Councillors in Bellingham, Washington, voted unanimously Monday evening to phase out fuel from the Alberta oil sands. It’s the first city in North America to directly target the often-maligned industry, according to green observers.
“Global warming pollution from fossil fuel use could have severe economic and environmental impacts on U.S. cities in coming decades,” reads a draft resolution. “High carbon fuels such as those derived from Canada’s Tar Sands [generate] at least three times more global warming pollution than the well-to-tank phase of other fossil fuels.”
The initiative isn’t an outright ban. It calls on Bellingham officials to avoid procuring high carbon fuel for the city’s transportation fleet, whenever possible. Four nearby refineries process Alberta bitumen, a gooey fuel that’s either mined or steamed from sensitive Boreal forest.
Green groups around the world have targeted the industry for its high carbon output, among other concerns.
Local councillor Jack Weiss, who authored the Bellingham legislation, hopes the city eventually moves beyond all fossil fuels. Municipal vehicles powered on electricity or biofuels could send a powerful message to the public, he said.
“We would be showing the industry that we are interested in trying to have cleaner and better fuels for the environment,” Weiss explained. “We try to be role models for the community.”
Bellingham’s gambit comes as the U.S. experiments with large-scale solutions for an ever-warming world.
California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard is being attacked in court by industry lobby groups. Pending clean energy legislation faces a tough battle in the U.S. Senate.
Yesterday’s council approval is the latest step in a growing campaign that has seen companies such as Whole Foods reduce their reliance on oil sands fuel, according to international green group ForestEthics.
These kinds of actions “can help catalyze the change that’s needed for a clean energy future,” senior energy campaigner Nikki Skuce said in a press release.
Geoff Dembicki reports for the Tyee.
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G West
1 year ago
hmm
Well done Bellingham.
That's TAR SANDS btw. Used to be the lingua franca here at Tyee.
You can't have forgotten Mitch Anderson's:
It's the Tar Sands, Stupid from 2007:
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/12/04/TarSands/
Or Dan Woynillowicz's
The Harm the Tar Sands Will Do
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/09/20/TarSands/
To mention just a couple of previous stories that have, thankfully, not succumbed to political correctness.
realisticman
1 year ago
You are right Geoff
"Oil sands, extra heavy oil, or tar sands, are a type of bitumen deposit. The word "tar" to describe these natural bitumen deposits is really a misnomer, since, chemically speaking, tar is a man-made substance produced by the destructive distillation of organic material, usually coal. Naturally occurring bitumen is chemically more similar to asphalt than to tar, and oil sands (or oilsands) is more commonly used in the producing areas than tar sands because synthetic oil is what is manufactured from the bitumen."
Nevertheless, the US doesn't need the oil from Alberta, they have plenty in the Gulf of Mexico.
G West
1 year ago
More Tyee references - just to underline the point
http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Environment/2009/12/14/TarSands/
Tar sands are 'Canada's Mordor': Barlow
By David Ravensbergen
…
And here's one from the Governor:
http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2010/05/05/EnbridgeGulf/
Gulf spill hardens BC First Nations opposition to Enbridge tar sands pipeline
By David Beers
…
http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/07/28/LawSuit/
Law Suit a Tar Sands Stopper?
By Tom Sandborn
…
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2008/01/25/TarSands/
Held Hostage by Tar Sands
By Matt Price and Christopher Hatch
…
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2008/05/20/TarSands/
The Tar Sands, Downstream Cancer, and the BC connection.
By Blair Redlin and Caelie Frampton
…
http://thetyee.ca/ArtsAndCulture/2009/10/09/H2Oil/
'H2Oil' Tears up the Tar Sands
By Dawn Paley
…
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/09/21/TarSands2/
America's Claim on Our Tar Sands
By Dan Woynillowicz
I think it’s pretty clear that the current example is the politically correct aberration; these lands have been the “TAR SANDS” since they were first discovered…the oil industry apologists have tried to change that label….wonder why?
Was that supposed to be funny? Canada is the US's largest supplier of oil - the resources under the Gulf of Mexico are a miniscule portion of their yearly requirements...not that that has prevented the environmental disaster sprung upon the globe by an old and dirty British company.
Big SURPRISE.
realisticman
1 year ago
Lingua franca or Vernacular or slang
Many people say that the tomato is a vegetable rather than a fruit but that doesn't change the rules of botany.
If Canada's oil is no good and the Gulf comes up short there's always Hugo and the Arabs.
G West
1 year ago
I think I'll just let the record speak for itself
I think it’s pretty clear that the current example is the politically correct aberration; these lands have been the “TAR SANDS” since they were first discovered…the oil industry apologists have tried to change that label….wonder why?
Speak for itself.
They are TAR SANDS and in the vast majority of the cases, the TYEE editorial staff concur with my conclusion. I'd suggest this one slipup was the anomaly my friend - and on the evidence, I think even you would have a hard time with the facts.
And get ready to say bye bye to BP - they won't be missed...too bad cleaning up the mess their corporate greed and bad behavior have created can't be swept up as easily.
realisticman
1 year ago
euphemisms for the lingustically challenged
Some people say 'dirt' instead of 'soil', some say 'kids' instead of 'children', some say 'football' instead of 'soccer', some say 'truck' some say 'lorry', some people still 'dial' a number on a telephone. Earlier this week I heard a reporter say that someone was shot in the front yard! Ouch! How do you like it when someone is reported to have been stabbed in the alley? That didn't come from the doctor's report.
Some say that the mountains behind Vancouver are the Rockies, doesn't make it right.
realisticman
1 year ago
Beyond Petroleum
You'd better buy some BP stock, quick. If they do go bankrupt it could be tricky for those affected from the spill to receive compensation. Buy BP. Help the smeared.
cyberclark
1 year ago
Councillers probably in trouble.
My guess would be the councilors are in trouble with their community and are trying to jump on a popular band wagon to pull themselves up!
These same characters are plugged into the electrical grid that pumps Alberta power into their businesses and homes.
Perhaps they should turn off the lights and hide in their basements.
How do characters like this get elected?
shepsil
1 year ago
Heavy, risky & polluting oil is all that's left.
The vast majority of Venezuela's oil is heavy, all ocean based extraction is risky and just look at the tar sands. Even the middle east is having trouble increasing production.
The Gulf disaster is an excellent example of the risk involved in deep sea extraction. Although, a basic comparison of regulations for shutoff valves shows us alot:
1) The USA requires 1 (thanks to Cheney & Bush).
2) Canada requires 2 (Stevie's responsibility).
3) Europe requires 3 with remote switchoffs.
CanadianLatitude
1 year ago
Four refineries process it?
Four refineries process it? So were exporting jobs. Then we buy it back at a higher price....
This initiative sounds good but it also seems toothless.
some say 'football' instead of 'soccer'
==========
lol actually most of the planet call it by its proper name Football it is basically Canada?USA that call it soccer.. lol
G West
1 year ago
Don't take my word for it
Have a look at what a researcher from the University of Dundee has to say about it.
The article you're looking for is:
Alberta's Tar Sand Oil Development: Is there a real threat to the environment?
Y'see, people outside Canada's governing/industry clique aren't 'afraid' to call things by their real, dirty, names - because they're not interested in fooling people into believing lies.
You buy (or short) as much BP stock as you like - I don't invest in equities for ethical reasons - as, I think, I've told you before.