Shell Downplays Crude Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico (Video)

On May the 12th Shell claims that its offshore Brutus platform spewed 88,200 gallons of crude (2,100 barrels) into the Gulf of Mexico. The spill in Shell's Glider field created a 13 mile long by 2 mile wide oil slick in an area 97 miles south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Shell offered the standard commentaries as dictated by their post-spill public relations protocols. The incident has been contained the said and "cleanup operations are underway." Shell spokesperson Kimberly Windon added, "no release is acceptable, and safety remains our priority as we respond to this incident."

Greenpeace Stalls Arctic Drilling by Blocking Shell's Ice Breaker (Video)

Late in July an icebreaker that is crucial to Shell's drilling operation in the Arctic sea was turned back by Greenpeace activists in Portland, Oregon. Activists spent almost 2 days suspended from St. Johns Bridge, while others took to kayaks in Willamette River below. However they managed to block Shell's icebreaker, the MSV Fennica from leaving the city on July 30th. The emergency equipment on-board the Fennica is essential for Shell's drilling activities in the Arctic.

Video - Truck Carrying Oil Crashes Killing 204 Illustrating the Dangers of Transporting Fossil Fuels

This video shows the aftermath of a crash involving an oil bearing tanker truck that killed more than 200 people in the Congo in July, 2010. The video reiterates, the horrible lessons learned from the tragic July, 2013, explosion of a train bearing oil in Canada in which an entire town was decimated. Fossil fuels are a danger on public roads, and they are no safer on rail lines, shipping lanes or in pipelines. Whether by train, pipe, ship or truck, fossil fuels cannot be safely transported.

Top 25 Oil Spills in the Last Decade

Here is a listing of the worst oil spills in the world in the last ten years. The information is listed in the following order: The name of the spill is followed by the country, location, date and quantity of oil spilled. Quantities are measured in tonnes of crude oil with one tonne roughly equal to 308 US gallons, or 7.33 barrels, or 1165 liters. 
______________________

1. Deepwater Horizon, United States, Gulf of Mexico, 20 April 2010 – 15 July 2010, 627,000 tonnes

2. 2010 ExxonMobil oil spill, Nigeria, Niger Delta, 1 May 2010, 95,500 tonnes

3. Xingang Port oil spill, China, Yellow Sea, 16 July 2010 - 21 July 2010, 90,000 tonnes

Another Gas Pipeline Rupture in Montana

Early in July a gasoline pipeline outside of the small town of Lodge Grass on Montana's Crow Indian Reservation spilled 25,000 gallons of gasoline. Over the last 20 years there have been at least three spills from the 8-inch underground pipeline now owned by Phillips 66.

The Lodge Grass spill comes almost two years to the day after 63,000 gallons of crude spilled into Montana's Yellowstone River from an Exxon Mobil line. The cleanup and repair costs for that spill totaled more than $135 million.

Phillips 66 is a Houston-based oil refinery and chemical company. They said the boken pipe outside of Lodge Grass will have to be excavated to be repaired and the contaminated soil likely will have to be removed.

Pipelines and Oil Spills in Alberta Canada

The province of Alberta and the oil industry are fighting to expand the tarsands and build the controversial Keystone XL pipeline and the Northern Gateway pipeline.

The Canadian and Alberta government's are working hard to defend the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline which would ferry tar sands oil from Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico.

Another controversial project, the Northern Gateway pipeline, would ferry oil from Alberta to the West Coast of British Columbia.

Government largely ignores the problem of pipeline ruptures which is endemic to the oil industry. Without the Keystone XL and the Northern Gateway there are already over 399,000 kilometres of pipelines under the authority of the Alberta’s Energy Resources Conservation Board.

Video - Will the Keystone XL Pipeline Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

This video addresses both sides of the debate on whether the Keystone XL pipeline will increase GHG production. The proposed pipeline would ferry tarsands from Alberta to refineries on Texas's Gulf Coast. On June 25th, 2013, President Obama made it clear that he will not authorize the building of the Keystone XL pipeline if it results in an increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs). While it is widely understood that the tarsands are much more GHG intensive than traditional fossil fuels, the question is whether this would result in a net increase in GHG emissions. Those that support the building of the Keystone XL say that in the absence of the pipeline there would be increased transportation traffic (tankers and trucks) which would result in even greater levels of GHGs.

Is Apple's Adoption of Sustainability Too Little Too Late?

Apple is trying to offset its long history of  unsustainable practices through a number of initiatives that include hiring former EPA head Lisa Jackson. Even if the company manages to clean up its act, they may be haunted by their past for years to come. As Apple strives to improve its sustainable performance, the company is being battered by allegations of tax avoidance. Over the last few years Apple has been plagued with a number of problems including criticisms of their labor force in China, concerns about their supply chain and a forced reversal on EPEAT.

