For centuries, humans have had the unsatisfiable desire for more. This is seen quite often throughout history, with a common characteristic being that the environment or some people are negatively affected, usually with longterm effects, in mankind’s quest to satisfy their lust. A modern day example of this is seen in Alberta’s oil sands, as well as in James Cameron’s sciencefiction film Avatar. Alberta oil sands have the third largest oil reserves in the world, making up over 20% of Alberta. The oil industry is a staple part of our economy, as we rely heavily on it. However, in order to get to the bitumenrich oil sands, countless trees have been cut down, and many people in northern Alberta have been affected, including over 20 indigenous groups. …show more content…
Their efforts have a drastic impact on the planet, which leads the natives of the planet, the Na’vi, to retaliate and stop the humans from destroying their home. The situation with Alberta’s oil sands is clearly, but not completely, reflected in the movie Avatar. This is evident when comparing and contrasting the economic, social, and ecological sustainability of both worlds. Many similarities and differences between Alberta’s oil sands and Avatar’s Pandora can be found when looking at the economic sustainability of both. The goal of Alberta’s efforts in the oil sands and the humans in Avatar is to extract a valuable resource. Oil companies in Alberta extract bitumen from the oil sands, upgrade it so it could be sent to oil refineries, and export and sell it to other countries that have a high demand for oil. In Avatar, humans have arrived on Pandora to extract unobtainium, a rare metal found under the surface of Pandora worth about $20 million per kilogram, as Earth has lost all of its natural
For various reasons, the Canadian government continues harmful practices in lieu of the concerns from Aboriginal peoples. Returning to McGregor (2004), the power imbalance that exists between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people is apparent (p. 398), especially regarding oil extraction. So long as “western” theories of production and management are followed, opposing ideals will not dominate. There are large profits to be made in the Athabasca region from resource extraction. As a result, the Canadian government reduces the region to a marketable commodity (Latulippe,
The Athabasca Delta is a breeding ground for species of birds, which was destroyed to clear the land for oil development. These development practices are a leading factor towards increases in pollution. A scientific panel stated on Tuesday that pollution must be corrected, as there are major debates against the oil sands development. Proponents argue that business through the Oil Sands has made Canada a major player in foreign supplement. Unemployment rates have decreased across Canada and companies generate huge profits. The Alberta Oil Sands provide Canada with a secure source of energy. Throughout the world, Canadian oil reserves are the second largest in the world. Oil mining operations in Canada also help create more trading partnerships with different countries. This is a great way Canada can strengthen relationships and ties with various nation-states. The Oil Sands is a stabilizing force for Canada’s economy, yet it has a tremendous effect on the environment. Corporations are held responsible for their actions, and environmental protection should be their main concern. The procedures that the Oil Sands has taken are not effective, to an extent, where the pace of investment and development in the oil sands
Today corporate profitability outweighs any environmental consequences and certainly takes precedence over implications to future generations. Canadas situation can be accurately surmised in a quote from Alanis Obomsawin, an Abenaki from the Odanak reserve, located northeast of Montreal and is quoted as saying:
Canada ranks among the leading energy producers in the world, through oil production. These oil deposits rank oil sands of Canada as the largest oil deposits in the world after the Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The only challenge with the oil sand deposits is that oil deposits are seen as unconventional. In effect, tar sands are recognized as one of the dirtiest energy sources in the world (Bailey & Droitsch, 2015). This fact is founded on the production factor; in producing one barrel of tar sands oil, the hazardous emissions are three to five times that of producing the equivalent of conventional oil. The Alberta oil sands are viewed as the single largest economic project in human history. The Canadian government and oil
The Keystone XL is a controversial oil pipeline extension that would travel from Alberta, Canada, to the United States Gulf Coast. The Keystone XL should not be built because of the damage it would cause to the environment. The oil would be found within tar sands that contain bitumen. The process of extracting the crude oil uses a lot of energy and causes a large amount of greenhouse gases. Many citizens, in Canada and the United States, are outraged because it can be detrimental to the surrounding land and wildlife. TransCanada, the company building the oil pipeline, has to receive permission from the United States government to begin construction. If the United States does not have the pipeline built and chooses to not use Canada’s oil, then TransCanada will have the pipeline built elsewhere and exported to other countries. There has been a divide between those in favor of the Keystone XL and those who are not. The Keystone XL would be able to provide the United States with a reliable source of oil, but it would also take the risk of faults in the oil pipeline and ruining parts of America’s resourceful soil. The Keystone XL will cause a negative effect on the environment and damage resourceful land; therefore, the oil pipeline should not be constructed.
