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Beyond Bellyaching - An opportunity to suggest political measures to solve several crises - #1 the Tar Patch
Tue, 2009-10-20 19:25
#1
Beyond Bellyaching - An opportunity to suggest political measures to solve several crises - #1 the Tar Patch
Tue, 2009-10-20 19:35
#2
A postion on the Tar Patch that I've dragged across a couple of threads - without any takers. Since it is arguable that this country will be an international pariah on the environmental scene without action on this Alberta-based horror show, and since the Conservatives under Steve will never take corrective action, and since Alberta is not a place of NDP/Liberal hopes (despite Iggy's prostituting gestures), is the following not made practical (even at the risk of its threatened departure from confederation, a move that would take so long to bring about that encroaching climate change will have brought all into the environmental believers fold:
From a recent discussion on economics in a related thread - "Okay, but the Canadian situation in 2009, with distinct differences in position between East and West (they are two economies in conflict with one another, the Tar Patch benefits from a loonie on par with the greenback, the industrial exporting sectors require a loonie at about .85 cents to the greenback).
This observer is ready to say to hell with the Tar Patch (knowing full well the political implications of that postion) because of its complete lack of concern for anything or anyone out of the fossil fuel loop. Surely the rest of Canada could be brought to understand the need to get serious with them, for environmental reasons, the fate of the grandkids, weighing more importantly than the harm being done to the domestic economy."
Fri, 2009-10-23 12:22
#3
To extract the oil from the tar sands they use stream. Right now that steam is generated with natural gas, but it could be generated with nuclear or another enviromently friendly electricity source. That would dramatically reduce the amount of greenhouse gas generated to extract the oil.
Burning the oil also releases greenhouse gas, but that equally true for all sources of oil.
Fri, 2009-10-23 13:27
#4
bagkitty
[...]but it could be generated with nuclear or another enviromently friendly electricity source. That would dramatically reduce the amount of greenhouse gas generated to extract the oil.
Not meaning to nitpick, but before labelling nuclear as envronmentally friendly, take into account both the environmental costs of extraction and the problem of toxic waste material with incredibly long half-life that has to be stored. Greenhouse gas is not the only factor to be considered when determining if something is environmentally friendly.
Fri, 2009-10-23 15:10
#5
And then there is the terrain left behind by this kind of "mining" around Fort McMordor (my daughter's crowd's favourite descriptor).
Fri, 2009-10-23 22:31
#6
remind
More importantly that steam, aka water, used for extraction, no matter if gas or nuclear driven, is used has to be stored somewhere afterwards.
And the water itelf has to be taken from somewhere, for both the extraction process and the cooling water needed for nuclear plants.
Nuclear power is a smoke screen to divert attention.