"Braving toxic fumes and the same toxic tailings waste that earlier this year killed 500 ducks, Greenpeace activists entered Syncrude's Aurora North tar sands operation early this morning and blocked a pipe into the two-kilometre wide tailings pond.
Shortly after 11:00 a.m today, 11 Greenpeace activists blocked the pipe to prevent further toxic contamination of Alberta's environment. The activists capped the opening of the pipe, locking a large device in place while several other activists erected a triangular banner over another pipe depicting a skull and crossbones which hung above the pipe's opening, giving the illusion of toxic water gushing from the "mouth" of the skull. Several other activists deployed a massive banner along the bank of the tailings pond, reading "World's Dirtiest Oil: Stop the Tar Sands."
Thursday, July 24, 2008
greenpeace punks syncrude.
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Are you allowed to comment on this working for APIRG?
ReplyDeleteAre there other NGO groups that bring more to the table than Greenpeace? Why do they still maintain their focus on "raising the awareness" when everyone and Blake Robert's dog is well aware of the problems of the oil sands. Did they stock up on banners and have to get them used up or else lose a deposit from head office?
Going to fill my car up with some of the world's cleanest oil now...
Ummmm, although I agree that we need to work on environmental issues in relation to the oilsands (and the whole of industry in Alberta for that matter), I'm not so sure that (what is at best) vandalism and tresspassing (and at worst dangerous industrial sabotage) is all that productive.
ReplyDeleteThe gig at the Premier's dinner was funny and a great spot to build awareness. This ... not so much.
Greenpeace is a joke. There are plenty of agencies out there actually doing good work for the environment.
ReplyDeleteThere is a fine line between activism and terrorism. The Alberta greenpeace group is flirting with it.
ReplyDeleteDave do you have the link to the Hudema blog?
ReplyDeleteAll I really care about is whether or not the banner is made from co-operatively produced, fair trade organic hemp.
ReplyDeleteMost major news outlets were reporting that the group got stopped prior to actually blocking any pipes.
ReplyDeleteMaybe once they had cut through the fence they realized that causing a backup was potentially dangerous? Not one of those loons could be knowledgable enough about Syncrude's operations to garuntee that backing up a pipe wouldn't end in a very bad result.
I agree with linseman, everyone and their dead dogs is well aware of the Oil Sands issues by now. It's time for groups like Greenpeace to start offering actual solutions and replacements.
Not only was this stunt useless but it had the potential to expose the communities downstream, such as Fort Chip and even Yellowknife, to extremely dangerous substances. I hope these clowns are put in jail for a while.
You're playing in the big leagues now children and attempted sabotage out to be punished heavily.
Greenpeace activists are taking the word 'activism' way too seriously. They should try thinking instead. Maybe then they would come up with some facts and a credible manner of presenting them.
ReplyDeleteMarnie Tunay
http://fakirscanada.googlepages.com/
Marnie said: "They should try thinking instead. Maybe then they would come up with some facts and a credible manner of presenting them."
ReplyDeleteAnd where would they present them? To the PC dominated Alberta Legislature? To the media? There have already been no shortage of experts who have publicly warned against what is going on in the oil sands who in turn were discredited by simplistic retorts by the likes of Waugh, Bell, Olsen, and the crowd.
Agree with their methods or not, Greenpeace is very successful at keeping this issue in the media (national and international).
Nice bit of political theatre, but tarsands development keeps chugging along, people still drive, Alberta keeps the country out of recession and people like me keep earning a living.
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for Greenpeacers. It must suck getting up every morning knowing that you don't make a difference and never will.
Interesting that they would go through all the trouble to get up there to try and protest, but do any of them realize the implications that they could have caused? Oh great let us be a bunch of idiots, close off a waste pipe, and have a chance at causing an incident which would be far more damaging than just letting the process run. And then I hear that they were merely given a slap on the wrist? Granted that there should be greater restriction for the preservation of the environment enforced by the Alberta government, but sending a bunch of yahoos up there is just going to end up causing a major accident where many could be put in danger.
ReplyDelete