industry up there a little better.

Rant over. Enjoy your daily commutes, and 3000 mile tomatoes.

Excellent post, gampy. You're spot on.

Unfortunately, I get the impression that it's anti-Albertan to knock the oil sands industry. You wouldn't believe the things I've heard at some barbecues, etc. I keep looking for ways to open people's eyes to the realities of the environmental impacts. You are correct, I think, that the only thing that will slow this down is some nasty demand destruction.

For anyone who's interested, here is a link to some current reports re: oil sands and the environment:

http://www.oilsandswatch.org/

Notice especially that there has been no proven way to deal with the tailings ponds yet, and also that only 1 sq km of land has been successfully "reclaimed" to date.

Also, for anyone in the Edmonton area, read the report about the new upgrading system just northeast of Edmonton.

[Kveldulf]

I'm in Alberta, though just barely, and it is indeed very bad to oppose industry of any kind.
People are told that they may be "let go" if the government does 'x', 'y', or 'z'.
If you so much as suggest slowing down a bit, you're now officially a crazy tree hugging hippie, who wants people to lose their jobs.
It's all jobs and money. If either of those factors are involved, they don't need explanation... they are considered absolute justification for anything industry desires.

An example of the problems caused:

http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/article.php?id=27

*sigh* the land of "Save the west: No to Kyoto!" bumper stickers .

[pstarr]

and after all the raping and pillaging finally ends, the folks left, sad idiots they are, will ask each other why nobody ever told them.

[Dezakin]

Just wait till the US begins leveling the Rocky Mountains for Shale.

It's energy negative... it's environmentally devastating & the rate of production is a joke.

And it's a sure bet the US will do it anyway.

Know why?

Despite all the negative implications... it's profitable @ today's oil price.

Doesn't matter as long as its more profitable to do coal liquefaction. All the capital will flow into CTL untill the price of coal rises.