This essay discusses the many similarities and differences between Avatar and Alberta oil sands. We can explore this through social sustainability, meaning that development should increase people's control over their own lives, cultural sustainability, a development that takes into account the values and beliefs affected by it, and ecological sustainability, the development that considers the maintenance of environmental resources, biological diversity, and ecological process.
Government has been working closely with industry for years, which is also a key factor in developing the oil sands in a socially responsible way. Most major oil companies are involved with initiatives like Water for Life Strategy, Alberta Water Council and Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (CAPP, 2012). Alberta’s oil sands are being developed with social responsibility in mind.
O Canada! Our home of the Tar sands! True greedy love in thy government’s command. With sinking hearts we’d see it rise, the pipeline though no trees! It’s far and wide, O Keystone Pipeline, we are no match for thee. Our environment’s no longer free! O Keystone Pipeline you’ll be the death of me! This shocking parody of the Canadian national anthem, “O Canada”, provides a negative but factual insight of the disastrous effects that the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline would have on all parties involved. Tar sands oil is the dirtiest type of oil on the planet and if the Keystone XL Pipeline continues to be constructed like organizations such as TransCanada plan, not only will the environment suffer, but the people who are being
The Alberta Oil Sands have affected many stakeholder groups such as government, residents, researchers and employees. However, we will focus on how it affects the Alberta Government; specifically, Ed Stlemech of the Conservative Government. As my stake holder, Ed Stlemech does not live within the Alberta Oil Sands area as well as have any direct relevance to it, I will instead examine how it has affects the citizens of Alberta and more importantly, those who live in and near the Fort Chipewyan area. In this way, the environmental, the economical as well as the societal impacts will impact Albertan voters and therefore impact the Conservative Government in way of the Alberta General Election.
There are many different factors contributing to global warming. The Alberta oil sands are only one of them, but they're one of the largest sources of harmful air pollutants in Canada. The oil sands are polluting our air and water, clear cutting the Northern boreal forest and affecting the First Nation tribes living around the sites. Canada should no longer be funding the Alberta oil sands because of the negative impact it has on the environment and people near them.
The American dream- the thought that no matter background, enormous amounts of wealth can be achieved. In the fossil fuel industry, the ways of obtaining this desired wealth is often inhumane. Companies often turn their back on the environment, while at the same time harming other people who rely on the land. As Cree Indian Prophecy mentions, "Only when the last tree has died and the river has been poisoned and the last fish been caught only then will we realize we cannot eat money" ("The Truth About Factory Farming"). Man has neglected nature and others who rely on nature to make a fortune, and the ramifications are becoming evident. Our oceans are being polluted, and people have even lost their property, all for pointless greed.
The similarities between the Alberta’s oil industry and the Planet Pandora is that they both relied on their resources and they both gave the people that lived there, the energy to have a better life. The Planet Pandora gave the Na’vi people the natural resources to survive and make their lives much easier. Without the energy that the plants and the animals got, the Na’vi people wouldn’t have been alive and their planet might not have been green and full of natural resources. The Alberta’s oil industry provides the people that live in Alberta with more resources. The oil that comes from the industries provides the people with more products such as clothing, medical, electronics, and basic needs. Without oil, Canadian lives would have been really
The statement ‘Canada oil sands are much more of a blessing rather than a curse’ is not true because the disadvantages of oil sands outweigh the advantages. For this reason, this paper aims at indicating points against the statement. To understand the defects of oil sand exploration in Canada, one has to delve into the explanation of what oil sands are as well as how the entire process of mining and refining and thereafter, determine the disadvantages based on socioeconomic factors, environmental factors, as well as the infrastructure and energy required for its production.
According to the United Nations, the world population was estimated to have reached 7.6 billion as of October, 2017 and it will continue to increase to 11.2 billion by the year 2100. The rapid increase in population requires more food, more lands and other demands. Because of the higher demands, some companies have been exploiting natural resources to serve people’s needs and create profits as well. With the current population pressure and overexploitation of natural resources, a question has been raised: “What if natural resources run out?”. In 2009, Avatar, a science fiction film directed by James Cameron, which tells us a story about an exploration of a group of people on Pandora to look for new natural resources; because of their greed, the indigenous people and nature on Pandora suffered many casualties, damages.
Oil Drilling has many effects on the environment from the air we breathe to the oceans that inhabit many species. While one of the outcomes of oil drilling is money, it is forgotten that money won’t help repair all of the damage that is done to mother nature. Not only does the outcome of drilling for fossil fuels affect the oceans, rainforest, etc. it also has an effect on local business’ and the health of humans. If people want change, they need to be the