Old Post, New Movie Explain Why Tar Sands and Keystone Are Big Problems

In April 2009 I posted a video of Eriel Tchekwie Deranger who was in Anchorage for the Indigenous People's Global Summit on Climate Change.  She spoke eloquently about the huge environmental damage caused by the tar sands oil development in her homeland in Alberta.  This has gotten a lot more attention lately - especially when the Republicans forced President Obama to make a decision on the Keystone Pipeline in Canada by making it a condition of passing the year end jobs bill and then Obama called their bluff and put it off for a year.


Maz wrote a comment today on that post saying he'd just finished the mixing of a new movie that highlights Eriel and her message.  Below is the trailer for the documentary "Elemental."  There are three stories told - one is Eriel's.




Elemental - Trailer from Goproject Films on Vimeo.


In the past I might have said "coincidentally" here.  But I think there is so much happening on the environmental front that it isn't coincidence.  This could happen every day.  I got this far with this post last night and was leaving it for today.  And then I got this email about impending legislation which sneaks an approval of the Keystone Pipeline into a transportation bill.  Here's a letter about it and the Citizens Climate Lobby is urging people to contact their Senators.

The Senate could vote as early as tomorrow on a plan to greenlight construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Despite President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline a few weeks ago, Republicans in Congress are once again engaging in hostage-taking. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) is trying to attach a measure to the transportation bill that would force approval of Keystone XL.

Tragically, some moderate Democrats appear to be playing along - so this bill could have enough votes to pass.

No evaluation process. No National Interest Determination. No new route identified through Nebraska.

To demonstrate a massive, urgent, grassroots backlash, our friends at 350 have organized a 24-hour petition drive to the Senate. Nearly three dozen groups are emailing their members right now, and 350's Bill McKibben will announce the effort tonight on the Colbert Report.

Help us get 500,000 signatures in 24 hours against Keystone XL. Click here to automatically sign this petition to the Senate.

Republicans and some Democrats in Congress are so owned by Big Oil, that they are willing to bypass the pipeline review process designed to protect Americans from its very real danger.

Our grassroots pressure forced President Obama to reject the pipeline when Republicans tried to force a decision in 60 days. He said it wasn't enough time for the thorough evaluation process we need.

Republicans are claiming that incomplete process was enough. But just last week the State Department Inspector General released a report finding a lack of technical and scientific expertise at the State Department to evaluate the impacts of the pipeline.¹ So clearly, this pipeline hasn't been adequately evaluated.

We need to show the Senate the huge opposition to Keystone XL. Click here to automatically sign this petition to the Senate.

Our Congress should be in the business of acting in America's interest. Instead, their business appears to be Big Oil's business.

Please help make a big statement today to remind our Senators who they really work for, and show huge opposition to this ill-conceived, disastrous pipeline. And please share it widely so we make as large an impact as possible over the next 24 hours, and Bill McKibben has a large number of signatures to announce tonight on the Colbert Report.

Not convinced?  At least look at Eriel's original video posted two years ago to hear how the Tar Sands are affecting her people.   It should make people think about this project and what sorts of environmental oversight is needed.