When the oil industry answers it critics about whether we are running out of oil, the word Alberta normally comes into the conversation pretty soon. James Cameron made headlines last week visiting the oil sands, commonly known as the Tar Sands of Alberta. There were conflicting viewpoints regarding his visit. However a variety of government officials from Washington, England, China have visited the Canadian government over the past two weeks. China almost bought Canada’s Potash Corporation but then a gentleman by the name of Brad Wall, decided that he would not falter and sell them all off. Canada is the second largest supplier of potash within the world. However with James Cameron, some believe he has no business wading in on the subject of the environment versus the economy. Especially when it comes to the oil sands of western Canada. Others believe the Hollywood heavyweight can and should bring his influence to bear as other celebrities have with there own areas of interest. To list a few, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, and countless others including Steven Spielberg whom recently has been in conference with a famous scientist by the name of David Suzuki. I have no problem with James Cameron voicing his opinion or even filming a documentary on the subject. Which is apparently within the works. All I would request is that it’s done within a manner that is not one sided as we are living within a world that is becoming very sided – if sided was a word. What I mean is that we are predominantly living within democracies, which are not governing by way of what we understand and regard as a democracy. governed by “sided” organizations, people, networks – I think you might understand what I mean.
When influential people with lots of clout take on an issue with high definition documentary films on something that’s near and dear to their hearts we should remember that they are going to produce a compelling story that reinforces their personal point of view. It’s one thing when celebrities try to help out victims of disasters such as in Haiti. It’s different when the issue isn’t black and white and there are two sides to the story. Yet when someone writes or takes on an advocacy to inform people, I find that it’s of up most importance in the way it’s accomplished. From a story to a film to take into account all side of the matter and render the solid facts is a thing that is of most importance. I believe Cameron is from Ontario. As I had been several times to the oil sands of Alberta I thought that I would indicated that second to Saudi Arabia, Canada holds the largest supply of oil and natural gas within the world. I certainly am one for keeping this earth clean but at the same time we as a society shall always be reliant on these two commodities. Recently, there have been trips made to meet with the Prime Minister of Canada by various leaders and seemingly there is a new interest back to oil and natural gas as when the President came into the Oval Office he literally began to speak green and for the first time in 30 years you had people from Canada and all corners of the world for the first time being laid off and returning home. Seemingly right now there are much more things that are much more important within this world and my hopes are that James Cameron does come out with a unbiased great documentary which shall inform so many people that really don’t know what the Tar Sands of Canada are all about. Ironically in 1972 behind closed doors within the White House there was a meeting on where the military should set up a base from which to render it’s own natural gas. A person – relation very close to me was within this meeting and the place in which all agreed upon was the Tar Sands of Alberta and the untapped reserves of natural gas from Saskatchewan.
My own personal feelings are that we will always during the next one hundred years be dependant on oil and gas. And if so why not do it safely and on a continent such as Canada rather than Saudi Arabia. It certainly makes sense to me. As much as factually based information rather than preferential, one sided information.
We are within a point where we can maintain, preserve and respect this mother earth of ours while at the same time rendering the essentials of what we do need. If and when we start to hold back on each and every area to be politically correct – there will never be decisions made. I would rather start to see some decisiveness start to happen – rather than sitting on the fence with every situation to see if its’ politically correct. You can’t please all but if your mission is to do something that is deemed to be of benefit, with evidence that backs it up...
That's when I say – why not?
Actually Jack you are very right in what you say as there is always two sides to a story and most people only believe the story they want to hear not the one that presents the truth of a matter. just as you have said here concerning the political clout and other heavy weight players in the game there is a tendency for the truth to get lost in the efforts of some peoples view to misdirect the detail and present a falsehood they are happy to live by.
ReplyDeletethis is so true of Human nature people only want what they feel is best for themself.
amigo it only those who are void of intellectual curiosity who would see one film or read one book and believe all that is contained within------i believe in solar and wind power but they cannot be attained overnight-----the sugar fuel is another alternative but again not overnight----there are other possibilities and we must encourage science to move forward------i fear that economics will weigh far more than protection of the planet for the future and that is the area that needs to be understood----i do not trust any who confer but rather the plants and the animals and lessons of the oceans....for within their survival lies our own...................
ReplyDeleteI guess it all with the nature of the being. Ken - however, I think that many don't realize that within these parts of Canada are the highest amounts of natural reserves within the entire world. Gas - we will continue to use gas and do we wish to be paying the Saudi's or if we just forget about a world with borders would we rather render what we have by way of a place named Canada. Regardless of where I live I know what I would feel yet I would want to take everything into account before making a decision. James Cameron is doing so with a movie project regarding Oil and the Tar Sands of Alberta.
ReplyDeleteRather neat if you ask me.
