Naomi Klein's Thought Bubble: Ethical Oil?

[VincenzoPickatelli]

We all need to spread the awful truth about these tar sands oils and the destruction they bring. My Lord we can see the hole from space.

[enriqueDFTL]

I wish my live carried out thoughtbubbler style.

[kaunas888]

The Tar Sands are nasty, granted, but what does Naomi propose as an energy alternative? Yes I know that those on the left have fantasies of unlimited cheap and clean alternative energy, but I have yet to see it, and have strong doubts that it is coming soon. Unless Naomi is biking everywhere there is a certain hypocracy to her opposition.

[Talltrees84]

We need to take the industry's claims with a shaker of salt in light of numerous disasters that could never and would never happen. Exxon Valdez, gulf blowout, pipeline ruptures, refinery explosions, etc. all could have been avoided but the industry wouldnt want to pay the money. If you want to take the risk ok but at least be aware of them.

[ExpDel]

@pnutinctown

The problem originates from the government. Petition the government to stop subsidizing them and stop using force to promote corporate interests.

Yeah, sorry. I don't agree with your wikipedia definition. So long as corporations own the land or have entered a voluntary contract with those who owned the land, it doesn't matter. Also, colonialism ultimately benefited the peoples of Africa and the Americas.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel It's not a 'wikipedia' definition, it's just what the word means. There's no point in arguing with someone who can't accept the definitions of imperialism, voluntary, or violence.

"Also, colonialism ultimately benefited the peoples of Africa and the Americas." I hope you don't actually believe that.

[kaunas888]

@pnutinctown Absolutely. Africa prospered under colonialism, and has done nothing but decline since gaining independence. I have lived there.

[ExpDel]

@pnutinctown

I would hardly call it imperialism.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel Imperialism - the creation or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationship. This applies perfectly to the relationship between the oil companies and the indigenous people of northern Alberta. It could also apply to people in countless other areas of resource extraction.

[ExpDel]

@pnutinctown

How? Explain.

The private sector regulates itself. Government intervention creates more problems. You should all boycott oil.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel I never suggested government intervention.

I don't drive or fly, however a boycott is insufficient due to the subsidies given to oil companies (government intervention creating problems by subverting the free market).

[ExpDel]

@pnutinctown

Uh... yes it does. It's not logical to go back and try to compensate every person or organization that's been wronged. Sorry, but the world's unfair. Deal with it.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel I'm not talking about reparations for the past. The tar sands is a perfect example of imperialism taking place right now.

Also, ignoring a problem is not a way of dealing with it.

[waynewin]

Pure hysteria. No facts, no truth, no creditibily. Only mindless passion.

[ExpDel]

@pnutinctown

Property rights, son. I have a legitimate claim to the property around my home. I can threaten violence against people who trespass on my property. That is legitimate defensive action. Illegal squatters can and should be treated as trespassers. Violence against them is entirely legitimate.

[ExpDel]

@pnutinctown

When was violence used against people living on that land? A hundred years ago? It's largely irrelevant nowadays. The statute of limitations has long expired on colonial imperialism. Now, it's a different story if eminent domain is being applied to acquire the land. I would agree that violence is being used in that case. Otherwise, it shouldn't matter if people are pumping garbage into the soil as long as its their property and it's not directly harming anybody else.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel Okay. Personally, I don't think the statute of limitations on violence ever expires. That was my original point.

[ExpDel]

@pnutinclown

I really don't see where you're going with this. The planet is not a person. Animals and plants do not have the same rights as people. Nothing is violent about the process itself.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel Getting people off the land in order to extract the resources involves violence against people living on that land. Claiming ownership over resources involves the threat of violence.

[imaccuish]

Do we HAVE to destroy our planet in order to give MORE money to the rich corporations?

Is it "fear-mongering" to ask that obvious question?

We SHOULD be afraid of a Canadian Government OWNED by the oil companies.

[ExpDel]

@pnutinctown

Every kind of resource. Fishing, mining, farming, drilling, etc.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel How do companies gain access to those resources? How is access maintained?