These factors seem to have eroded the firm's bottom line. Apple's profits and stock valuations have all suffered in recent months. From the beginning of 2009 until the end of 2012 Apple's (AAPL) meteoric rise seemed unstoppable. Then the stock plummeted losing almost half its value in the first quarter of 2013 (Going from a high of more than $700 per share in September 2012 to $390 per share in April, 2013).

List of Environmental and Conservation Issues

The number of environmental and conservation issues is vast and expanding. What all of these issues have in common is the fact that they relate to the anthropogenic effects on the natural environment. Here is an alphabetized list of 21 environmental and conservation issues and their 171 sub-categories (many of which are overlapping):

Air pollution

Environmental impact of fossil fuels • Smog • Tropospheric ozone • Ozone depletion resulting in UV exposure • Indoor air quality • Volatile organic compound • Atmospheric particulate matter• Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

Climate change/Global warming

Global dimming • Fossil fuels • Sea level rise • Greenhouse gas • Ocean acidification • Shutdown of thermohaline circulation • Environmental impact of the coal industry • Urban Heat Islands

Conservation

Species extinction • Pollinator decline • Coral bleaching • Holocene extinction • Invasive species • Poaching • Endangered species

Ecosystems

Anoxic waters • Biodiversity • Biosecurity • Coral bleaching • Edge effect • Global warming • Habitat destruction • Habitat fragmentation • Illegal dumping

Energy 

Energy conservation • Renewable energy • Efficient energy use • Renewable energy commercialization • Environmental impact of the coal industry • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

Environmental degradation

Eutrophication • Habitat destruction • Invasive species • Soda lake

Environmental health

Asthma • Environmental impact of the fossil fuel industry • Electromagnetic fields • Electromagnetic radiation and health • Indoor air quality • Lead poisoning • Outdoor air quality • Sick Building Syndrome

Fishing

Blast fishing • Bottom trawling • By-catch • Cetacean bycatch • Gillnetting • Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing • Environmental effects of fishing • Overfishing • Marine pollution • Whaling

Genetic Engineering

Genetic pollution • Genetically modified food controversies

Intensive Farming

Overgrazing • Irrigation • Monoculture • Environmental effects of meat production • Slash and burn • Pesticide drift • Plasticulture

Land Issues

Land pollution • Desertification • Soil erosion • Soil contamination • Soil salination • Alkali soils * Residual Sodium Carbonate Index Urban sprawl • Habitat fragmentation • Habitat destruction

Logging and Forests

Clearcutting • Deforestation • Illegal logging

Mining

Acid mine drainage • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing • Mountaintop removal mining • Slurry impoundments

Natural Resources

Resource depletion • Exploitation of natural resources • Exploitation of natural resources • Overdrafting Consumerism — Consumer capitalism • Planned obsolescence • Over-consumption

Nuclear Issues 

Nuclear fallout  • Nuclear meltdown • Nuclear power • Nuclear weapons • Nuclear and radiation accidents • Nuclear safety •  radioactive waste

Overpopulation

Burial • Water crisis • Overpopulation in companion animals • Tragedy of the commons • Gender Imbalance in Developing Countries •

Pollution

Environmental impact of fossil fuels • Nonpoint source pollution • Point source pollution • Light pollution • Noise pollution • Visual pollution

Species

Habitat destruction • Holocene extinction • Invasive species • Poaching • Pollinator decline • Red-listed species • Species extinction • Wildlife trade • Genetic diversity

Toxins

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) • DDT • Endocrine disruptors • Dioxin • Toxic heavy metals • Environmental impact of the coal industry • Herbicides • Pesticides • Toxic waste • PCB • Bioaccumulation • Biomagnification • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

Waste

Electronic waste (e-waste) • Litter • Waste disposal incidents • Marine debris • Medical waste • Landfill • Leachate • Environmental impact of the coal industry • Incineration • Great Pacific Garbage Patch • Exporting of hazardous waste• Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing Conservation Issues

Water Pollution

Environmental impact of fossil fuels • Acid rain • Eutrophication • Marine pollution • Ocean dumping • Oil spills • Thermal pollution • Urban runoff • Water crisis • Marine debris • Microplastics • Ocean acidification • Ship pollution • Wastewater • Fish kill • Algal bloom • Mercury in fish • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing

What would you add to the list?

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Unions Oppose the Keystone XL in the Jobs vs. Environment Debate

Several unions are opposing the Keystone XL project and this is significant because the strongest argument of supporters of the pipeline is that the project provides jobs. The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), the Transport Workers Union. and an increasing number of health care workers have all come out against the pipeline.