I agree with you but while we groom up with these areas we still do need and we still do use gas. As far as the Tar Sands, google it, as there have been books and documentaries done on them for two decades at least. If economics weigh far more, why are you paying billions to Saudi Arabia? Science is within progress, David Suzuki is an international notable scientist. He has been recognized right around the world. His homepage is here > http://www.davidsuzuki.org . I believe that there is much to be rendered by way of the ocean. Mankind ventured out into space before really gaining as much of an understanding of what lays beneath and within the depths of our waters as we wished to beat each other in getting into orbit and landing on the moon. The way I see it is we are apart of nature, we are not looking from the outside in, but we are looking and regarding within a mutual manner.
ReplyDeleteAnd when we forget about borders now and then we too start to understand what is rather than what is UNKNOWN. Look at the billions that have been wasted in so many areas so many places, it's not the 60's but we have really wasted not only time, but we have wasted on things that when we hear this term called pork, I think it's really an underscore to all that has been spent. So the intention of this was just writing about something I have seen with my own eyes, I have read on, I regard the future and I come to my own conclusions. And it shall be very interesting to see what comes from not a Micheal Moore, but a gent such as James Cameron but till then I thought I would place my pen down and write on this very subject.
Wind turbines, sugar, all the alternatives are here and in so many countries yet....within the meanwhile we still rely on oil and natural gas. For that matter most historical buildings are still energized by coal, the White House and Parliamentary Buildings are all heated by oil and the old coal form of energy. So if it renders a little curiosity is worth that time within the read...
~ Why Not ~
true enough people will still go on with their love affair of fossil fuels given it came free and they make massive amounts of money from it. and yet they never stop to think there could be another way but that is how life has been and will be until Human's destroy all life for gold trinkets I guess.
ReplyDeleteI think we are progressively finding new ways but within the meantime....that is what I am or was getting at.
ReplyDeleteIf there is truth on it, then for heaven sake ... why haven't thei're started it yet. The world could benefit from it. Of course mother earth will again suffer. The fishes in the ocean ... the vegetations and the people living besides and around the perimeters. But come to think of it ... the factories are doing that already. All those scientists who are supposed to be knowledgeable with regards to these matters should incorporate rules ansd restrictions on how to protect those that are concerned. And start.
ReplyDelete... well, that's only my humble opinion. It's a man's world out there ...
to be honest Jack with all the advances in technology they don't seem to be getting anywhere at all and the reason behind this is because the oil companies are controlling the release of anything they could replace their political hold over the world economy. to them it's all about money and the government is just the same for they claim anything new will cost jobs and taxes as a result but they fail to see with the end of one trade comes others or more generated cash flow.
ReplyDeleteredrosesforyou makes a very valid point about the cost to our home world Earth :-)))
The thing about oil and gas is that the earth itself needs it in order to maintain itself and the natural balances..... we are taking the very blood out of it and we dont have to. There was a programme I recently watched about water and wind energy ... they are just as powerful and efficient as gas and oil but because there is no profit in it governments are persisting with oil and gas. Its all down to the powers that be and that little word you mentioned earlier .... greed. It frustrates me .... because we are slowly allowing them to destroy our planet.
ReplyDeleteWind farms are great.....if you don't live near one.
ReplyDeleteI think I would much rather live near a wind farm than an oil refinery ~smile~ .... A lot of these farms are out at sea ..... and there is the energy they generate through water ... a friend of mine runs all his power through his little river that runs throug his estate ... in fact he creates so much energy he has been approached by someone to buy power off him. Needless to say he has refused!
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ReplyDeleteI understand but Lynne, we do still get up and go drive the car. We are within a time of adaptations (boy this is a word I have often used) smile. Maybe we can slowly protect our planet if you know what I mean.
Don't you know! As most don't know of the stories behind them Toni, but they do have a price to be paid especially when a town has an investor place them right near or on the outskirts of town.
ReplyDeleteIt gives new meaning to "Get a good nights sleep".
ReplyDeleteThis is ironic as many of the wind farms here are built on land, but then look a hydro generators of electricity now there is something that has existed for years and has done rather decently within and for our planet - I say wish caution. :)
When ever there has been an advance or an invention within our worlds history there has always been an upside and a downside - people will be people Maritess. I don't think there is a complete truth within this specific area but I do know there certainly is a concern. Mankind is with imperfections whether it be a scientist or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteA very nice opinion if I may say...~smiles~
ReplyDeleteMike people shall always be people. I thought this was a worthy area from which to bring up. With the expectation that there would be pros and cons within this very subject matter. Mankind does tend to sometimes not make sense yet at times we have done some rather decent things I believe. One great invention was coffee :).
Thanks and I truly know what you mean and enjoy your thoughts here - from there. ~smiling~
Sadly I think its too late to slowly change things now ... its come to the point where drastic measures are needed.
