A MUST-SEE Climate Change Video: “Save the Salish Sea”

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Originally published on Reviving Gaia

Save the Salish Sea is a “must-see” for British Columbians and for people used to thinking of this province in terms of its natural beauty.

“This is one of the most important places in the World to know about and care about Climate change,” begins narrator Eoin Madden, a Climate campaigner from the Wilderness Committee.

“The Salish Sea is poised to become one of the biggest regions for fossil fuel export in the World,” adds his colleague Torrance Coste.

Existing and Proposed Coal Terminals in BC's  Lower Mainland - from Save the Salish Sea
Existing and Proposed Coal Terminals in BC’s Lower Mainland – from Save the Salish Sea

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They are referring to the planned increase of oil, coal and natural gas shipments passing out through BC’s ports to Asia. The capacity of coal terminals in North Vancouver, Delta and Surrey are being expanded, so that BC can become the biggest coal exporter in North America. Kinder Morgan wants to expand the Trans Mountain  pipeline, from Alberta, so that up to 890,000 barrels of tar sands oil can flow out through BC every year. There are already 80 tankers leaving  Vancouver, that number could soon expanded to over 400. Madden said that as a result of these oil shipments, 150 million metric tons of carbon will be released into the atmosphere.But the fossil fuel that BC’s premier, Christie Clark, has really been pumping is natural gas. She believes that BC has a trillion dollar opportunity waiting to be developed.

Oil tanker leaving Vancouver - from Save the Salish Sea
Oil tanker leaving Vancouver – from Save the Salish Sea

Clark told reporters that, “What oil has been to Alberta since the 1970s-80s is what LNG is going to be for British Columbia, nothing less than that. Energy output from LNG will likely be as big as the total energy output today from the oilsands.”

The Pembina Institute estimates that if BC proceeds with its plans to develop natural gas, it will soon have a carbon footprint similar to the oilsands. The province is required to cut CO2 emissions to 43 million tonnes a year by 2020, but is likely to produce more than 73 million tonnes if there is extensive LNG development  – And that figure does not include additional contributions from the oil or coal  sectors!

Most of that of those fossil fuels will pass through the Salish Sea. That has caused alarm among those concerned about the impact a coastal spill could have on British Columbia’s tourist trade and fishing industry.

Tanker route between the southern tip of Vancouver Island and state of Washington - from Save the Salish Sea
Tanker route between the southern tip of Vancouver Island and state of Washington – from Save the Salish Sea

“For people who live along this body of water, there is going to be a marked difference in the near future,” said Eoin Madden.

Save the Salish Sea is a wake-up for those who are concerned about fossil fuels and the increase of greenhouse gases. It is also a first rate video, that Ramshackle Pictures made for the Wilderness Committee.

“If we can stop this, we will be game changers in the fight against Climate Change,” says Torrance Coste.


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Roy L Hales

is the President of Cortes Community Radio , CKTZ 89.5 FM, where he has hosted a half hour program since 2014, and editor of the Cortes Currents (formerly the ECOreport), a website dedicated to exploring how our lifestyle choices and technologies affect the West Coast of British Columbia. He is a research junkie who has written over 2,000 articles since he was first published in 1982. Roy lives on Cortes Island, BC, Canada.

Roy L Hales has 441 posts and counting. See all posts by Roy L Hales