Environmental activists are reportedly mobilizing for a second “International Stop the Tar Sands” day – see the Sierra Club Canada Blog. Scheduled for June 18, the protest is being organized online with calls to various groups around the world to join in.
It is unclear how significant these actions will be. Last year’s protests, arranged to take place outside the Canadian consulates in several European cities, turned out to be very small. But this time seasoned campaigners are being enlisted as well as groups opposed to the Keystone XL pipeline, which could lead to more attention in North America.
As a large oil sands developer, you might think that we would automatically disagree with or discount events like this.
Not necessarily so.
Firstly, we are encouraged by the passion and the enthusiasm, and above all, by the campaign’s core advice to participants - Be Creative, Stay Positive, Have Fun! (advice we would should all live by). We are also impressed by the range of interest the campaign is generating around the world from the grassroots through simple online tools (OSQAR is not so different…)
Secondly, we think raising the profile of oil sands is a good thing - because it gets people thinking about energy.
We might disagree with the name, but we think that International Stop the Tar Sands Day would be a great opportunity to help more people understand and get engaged in the energy challenges that we all face, and for the industry and society at large to talk about solutions rather than just problems.
In the “protest” spirit, we’ve thought of five ways International Stop The Tar Sands Day organizers can ensure the event has even more of an impact:
As a large oil sands developer, you might think that we would automatically disagree with or discount events like this.
Not necessarily so.
Firstly, we are encouraged by the passion and the enthusiasm, and above all, by the campaign’s core advice to participants - Be Creative, Stay Positive, Have Fun! (advice we would should all live by). We are also impressed by the range of interest the campaign is generating around the world from the grassroots through simple online tools (OSQAR is not so different…)
Secondly, we think raising the profile of oil sands is a good thing - because it gets people thinking about energy.
We might disagree with the name, but we think that International Stop the Tar Sands Day would be a great opportunity to help more people understand and get engaged in the energy challenges that we all face, and for the industry and society at large to talk about solutions rather than just problems.
In the “protest” spirit, we’ve thought of five ways International Stop The Tar Sands Day organizers can ensure the event has even more of an impact:
- Confront the challenge. The world needs more and more energy. How can we do this? What are the options? What are the costs and the benefits?
- March towards solutions. Let’s think actively about the kind of energy we want. What is going to get us there? What will it cost? Who pays?
- Use a wide angle lens. We must see energy development not narrowly but broadly, taking into account the full economic, social, and environmental consequences of our decisions.
- Join the big conversation. Form partnerships with those that agree with you, and those that disagree with you. Debates that include all perspectives are likely to be richer and produce longer-lasting solutions.
- Get noticed. Make your point and stay safe, but be creative and have fun.
Here’s to more conversations about the oil sands and energy.
