Oil shale development and climate change
OPS_admin | Dec 19, 2009 | Comments 0
While the world discusses climate protection in Copenhagen, a climate disaster looms in the Rocky Mountain West: a resurgence of interest in oil shale development. We need only look at Canada to see that oil shale development in the West, like tar sands production in Alberta, would undermine our country’s goal of reducing greenhouse gasses.
Eleven years ago when the international community met in Kyoto to establish goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Canada pledged to reduce its levels 6 percent by 2012. Since that time its output has increased 26 percent, largely as a result of tar sands production. Canada is now one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gasses.
Oil shale, which is closely related to tar sands, is a sedimentary rock found in the Green River Formation under Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. When heated, the shale releases kerogen, a waxy substance that may be refined for use as transportation fuel.
Full Story Oil shale development and climate change – The Denver Post.
Filed Under: Environment
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If we don't change our ways soon...
A new report by the Royal Society, chaired by Nobel prize-winning biologist Sir John Sulston warns that world population must be stabilized and consumption in wealthy nations must be reduced or the entire planet is in big trouble. As the report reads: "The number of people living on the planet has never been higher, their levels of consumption are unprecedented and vast changes are taking place in the environment. We can choose to rebalance the use of resources to a more egalitarian pattern of consumption... or we can choose to do nothing and to drift into a downward spiral of economic and environmental ills leading to a more unequal and inhospitable future."This is the same warning that President Jimmy Carter gave Americans back in the 1970's - but it was ignored when Ronald Reagan came to power with a "more positive" message basically telling Americans we can do whatever we want. And then after 9/11 - Bush told us all we should go shopping and consume ever more.And now with corporations calling the shots in Washington - long-term sustainability of the planet takes a back seat to short-term profits. If we don't change our ways soon - and embrace clean, alternative energy and educate women around the plant - then we all could be headed for a rough century.-Thom(Is there any chance we will learn in time? Tell us here.) -
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