Photo credit: Richard Vignola on Flickr
In typical Emily fashion – I’ve found a(nother) passion! I’ve always been a fan of BC’s beautiful coast line – kayaking in the Broken Island Group and studying the tide-pools around Bamfield. Coastal northern BC, especially Haida Gwaii, is on the top of my to-go list.
In the fall I went to a presentation about the impact of the Alberta Tar Sands on BC. Very insightful presentation – I was totally clueless to the plans of major pipelines being built to connect the Tar Sands to our coastal ports. I also was not aware that Prime Minister Harper has decided to ignore a 37 year old moratorium on oil tanker traffic in BC coastal waters – the only thing stopping MAJOR oil tanker traffic from Asia slurping up Tar Sands oil. Hmmmm….
5 Reasons to Stop Tar Sands Tankers on Our Coast:
1. The certainty of oil spills
Oil spills are a matter of when and how large, not IF. At a rate of two to three tankers a week, industry averages suggest a ‘major’ spill of over 10,000 barrels every 16 years.
2. The impossible clean up
In ideal conditions the oil industry considers a 15% clean-up of spills a success, a target they have never actually achieved.
3. The local ecology
The tanker routes pass approximately 605 salmon spawning rivers, orca feeding grounds and the habitat of over 20 threatened and endangered species.
4. Jobs and communities
An oil spill would devastate the coastal communities and First Nations that rely on tourism and fishing for their livelihoods
5. Global warming
Oil tankers in BC are to facilitate the massive projected expansion of the Alberta Tar Sands, the single largest contributor to the growth of Canada’s global warming causing emissions.
These decals ARE LEGAL because they stick by friction not 'sticky' stuff.
So what to do? Superman-esk cape flapping in the coastal breeze, the Dogwood Initiative is here! With a WICKED campaign lined up to launch in early February – I’ve got the inside scoop*. They’re distributing No Tanker decals that turn the loon and water on our one dollar coins black with ‘oil’.
The goal: 1,000,000 NoTanker loonies in circulation to get people talking about the threat of the Tar Sands oil in BC, and supporting the moratorium that Harper is ignoring.
Where can I find the NoTanker decals?
- Simply Dark organic Denman Island Chocolate bars
- Me! (email emily at urbanwren dot com)
- NoTankers.ca
Once you’ve got the decals, stick them on every loonie you’ve got! Register your No Tanker loonie sightings, spend them, give them to friends, and then order more decals! OH! Don’t forget to sign the petition.
I’m hosting a Loonie party soon, and I can hook you up with the supplies to do the same – pretty easy, all you need are decals and friends! Who doesn’t love sticker parties?
If you’re a business, and you’re interested in sponsoring the No Tanker Loonies, let me know. It a pretty sweet deal – you’ll be featured on the No Tankers website, put on the interactive map, and caught up in all the media buzz this campaign will create. Did I mention the decals are totally cheap?
* I’m the volunteer coordinator for Vancouver. Contact me if you’d like to host a Loonie Party, or you own a business that would like to sponsor the No Tanker Loonies – emily at urbanwren dot com