Refering to the Keystone XL, David Coles, the president of CEP said "We're diametrically opposed to the construction of it." What makes the support of this union so important is the fact that it represents 35,000 Canadian oil and gas workers, including thousands involved in Canada's tar sands. "The Keystone XL is not good for the economy, it's not good for the environment, it violates all kinds of First Nations rights," Coles said.

BC Opposes the Northern Gateway Pipeline

The provincial government of BC has indicated that it is opposing the Northern Gateway heavy oil pipeline project due in part to environmental concerns. Although environmental concerns and aboriginal rights factor prominently, part of B.C.'s decision appears to be an attempt to sue for a bigger slice of the economic pie.

After reviewing all of the evidence B.C. Environment Minister Terry Lake said, "our questions were not satisfactorily answered during these hearings."

B.C. is dissatisfied with the responses offered to questions related to five areas of concern which serve as the province's conditions for acceptance:

Video - Sandra Steingraber Shines a Spotlight on the Problems of Fracking

After serving 10 days of her 15-day sentence for trespassing during a protest against fracking, activist Sandra Steingraber was released from the Schuyler County jail last week in Watkins Glen, N.Y. The day before she was imprisoned, she talked with Moyers about her fight to stop fracking and the release of toxins contaminating our air, water and food.

EPA Slams State Department on the Keystone XL

In a letter to the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raised serious objections to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. A State Department's draft report in March said the project would not create significant environmental impacts. Describing the State Department's analysis of the project's environmental impact as "insufficient," the EPA said "oil sands crude is significantly more GHG intensive than other crudes and therefore has the potentially larger climate impacts"

The EPA quotes DSEIS reports which indicates that the lifecycle GHG emissions from oil sands could be 81 percent greater than emissions from the average crude refined in the US. The incremental emissions from the oil sands crude would be 18.7 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent based on the project's capacity of 830,000 barrels per day. Over a 50 year time span that could amount to 935 million metric tons.

Keystone XL Pipeline: Your Last Chance to Say NO!

This is the final official comment period for Keystone XL pipeline. Both 350.org and the Sierra Club are joining many others in sending a message to President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry. They want to make it clear that this project is not in the national interest and Americans along with people around the world are against it.

The Keystone XL pipeline will put more dirty money into the pockets of big oil and worse, it will accelerate tar sands development in Canada, some of the dirtiest oil on earth. That's the definition of reckless.

Anti-Keystone XL Actions Target TransCanada

The current round of protests against the Keystone XL show that popular actions are a real threat, even to a corporate giant. The latest pressure campaign is targeting the builders of the infamous Keystone XL. TransCanada Pipelines have been selected to build the Keystone XL which is supposed to ferry tar sands from Alberta to Texas. The week of actions is being called "Stop Tar Sands Profiteers."  It starts on March 16th and runs until March 23rd.

This campaign is being led by a group that calls itself "Tar Sands Blockade." This is an open grassroots organization composed of people from across North America. This group has been behind more than 38 peaceful direct actions designed to stop the Keystone XL pipeline.

American Employment: Keystone XL vs Green Jobs

While much has been made of all the jobs that would be associated with the Keystone XL pipeline, the truth is that far more long term jobs would be created though green projects. Despite all the wild claims from the oil industry and their supporters, a State Department Report indicated that the Keystone XL pipeline will generate about 42,100 jobs in the construction phase but only 35 permanent jobs to operate the pipeline.

TransCanada, the builders of the Keystone XL claim the pipeline will boost the US economy and create more than half a million jobs. According to a study they commissioned in 2010, the construction of the pipeline would create 118,935 non-permanent jobs and an additional 553,235 permanent jobs due to the increased US oil supply.

A New State Department Environmental Impact Assessment Clears the Keystone XL Pipeline

On Friday March 1, the State Department released a draft environmental impact statement which has cleared the 875-mile Keystone XL pipeline saying it will not harm air, water or landscape. The draft further indicated that although the pipeline will carry 830,000 barrels of crude oil from Alberta to Texas each day, it will not increase greenhouse gases.

Contrary to the whitewashing contained in this report, the pipeline is widely referred to as a “carbon bomb.” Environmentalists have consistently expressed concerns about the fact that tar sands oil are among the dirtiest fossil fuels on earth.

Video - Interview with David Lavallee of White Water, Black Gold

Related Articles
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Bill McKibben on Obama's Keystone XL Reversal
Republicans Vow to Continue Push for Keystone

Video - White Water, Black Gold: Tar Sands Pipeline

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Bill McKibben on Obama's Keystone XL Reversal
Republicans Vow to Continue Push for Keystone

Event - The Corporate Water-Risk Management Program

The Water Professional Path event will take place on Feb. 5-6, 2013 in Toronto, ON. This program from HRCarbon is designed to provide an expert-level foundation to corporate and institutional practitioners to measure, mitigate and adapt to water risk.