Peak Oil is You

Donate Bitcoins ;-) or Paypal :-)

Page added on May 15, 2016

We are all Albertans now

It would be easy–too easy–to point to the wildfires which have devastated huge areas of northern Alberta near Fort McMurray, the hub of tar sands mining in Canada, and say that Albertans are reaping what they have sown. Yes, it’s true that climate change is coming to one of the very areas which is contributing disproportionately to climate change and with catastrophic results.

The source of the current catastrophe is that the boreal forest which surrounds the tar sands has been turned into a tinderbox because of increasingly warm, dry weather that used to be uncharacteristic of this area of Alberta. But, what is happening in Alberta was predicted decades ago to be one of the consequences of unchecked global warming.

Having said all that, we should remember that the warming we are experiencing today is actually the result of greenhouse gases dumped into the atmosphere as of 40 years ago or so. (The analysis cited gives a range of 25 to 50 years, a lag related to what is called the thermal inertia of the oceans.) If this is the case, what Albertans are experiencing today has almost nothing to do with the climate effects of tar sands exploitation since there was very little production from Alberta’s tar sands that long ago.

What this means, of course, is that there will be much worse to come even if today we were to reduce to zero all greenhouse gas emissions and other factors which are raising worldwide temperature.

The problems we are already seeing such as increased flooding in some places; increased drought in others; sea-level rise that is already swallowing islands; the rapid change in climate zones (which affects what we can grow in those zones); and myriad effects on plants and animals around the globe as their habitat shifts or disappears–all of these are just the beginning. And, there is no reason to believe that global greenhouse emissions and other causes of climate change such as deforestation will reverse their trends anytime soon.

When thinking about the Alberta wildfires, there is something else we must remember. Tar sands oil combined with oil from America’s fracking boom have been the only reason that oil supplies worldwide have been able to grow. The very sources of oil that have been vilified as a new assault on climate have until recently found ample demand for their product. With production from both these sources now contracting due to low prices, we may in the not-to-distant future face oil price spikes.

As a global society, we still want all the conveniences which oil provides without the bad side effects. As such we must now consider ourselves Albertans no matter where we live and understand our complicity in their plight–and, why their plight is becoming our own.

However carbon-intensive extracting oil from the tar sands may be, shutting down one source of oil is hardly a solution to the climate problem. Our challenge is to shut down our own demand for oil and other fossil fuels. That strategy would make high-cost oil sources such as the Canadian tar sands and America’s deep shale deposits its first victims and accomplish through demand reduction what all the public protests to date have failed to achieve.

Resource Insights

78 Comments on "We are all Albertans now"

Davy on Mon, 16th May 2016 11:36 am

Greg, then don’t put words in my mouth dumbass.

GregT on Mon, 16th May 2016 11:54 am

Just stating the painfully obvious Davy. Your agenda is crystal clear.

Davy on Mon, 16th May 2016 12:22 pm

Folks, here we go again with the Greggar spank hour. Greg, what is your point? Who cares, are we going to trade insults or talk issues. I am sure everyone has heard this before and could care less.

GregT on Mon, 16th May 2016 12:37 pm

Lose the agenda, or expect the spankings to continue.

Davy on Mon, 16th May 2016 12:45 pm

Greg, talking like the asshole he is. At least you admit you have a personality issue with the spankings. What is it about people in Vancouver. You guys think you are special but I see nothing that warrants it. Just this misplaced bravado you know best and know more than others. Around here we look down on people like you who think their shit smells like perfume.

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 1:03 pm

Greg, ever notice how the catholic school boy is obsessed with spankings?

Freudian slipping and A sliding.

Some traumas never go away.

GregT on Mon, 16th May 2016 1:08 pm

I don’t live in Vancouver Davy, but you already knew that. I left for very good, and obvious reasons.

” Around here we look down on people like you who think their shit smells like perfume.”

There you go again, putting words into other people’s mouths, both “we the people around here”, and the “people like” me. After years of trying to get through your thick skull, you still don’t get it.

Davy on Mon, 16th May 2016 2:20 pm

Wow, big brother steps in to assist. Ape hole is up to start his day of spanking along with widdle bro Greg. The Vancouver duo of dumbasses. You guys make a great team of obnoxious idiot Canadians. You are wonderful ambassadors for your country. Ape hole promoting sodomy and Greggar spanking. You guys are a trip. Ape hole are you into bisexual sodomy. I have notice some Freudian slip ups with you myself. That must be why you and Makati Bill get on so well.

