Alberta Tar Sands Project (In-class blog question)

The Alberta tar sands projects is extremely environmentally damaging. One of the biggest and most intense environmental problems are the “tailing lakes”. The tailing lakes are filled with water that has been used in the separation process when purifying the oil that is produced. The water that has been used in the separation process is sent into the tailing lakes in order to “bring it back to its natural state”.  However, the water is toxic and has been known to cause many cancers. The tailing lakes are currently not a safe way of dealing with this “used” water. The tailing lakes are said to take up over 100 square kilometres of area and can be seen from space (picture below), not to mention they are known for damaging the entire water table of Alberta. Canada is one of the biggest exporters of oil in the world and I understand that closing this project will result in a huge economic loss. I believe if we want this economically beneficial project to continue we must work towards making an environmentally sustainable solution for the “used” water. I believe that if the Alberta tar sands projects wishes to continue BP, Chevron and the other oil companies involved in this project must commit to an environmentally sustainable plan to replace the tailing ponds. 

However there are also many other environmentally damaging aspects of the Alberta tar sands project, so I believe the best case scenario we end the project completely. I hope that in the near future Canada can increase our investments in wind power, solar power and all other renewable energy sources in order to power our own country. The economic loss of the closing of the Alberta tar sands project IS worth saving our environment. No matter how much income this project generates for our country, it will not matter if we cannot survive (or live here) due to the damaged environment. 

"The toxic tailing lakes are considered one of the largest human-made structures in the world and can be seen from space."  - Henry Waxman (D-CA), a senior member of Congress and chair of the powerful Congressional Commitee on Energy and Commerce.