Please Do Not Tap On the Glass

Fellow blogger “Tipping Point” recently posted more information about the tar sands oil project in Alberta, Canada. What’s that you say? Tar sands? What about clean energy?

Tar sands is an environmentally destructive and insanely expensive method of extracting bitumen, then processed into synthetic crude oil. According to the Washington Post:

Tar sands oil is produced through a destructive process that has deplorable consequences. Extraction and processing of just one barrel of synthetic crude oil from bitumen requires up to five barrels of fresh water and 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. The gasoline yield from that single barrel is only enough to fill a Chevrolet Avalanche’s tank three-quarters full.

The environmental impact is severe. In 2007, greenhouse gas emissions from tar sands plants were roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of 27 million American passenger vehicles. High levels of carcinogens in fish, water and sediment have been found downstream from tar sands areas.

Meanwhile, annual production of tar sands oil from Alberta is expected to at least triple by 2015, fueled principally by U.S. demand.

The environmental consequences are dire. The solution to our energy problems is not to rape the entire planet for more oil or liquid coal but to USE LESS ENERGY.

We can stop this project. We can write to our legislators and tell them we want clean energy, not more destructive planetary destruction in the name of oil. Forest Ethics has posted an action alert letter to President-elect Obama that you can edit and sign. It’s a start so Take Action NOW.

Please read Tipping Point’s excellent blog post on our oil habit and it’s disastrous effects on Canada’s environment. Here are some of the outstanding links from that post:

• Grist Magazine story on the Tar Sands project
• Learn 10 Facts About the Tar Sands
• Canada Tar Sands Earth Destroyers

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