ReturnToTheTarSands

The stories and ideas we, the tothetarsands bikers, are exploring is a range from the whole concept of human oil consumption, to the history of oil in Alberta, to the history of Albertan society, to the question has the majority of people’s living standards gone up from the boom?

Is oil a gift or a virus to society? Now that we have found oil, should we manage it or should we go on a joy ride with it?

Dave Cambell put it well:

“There is all this excess money that the tar sands are creating. So some workers go out and buy these vehicles, which can be larger than their living quarters. Some buy fancy cars, like Ferraris and Lamborghinis and drive in excess of 300km/h on secondary scenic highways through this beautiful landscape; putting themselves at great risk but also the people around them. And I ask, Where do they think they are going so fast?”

Alberta was an agrarian society. They had to care for the land in a sustainable way, or else they would not survive. Their land base would collapse and the cattle would die.

Dave Cambell says, “Right now there is no plan for Alberta.” No future management.

The common ideals for change are based on worries that there will not be reclamation of these oil wells, mines, and tailing ponds that are scaring Alberta.

NOTE: Tailing ponds are dammed large bodies of water. The size of the dam that holds the tailing ponds water is second only to the three gorges dam in China. Tailing ponds are created so the tar sands projects can dump ALL the wastes that take part in the process of separating the bitumen from the sands somewhere. The result is something so toxic that motion sensors and sound canons must be installed around them to try to prevent any wildlife from touching it, because they will die.

As well there are worries of Alberta’s delicate aquifer potable water wells running dry and thus the rivers that are fed by the underground waters.

NOTE: This depletion was happening rapidly because water is used in the process of obtaining bitumen. The process has stopped using potable water for this process and is recycling its water. But now the toxic run off from the projects is threatening to contaminate much of this life resource.

You can’t eat or drink oil (the by-product of further processing of bitumen). So why do we go to such lengths to satisfy this craving for oil?

So why haven’t the tar sands stopped or slowed?

There is a dance David Finch explained to us (as we sat on a ridge looking over the ‘half acre of hell’ where oil was first discovered in Alberta) that happens in Alberta. A three way dance between the public, the industry and the government. They each play an important role.

In the time of the Turner Valley oil boom the industry led activity. When the repercussions of dead workers and long term effects where starting to be felt, the public cried out in protest against the industrial actions. They realized that the industry wouldn’t listen, so they went to the government. Government listened and changed legislation to control industry and satisfy the public.

This is one example of the dance; A dance that can be started or finished by any motive of any group. And right now the government is deregulation so that industrial development can increase. And because demand in so high for oil the public are muted, if not happy by the wealth they are making.

This leads to the next question: Has the majority of peoples’ living standards gone up?

This question creates inner turmoil in Albertans. They are making so much money. But what’s it worth? The cost of living has increased so much that some workers are working 7 days a week when before they worked a comfortable 5 days a week and had the same way of life.

Alberta is being ravaged and scarred by the oil industry practices. Alberta’s future water supply is in question. Is Alberta better off from the boom?

Filed under: Commentary, TTTS on August 24th, 2007