Alberta gets fresh black eye with oilsands coverage

[jdobbin]

http://www.canada.com/Alberta+gets+fresh+b...7324/story.html

To add to the long list of international publications that have focused on the environmental costs of the oilsands, National Geographic chose its March edition to splash images of the development - with at least four pictures depicting unsightly tailings ponds - across its pages alongside an article.

It certainly looks like there will be new focus on seeing something done about some of the environmental issues related to the oil sands.

The Alberta government seems to think only good PR is needed but more people, including many who live in Alberta, are looking for actual progress on issues related to water, air and land affected by oil sands development.

[eyeball]

There's always China. They don't seem to be too fussy about who they buy their resources from.

[kimmy]

There's always China. They don't seem to be too fussy about who they buy their resources from.

Pretty much. People aren't going to stop needing oil any time soon.

Obama is torn between his commitment to cleaner energy sources, and his commitment to make the US less dependent on Middle East oil.

Obama also has a similar problem in regard to coal. The US has massive economic interests linked to coal, and needs it for power generation, and it's damned dirty stuff.

I think last week's meeting yielded an agreement to basically give each other time to put lipstick on those respective pigs. The downturn in oil prices should be viewed as an opportunity to get going on that. It won't stay low for long, and the oil sands will be in higher demand than ever within a few years. They should be preparing to deal with the environmental issues now.

-k

[eyeball]

I think last week's meeting yielded an agreement to basically give each other time to put lipstick on those respective pigs. The downturn in oil prices should be viewed as an opportunity to get going on that. It won't stay low for long, and the oil sands will be in higher demand than ever within a few years.

If there's any truth to suggestions the environment now ranks about 20th in importance relative to other economic issues I'd say this recession has turned into a silk purse in terms of its galvanizing potential for not taking action.

They should be preparing to deal with the environmental issues now.

They are, they're applying lipstick.

Speaking of putting things on pigs, our's could benefit from some wings.

Martin Burger, president and CEO of Blue Energy, said experiments and simulations found that harnessing the tidal surges under a bridge could produce as much as 20,000 megawatts of power, twice the amount of energy that now feeds the entire provincial power grid.

But the province and B.C. Hydro have made it clear they have no interest in adding tidal power to B.C.'s power supply any time soon.

Story

Edited February 22, 2009 by eyeball

[Oleg Bach]

If there's any truth to suggestions the environment now ranks about 20th in importance relative to other economic issues I'd say this recession has turned into a silk purse in terms of its galvanizing potential for not taking action.

They are, they're applying lipstick.

Speaking of putting things on pigs, our's could benefit from some wings.

Boiling black mud and stinking up the place---- one ton of fuel to heat the water to make steam to extract one ton of fuel...I don't understand how anyone is making any money....America likes the oil - and now they are suddenly concerned about the environ? Doubtful they are sincere - it sounds like PR.

[Leafless]

The Alberta government seems to think only good PR is needed but more people, including many who live in Alberta, are looking for actual progress on issues related to water, air and land affected by oil sands development.

Did you not read your own link:

A $2-billion commitment from the Alberta government to build carbon capture and storage technology is a good start, she said.

As the oil sands produces more CO2 emissions - and takes significantly more energy and water to produce than conventional oil - McLellan also praised other recent initiatives.

[jdobbin]

Did you not read your own link:

Did you not read my point that Alberta is going to have to deal with air, land and water? The water issue especially won't go away.

[fellowtraveller]

Obama is torn between his commitment to cleaner energy sources, and his commitment to make the US less dependent on Middle East oil.

Bingo.

Every time he mentions the environment, he mentions energy security in the next breath.

Canada is the #1 exporter of energy to the USA.

None of that will change.

Can we keep sending oil across the border?

YES WE CAN!

[Oleg Bach]

Bingo.

Every time he mentions the environment, he mentions energy security in the next breath.

Canada is the #1 exporter of energy to the USA.

None of that will change.

Can we keep sending oil across the border?

YES WE CAN!

Only recently did I find out that Canada is the #1 supplier of energy to the USA....of course that is not just oil..electrical also. I did not know that...hmmm...Is Canadian along with American domestic oil, is that enough to keep them going? If not what is the reason for the no drill policy that rules at present?

[ironstone]

More certainly needs to be done with the oil sands from an environmental perspective,and this takes lot's of time and money.The Americans have plenty of coal,but from what I read,it's worse than the oil sands.The Chinese are building many coal fired plants right now to meet their energy demands,but there is little protest from the environmentalists about that it seems.There are so many things to consider here.The stupid part is,here in Canada some of those protesting the loudest about Alberta's oil sands(Quebec springs to mind),are the biggest recipients of money from Alberta.