Report: Alberta Oil Sands Most Destructive Project on Earth

[Avro]

Environmental Defence has released a report calling the Alberta Oil Sands the most destructive project on Earth.
Few Canadians know that Canada is home to one of the world's largest dams and it is built to hold toxic waste from just one Tar Sands operation," Rick Smith, the executive director of Environmental Defence.
And according to the report this is just the beginning. Approvals have already been given that will double the size of existing operations and Canada's leaders have been talking with the US government to grow oil sands operations in a "short time span."
Even a former Premier of Alberta is concerned. Peter Lougheed who served as Premier from 1971 to 1985 was recently quoted on the oil sands as saying:
... it is just a moonscape. It is wrong in my judgment, a major wrong... So it is a major, major federal and provincial issue."
However, there is a silver lining in all this. A recent Canadian parliamentary committee recently stated that:
A business as usual approach to the development of the oil sands is not sustainable. The time has come to begin the transition to a clean energy future."
Here's a few facts about the Alberta Oil Sands:
Oil sands mining is licensed to use twice the amount of fresh water that the entire city of Calgary uses in a year.
- At least 90% of the fresh water used in the oil sands ends up in ends up in tailing ponds so toxic that propane cannons are used to keep ducks from landing in them.
- Processing the oil sands uses enough natural gas in a day to heat 3 million homes in Canada.
- The toxic tailing ponds are considered one of the largest human-made structures in the world. The ponds span 50 square kilometers and can be seen from space.
- Producing a barrel of oil from the oil sands produces three times more greenhouse gas emissions than a barrel of conventional oil.
- The oil sands operations are the fastest growing source of heat-trapping greenhouse gas in Canada. By 2020 the oil sands will release twice the amount produced currently by all the cars and trucks in Canada.

http://www.desmogblog.com/report-alberta-oil-sands-most-destructive-project-on-earth

 

[Scott Free]

Here's a few facts about the Alberta Oil Sands:
Oil sands mining is licensed to use twice the amount of fresh water that the entire city of Calgary uses in a year.

How long do the oil sand miners have to "use twice the amount of water that the city of Calgary uses in a year?" Sort of a central fact of the argument isn't it? Certainly strange that it is missing from an article entitled "Here's some facts...," when clearly it should read "Here's certain facts meant to alarm you..."

When enviro-Nazis put crap like this in their propaganda it really makes their argument suspect.

 

[#juan]

How long do the oil sand miners have to "use twice the amount of water that the city of Calgary uses in a year?" Sort of a central fact of the argument isn't it? Certainly strange that it is missing from an article entitled "Here's some facts...," when clearly it should read "Here's certain facts meant to alarm you..."

When enviro-Nazis put crap like this in their propaganda it really makes their argument suspect.

If only you knew what you were talking about. A picture is worth a thousand words: It's a disaster alright.

 

[Scott Free]

If only you knew what you were talking about.

What I am talking about is the misrepresentation of facts for an ulterior agenda. If only you knew what I was talking about!!?!! ;-)

Oh look a scary picture of a big hole!!!

So what?

I also see people working and I know grass grows back...

 

[Tonington]

How long do the oil sand miners have to "use twice the amount of water that the city of Calgary uses in a year?" Sort of a central fact of the argument isn't it? Certainly strange that it is missing from an article entitled "Here's some facts...," when clearly it should read "Here's certain facts meant to alarm you..."

When enviro-Nazis put crap like this in their propaganda it really makes their argument suspect.

The Tar Sands operations are licensed to withdraw 349 million cubic meters of water per year. source (pdf)

Calgary uses about 182.5 million cubic meters of water per year. source (pdf) You'll have to perform some math for this one.

If the facts are alarming, perhaps it's because it should be alarming...

 

[#juan]

Here are two more pictures of the tar sands: Sure, the grass will grow back some day but it hasn't yet. Those tailing ponds though are toxic.

 

[Scott Free]

Here are two more pictures of the tar sands: Sure, the grass will grow back some day but it hasn't yet. Those tailing ponds though are toxic.

I'm afraid the pictures don't do much for me. It isn't like there was rain forest there before. Grass really does grow back. I've been to northern Alberta and can personally attest to the fact that that is all these operations are really disturbing. The landscape is pretty bleak to start with.