GregT on Mon, 16th May 2016 2:27 pm

“Ever notice how the catholic school boy is obsessed with spankings?”

I’m beginning to think that he gets a little chubby out of them.

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 2:43 pm

Davy, now I get that whole goats thang with you.

Homosexual behavior in male goats is more frequent during breeding
season and in bucks isolated from female

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262050490_Homosexual_behavior_in_male_goats_is_more_frequent_during_breeding_season_and_in_bucks_isolated_from_females

Ever dress one up like an alter boy?

Davy on Mon, 16th May 2016 2:49 pm

Ape hole, one other thing why not refresh your library of references. Some of them are getting very stale. The Mongolian lake has been referenced maybe 20 times. There are many other examples or you could just comment less. I know you are stuck on yourself but think of the others here.

GregT on Mon, 16th May 2016 3:04 pm

Must have missed the Mongolian lake piece Apnea. Got a link?

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 3:09 pm

BBC – Future – The dystopian lake filled by the world’s tech lust

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150402-the-worst-place-on-earth

BBC – Future – The dystopian lake filled by the world’s tech lust

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150402-the-worst-place-on-earth

BBC – Future – The dystopian lake filled by the world’s tech lust

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150402-the-worst-place-on-earth

BBC – Future – The dystopian lake filled by the world’s tech lust

GregT on Mon, 16th May 2016 4:05 pm

Thanks Apnea. That one is definitely worth repeating. I had no idea, and I’m sure that the vast majority don’t either.

onlooker on Mon, 16th May 2016 4:34 pm

wow, that lake looks like a scene out of Hell.

GregT on Mon, 16th May 2016 4:37 pm

That would be the result of all of our high tech gadgetry here in the West. Out of sight, out of mind.

onlooker on Mon, 16th May 2016 4:41 pm

Isn’t funny how we always find ways too hide our “sins”. As though hiding them can make them go way right Greg.

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 5:06 pm

Greg there are many toxic towns like that in China et al. Most don’t give a shit. Put a green label on it and that’s enough for the privileged to feel guilt free. The manufacturing is but one link in the out of site out of mind chain. Again, like the privileged give a shit. I want my fucking new iphone status symbol every year and I don’t care about anything else. Dopamine and status seeking trump all else for 99% of the haves.

How conflict minerals funded a war that killed millions, and why tech giants are finally cleaning up their act

“The rich mineral mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo supply valuable minerals to the tech industry, but they come at a deadly cost that is finally being faced.”

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-conflict-minerals-funded-a-war-that-killed-millions/

I doubt any real changes will happen. Westerns always go on a pretend guilt trip after these things are exposed and make a bunch of fake promises – for a minute then it’s BAU again.

Before the Congo was raped for it’s tech minerals to feed the western electronic addiction it was raped to feed the west’s rubber addiction. Just capitalism as boat would say. Outta site outta mind indeed.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24396390

onlooker on Mon, 16th May 2016 5:19 pm

Yep Capitalism and its beneficiaries directly and indirectly by promoting greed waged a war on this planet and its people only now are people realizing it. But like AP said, the people in the rich countries suspected but decided to look the other way, because who cares about those others or about the planet if your getting your little perks and rewards right!

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 6:36 pm

Living in Canada s like living in a psychology experiment on apathy. Not one bureaucrat or politician or the Canadian MSM verbally “denies” AGW. They just hoping no one will notice.

Trudeau, Canadian Media Mum as Threat From Climate Change Induced Wildfires Grows

“To say that this spring has produced an insane, unprecedented early start to wildfire season in Canada would be a monster understatement. In fact, the area of land burned over Canada is now 22 times greater than for the same period last year.

Nearly 2000 Square Miles Have Burned in Canada So Far — And It’s Not Even Summer Yet

By this time (May 16) last year (2015), during the start of what was then one of the worst fire seasons in Canadian history, a total of about 23,000 hectares of land had burned. This year (2016), a total of about 500,000 hectares (1930 square miles) had burned by the same day. That’s about 22 times more land burned than during the same period last year when fire season started abnormally early and ultimately burned much, much more than average.”

https://robertscribbler.com/2016/05/16/trudeau-canadian-media-mum-as-threat-from-climate-change-induced-wildfires-grows/

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 6:43 pm

Run cancer monkeys RUN!

