Stop the #TarSandsNE Pipeline Action

You've probably seen one of ExxonMobil's commercials promoting oil sands production. Typically they rely on the image of a professional person-of-color to sell us on the idea that oil sands production means good jobs for more Americans.

ExxonMobil doesn't want to talk about how oil sands extraction is hastening the environmental degradation of Earth--our only home.  How?  

First, by strip-mining the planet's only remaining ancient boreal forests--forests so dense they can absorb GHG-emissions. Obviously as these ancient forests disappear so will their capacity to slow our acceleration toward climate catastrophe.

Second, the process of extracting oil sands aka "tar sands" is itself toxic--meaning, it's laden with heavy metals, sulfur, carcinogens and neurotoxins that are harmful to human health. To make matters worse, toxic chemical compounds are added so 'the wheat' (bitumen--embedded petroleum deposits) can be separated from 'the chaff' (rock, stone, sand encasing it).  

The waste water from these toxic chemical processes are then stored in #ToxicPools; cause like other #DirtyEnergy producers, ExxonMobil hasn't figured out how to dispose of their waste in ways that don't endanger human health.  

There is another aspect of the press for oil sands that ExxonMobil doesn't want to talk about, however.  It would be too costly to build refineries in Canada to process oil sands--described as "the dirtiest oil there is."  So ExxonMobil wants to send tar sands through existing pipelines--pipelines that leak, spilling its toxic brew of oil and chemical into aquifers, rivers, streams, farmlands, etc.

It is because of this third step in the chain that Mattapan Action is rising up in protest.  We'll join @350NewEngland's Stop the TarSandsNE Pipeline Action--taking a stand at the ExxonMobil station at the intersection of Morton and Blue Hill Ave.  

During the morning and evening rush hours on 23 Janurary we'll be there to lend our voice of opposition--asking others to join us in contacting all their elected representatives. At minimum, ExxonMobil should not be able to pipeline oil sands through our communities without even an environmental impact study on the harm it might cause.    

Even if you can't join us at Morton & Blue on the 23rd, you can do the following: 1. sign @350NewEngland's Pledge of Resistance; 2. ask your elected representatives to request Pres. Obama require a Presidential permit for this pipeline; and 3. join the @350MA TarSands Pipeline Campaign. 

Hope to see you next Wednesday.