Whether it's a Congresswoman claiming human-caused global warming is unproven, an energy company trying to apologize for an explosion with pizza or a news network telling a respected journalist not to utter the phrase ‘climate change,' you probably think you've heard it all.
Nope. Not even close.
Kinder Morgan's slogan is "A Different Kind of Energy Company," but its latest argument for expanding an oil pipeline is just ridiculous. The firm wants to triple its pipeline capacity from Alberta to Burnaby, so it is arguing that oil spills can actually have positive impacts.
“Pipeline spills can have both positive and negative effects on local and regional economies, both in the short- and long-term,” the company said in a submission to Canada's National Energy Board, the Edmonton Journal reported.
“Spill response and cleanup creates business and employment opportunities for affected communities, regions, and cleanup service providers.”
Say what?
In analyzing various scenarios and the environmental impact on bodies of water like the Fraser River, Kinder Morgan's 15,000-page submission states that the company believes it is a low risk for an oil spill. Still, some predictably can't wrap their head around the "positive" statement.
“We know Kinder Morgan is using every trick in the book to push this pipeline through our community, but this takes the cake—proposing that a spill would actually be good for the local economy,” said Kennedy Stewart, a member of Parliament for the Burnaby—Douglas electoral district.
“This assertion shows the utter disregard this company has for British Columbians.”
A Canadian representative from the Texas-based company told the publication that's not the case. Essentially, the company was following instructions provided by the government.
“No spill is acceptable to us,” Michael Davies of Kinder Morgan Canada said in an email to the Journal. “While we are required by the National Energy Board to explore both the positive and negative socio-economic effects of a spill, it in no way means we accept the inevitability of a spill, nor justify one.”
Kinder Morgan’s $5.4 billion proposal would boost its pipeline capacity from 300,000 barrels of oil per day to 890,000.
Greenpeace has protested Kinder Morgan activity in Canada in the past year, including a day-long demonstration at an oil storage facility in Burnaby.
——–
YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE
Thousands of Crude Oil Gallons Spill Into James River as Train Derails in Virginia
Nearly 170,000 Gallons of Oil Spills Into Busy Houston Ship Channel
Huge Protest Underway Against Canadian Tar Sands Pipelines
——–
Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!
- 3 New Documentaries to Watch While Quarantined This Earth Day ... ›
- Movies to Watch This Earth Day: EcoWatch Staff Picks - EcoWatch ›
- 3 New Environmental Docs to Watch This Fall - EcoWatch ›
- Earth Day 2021: Join the Global Youth Climate Summit ›
- Spare Yourself the Guilt Trip This Earth Day – It’s Companies That Need to Clean Up Their Acts ›