Growing wildfire forces evacuation of Fort McMurray oilsands camps

A mandatory evacuation order was issued for Noralta camps on Monday afternoon

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/growing-wildfire-forces-evacuation-of-fort-mcmurray-oilsands-camps-1.3585037

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 6:48 pm

Long summer for Canada and for Fort McMurray – it ain’t over till it’s over.

Thousands evacuated from work camps north of Fort McMurray in face of ‘expanding and growing’ firestorm

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/premier-hints-at-delay-in-fort-mcmurray-re-entry-because-of-extremely-poor-air-quality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmENMZFUU_0

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 7:09 pm

Positive self reinforcing feed back loop

Global Warming to Spur More Fires in Alaska, in Turn Causing More Warming
Dangerous cycle includes more tundra blazes and threats to the boreal forests, as well as the people of Alaska, new research shows.

http://insideclimatenews.org/news/16052016/global-warming-spur-wildfires-alaska-climate-change-permafrost-tundra

Apneaman on Mon, 16th May 2016 7:23 pm

On a Scale of 1 to 10, the Air Pollution in Fort McMurray is a 38

“It’s been almost two weeks since a monster fire took a nasty turn in Fort McMurray Alberta, and the air quality is so bad that it will likely delay the return of residents.

At a press conference on Monday, Alberta premier Rachel Notley said that on a scale of one to 10 that the province usually uses to measure the quality of air — 10 being the worst — Fort Mac read 38 that morning.

The index measures contaminants, smoke, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide.

“It is clear that this is something that could potentially delay recovery work and a return to the community,” Notley said at a news conference.

The reading means that officials are limiting the working hours of their staff in the city, and making use of proper face masks.

According to the province’s Air Quality Health Index, only Fort McMurray registers above 10, and it is expected that the air quality will remain that high for the next few days.”

https://news.vice.com/article/on-a-scale-of-one-to-ten-the-air-pollution-in-fort-mcmurray-is-38

Apneaman on Tue, 17th May 2016 10:51 am

Alaska temperature records fall during statewide weekend heat wave

https://www.adn.com/article/20160516/alaska-temperature-records-fall-during-statewide-weekend-heat-wave

Apneaman on Tue, 17th May 2016 11:06 am

Climate change puts 1.3bn people and $158tn at risk, says World Bank

“Total annual damage – averaged over a 10-year period – had risen tenfold from 1976–1985 to 2005–2014, from $14bn to more than $140bn. The average number of people affected each year had risen over the same period from around 60 million people to more than 170 million.”

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/16/climate-change-puts-13bn-people-and-158tn-at-risk-says-world-bank

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/16/climate-change-puts-13bn-people-and-158tn-at-risk-says-world-bank?utm_source=Daily+Carbon+Briefing&utm_campaign=384b6804a0-cb_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_876aab4fd7-384b6804a0-303423917

Apneaman on Tue, 17th May 2016 11:15 am

Doomy, lonely & horny?

http://survivalistsingles.com/

LMAO

I been making jokes about this for a few years. My fake/joke site was called
doomersingles.crash

It’s all comedy from here on out kids

Apneaman on Tue, 17th May 2016 11:53 am

NASA — World Just Had Seven Months Straight of Record-Shattering Global Heat

“It’s not just that we’re seeing record global heat. It’s that 2016’s jump in global temperatures may be the biggest single-year spike ever recorded. It’s that the world may never again see annual temperatures below 1 C above preindustrial averages. And it’s that this high level of heat, and a related spiking of atmospheric greenhouse gasses due to fossil fuel emissions, is now enough to begin inflicting serious harm upon both the natural world and human civilization.”

Seven Straight Months of Record Heat

“Last month was the hottest April in the global climate record. Not only was it the hottest such month ever recorded — it smashed the previous record by the largest margin ever recorded. And this April has now become the seventh month in a row in an
unbroken chain of record global heat.”

https://robertscribbler.com/2016/05/16/nasa-world-just-had-seven-months-straight-of-record-shattering-global-heat/

We are all Albertans now

Leave a Reply Cancel reply