 

[Scott Free]

The Tar Sands operations are licensed to withdraw 349 million cubic meters of water per year. source (pdf)

Calgary uses about 182.5 million cubic meters of water per year. source (pdf) You'll have to perform some math for this one.

If the facts are alarming, perhaps it's because it should be alarming...

OK, and where would that water otherwise end up? Is it really hurting the environment or would that water have just gone to the ocean? There is plenty of fresh water going to the ocean from arctic ice melting anyway right now.

If some lake is being starved and the local animals around that lake are being killed then maybe you have a point.

 

[Tonington]

OK, and where would that water otherwise end up? Is it really hurting the environment or would that water have just gone to the ocean? There is plenty of fresh water going to the ocean from arctic ice melting anyway right now.

If some lake is being starved and the local animals around that lake are being killed then maybe you have a point.

It would otherwise end up in the river tributaries, used by other humans and ecological systems. With the Tar Sands, you get Tar Ponds. Look up the Sydney Tar Ponds to see how well that has turned out. Elevated cancer, autoimmune diseases, and a host of other health problems. And now, there are deformed fish in the Athabasca watershed, which feeds many Native reserves in the North. In the end it eventually ends up in the Arctic Ocean, after many lakes and rivers.

Problems upstream mean problems downstream.

 

[Scott Free]

It would otherwise end up in the river tributaries, used by other humans and ecological systems. With the Tar Sands, you get Tar Ponds. Look up the Sydney Tar Ponds to see how well that has turned out. Elevated cancer, autoimmune diseases, and a host of other health problems. And now, there are deformed fish in the Athabasca watershed, which feeds many Native reserves in the North. In the end it eventually ends up in the Arctic Ocean, after many lakes and rivers.

Problems upstream mean problems downstream.

I do agree that Tar Ponds are unacceptable. With the record profits oil companies are making it seems reasonable to force them to find a solution.

 

[#juan]

Before and after photo. The first step to prepare the ground for open pit mining is to burn down the virgin forest.

 

[Scott Free]

Before and after photo. The first step to prepare the ground for open pit mining is to burn down the virgin forest.

OK, point well made. :lol:

 

[Coastal_chaos]

The place and plan are disasters, for sure.

 

[#juan]

The people should be told about this disgrace.

http://www.onearth.org/article/canadas-highway-to-hell?page=4

 

[MikeyDB]

Naaaaah

It doesn't matter, its the superior mind at work!

If you can destroy the earth but enjoy the profits of destruction until you die...why should you care about what happens after... (The Zzarcov Philosophy)...

 

[Niflmir]

I have always found it a bit strange how cutting down a few hectares of the rain forest is a crime, but leveling the Canadian shield is just good sense.

 

[darkbeaver]

That's an ugly piece of work.

 

[Avro]

How long do the oil sand miners have to "use twice the amount of water that the city of Calgary uses in a year?" Sort of a central fact of the argument isn't it? Certainly strange that it is missing from an article entitled "Here's some facts...," when clearly it should read "Here's certain facts meant to alarm you..."

When enviro-Nazis put crap like this in their propaganda it really makes their argument suspect.

So you come in with an arrogant response like this and then get owned.....too funny.:lol:

 

[Zzarchov]

Naaaaah

It doesn't matter, its the superior mind at work!

If you can destroy the earth but enjoy the profits of destruction until you die...why should you care about what happens after... (The Zzarcov Philosophy)...

Then you can blame a Jewish conspiracy and complain about people having free will to run their own lives (The MikeyDB Philosophy)

 

[Socrates the Greek]

What I am talking about is the misrepresentation of facts for an ulterior agenda. If only you knew what I was talking about!!?!! ;-)

Oh look a scary picture of a big hole!!!

So what?

I also see people working and I know grass grows back...

Scott free
The perils of killing wildlife bears a heavy price tag, unfortunately migratory birds and other wildlife they don’t grow back ones they have been evicted by corporate development. Usually when such a big environmental rearrangement takes place wild life takes a beating on the population numbers. Already we see birds dyeing as a result of this invironmental catastrophy. If anything when such topographical change takes place wildlife relocates to a deferent location, manytimes from such threat it doesn’t allow migration to find a sustainable invornment. We are hurting the environment so we can drive 4x4 crew cabs to the grocery store and the malls, or drive 400 hp engines while the emissions are mounting by the second. What is pathetic here in North America, Canada and the US the word profit to investors has replaced Caring for the environment.