ReplyDelete.... I know of people who will drive a mere 1/2km .... when they could just as easily have walked.
I sold my car about five years ago and have never regretted it .... It is about adapting for sure ... but at least I know that I am doing my bit ~smile~ ... a friend of mine and I are in the process of planning a eco friendly village .... its all talk at the moment whilest we await funding ... but the plan is to be entirely self sufficient ..... no reliance on anything or anyone other than what nature can provide ..... a dream possibly .... but since we have been putting feelers out we are amazed at how many other people are wanting the same thing.
Life has lost its substance and thats because basically we were put here to look after earth .... but we haven't done that and in the end we will suffer for it. Nature will fight back .... storms, hurricanes ... natural disasters .... look what happened when that volcanic ash hit town ... it brought air space to a stand still .... a simple act of nature. ~smile~ .... I am very passionate about the environment so please excuse the ramble ... ~HUGGGGSSS~
ReplyDeleteNo worries at all as I can see that and this is fine, I never had the thought that everyone would see this my own way Lynne (hugs)....
Yes we need to care and preserve what we are blessed with to the best of our abilities not only for ourselves but for the future of what continues on far beyond our human years
ReplyDeleteI made mention of a river that flows out of Mexico on my blog yesterday The Thing about Ducks which is the most polluted river in North America and there are real dangers there. It just doesn't make sense to destroy the natural resources we have here on earth ..not in any country . We are part of the same planet no matter what our location and it makes good sense to care for and preserve what we are blessed with and work towards cleaning up what has been damaged .
We should protect our invironment .in every way we can.yes we can cycle instead of using the car everytime ..Bravo--Lynne !!
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ReplyDeleteI read and remain silent Cheryl. :)
I'd like to share this particular excerpt from an article I read:
ReplyDelete"When the first astronauts traveled out into space they were struck by an amazing vision: planet Earth, sitting like a blue and green jewel in the blackness of space. An extraordinary place of life, and the only planet we know of that definitely has life, and in such abundance." *gives me goosebumps!*
We must all do our part in whatever way we can (recycling, conserving, etc.) Sadly, there are those who just go about doing what they've always done to help (which is nothing), while others make a conscious choice, and a concerted effort every single day to treat the planet as the precious gift that it is. The air we breathe is still enveloped with harmful pollutions, the hole in our ozone layer is getting bigger, the seas and oceans are battered with different problems and issues, and rain forests that serves as a refuge to a delicate ecological balance continues to dwindle. This is all so heartbreaking!
amorevita2 brings forth a homing truth in the comment shared here and that is plainly how little respect Humans have for the life they have received and the life that supports their life our own living planet Earth.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if half of the illnesses we as Humans suffer today is because of the abuse we cast upon the Earth making the Earth sick and therefore in turn ourselves as well.
ReplyDeleteA good point Ken and Maryann always does bring up some other sides from which one does tend to think about.
Hmmm I think Multiply ate my reply.
ReplyDeleteWhen I wrote on it I felt the same...:)
ReplyDeleteOkay then let's try this again.
ReplyDeleteThe Alberta oil sands are actually one of the cleanest ways to refine oil. The area in question is in what we consider unusable for anything else land. Compare it to the Sahara desert and you get my point when I say basically unusable. Yes a tailing pond was not properly managed and ducks did die. Action was taken and so far there have been no new duck casualties. The oil sands employ many people who come from all parts of Canada for a better job because working in the oil sands pays so well. The two American oil spills (Alaska and the Gulf) have had a much wider impact on both sea life and the livelihood of men. When American big wigs come here to tell us how to manage our resources it just makes me laugh because they really should mind their own business and worry about their own oil spills. Whomever is erecting billboards in California and trying to paint Alberta black is most likely being paid by American oil companies. Alberta is one of the cleanest tourist destinations in the world.
http://fantaesia.multiply.com/photos/album/51/Beautiful_AB_BC_Yukon_CA
it always amazes me when you get down to the politics of a situation as to whether or not it is economically right, environmentally right or becomes a matter of need. so many people do paint a negative picture on anything while others put a positive spin on it. and yet the biggest problem with this type of yes and no debate that goes on is it take years before someone says yes do it or no it's not possible. I am ofcaorse talking in general here and not solely about the oil sands.
ReplyDeleteI personally think far to much opportunity in life goes begging because of people who have money that can control a situation to suit their own needs thus ours may suffer in the process but as the rich say as long as the wine keeps flowing and the steak is on the table " I'M alright Jack" no pun intended at you here Jack lol.
I have seen many open cut mining sites out in my Country that once the mine was close were re-vegetated under mining contacts agreements and some of them are actually very nice townships built in and around them now so as to whether open cut is the best way or not I guest it would depend on what is going to be done once the mine is no longer in use.
As fantaesia points too a town can make greta use of the tourist industry if it marks their assets right :-))))