[ExpDel]

Sounds like propaganda to me. This video really added nothing except fearmongering to the debate. There's nothing violent about the extraction of resources upon which humanity depends on. What about renewables, you ask? Look at Solyndra. Look at ethanol. Look at carbon credits. There's too much bullshit floating around. Many of these so-called green-industries aren't economically sound and actually produce more carbon emissions than good old fashioned oil.

[pnutinctown]

@ExpDel "There's nothing violent about the extraction of resources upon which humanity depends on." Really? Name one example of resource extraction that did not use violence.

[kimhunter2]

"Ethical Oil" is a creation of the tar-sands lobbyists and fossil fuel shareholders and the reason the delay State review due to conflict of interest and grossly saturated unsubstantiated job numbers.

[52tincup]

And another thing Naomi the emissions from the oil sands cause anywhere from 5% to 20 % with the most recent study saying 6% more carbon emitting than convensional oil. That is 30% less than it was a decade ago. More importantly, it is 10% - 15% cleaner than coal. Three times the carbon foot print than convensional oil ? Your speach is pure fear mongering and lies.

[52tincup]

Nothing worse than a rich socialist. Naomi and rest of her family are very rich and very socialist. If you get your way, we'll all be living in poverty with no jobs .... I know you have a slide implying there are plenty of green jobs but to my knowledge, you have never created a job or provided a living for anyone but yourself. Of course, if all the evil corporations and the evil oil industry are shut down as you want, you'll be fine won't you ?

[vikrim1]

I'm not arguing for either side as I don't know enough yet, but it's good if we all see what others are saying about this. For example Greenpeace co-founder Dr. Patrick Moore. Links aren't working but Google "Dr. Moore supports oil sands".

[jeremyshaw]

Friggin awesome video and AMEN to her points! Preach it! Woo! "Liked"!

[SakuraHirot87]

I wish every important topic came with a thought bubbler... it would make me more interested and more knowledgeable to what is happening and help me decide what stance to take...

[MikePhelan1]

The term "ethical oil" is a relative one. It's silly to contrast tar sands development to the organic coffee industry or the hemp t-shirt industry. "Ethical oil" is used to contrast Alberta's ethics to those of other oil producing states. In Alberta, no foreign maid has ever been publicly beheaded after enduring years of ritual abuse.

[unitruth]

I think wind turbines are beautiful and would love to have 1 in my backyard.

[Doctorwithnoname222]

I do agree with you/everyone about the environment and I am wary on how safe those pipes are. While I have other people who I value their opinions who don't try to sell me.

As in, the way the people drill for oil is allot safer now, get rid of buildings in our skylines if you worry about birds, and no hunting either. The fact that it is very difficult to sell Solar and Wind power as it costs too much to get very little. Many ways of looking at this, that's based on population. :/ <3

[Doctorwithnoname222]

@Doctorwithnoname222 In this issue you have to play devils advocate in every single thing that is conected. As in: the oil itself (how clean it is), ethicals, Solar power, Wind power, population control(as in birthrates), population control(as in if I have 1 kid vs "19 and counting"), land control, irrigable land protection, immigration, religious beliefs, religious/political issues, hypocritical nations and varios other things including voting and who we(the country) voted in all without bias.

[TiNAlegger]

I 100% agree with this video. The question isn't "whats the best way for these pipe lines to be layed?" it is "why do we depend so much on them? Can we not use a cleaner source of energy?" Jobs will be lost, yes! The economy will face a downfall, yes! The money the oil companies have invested will be lost, but it is not the end of the world. If we continue to increase oil consumption then globally we will all pay for this outcome.

[FilmandTVMaker]

All i will say is PLASTIC. the world could not last as it is today without plastic. none of our electronics computers, cars, anything. When the green movement stops using any form of petroleum product then i will listen till then its hypocritical to say stop the oil. oh i will also say we would have electricity without the oil based casing wrap on electrical wires. so figure out how to replace all these industry's that need oil and then talk till then this is BULLSHIT.

[FilmandTVMaker]

@FilmandTVMaker correction we WOULDNT have electricity with out oil.

[TiNAlegger]

@FilmandTVMaker Clearly you do not really understand what you are talking about. How can you compare ''wrapping on electrical wire" to carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels, which are the main contributor to global climatic change. It is responsible for problems such as eutrophication, acid deposition, and global warming. Its hard to really see the big picture of oil consumption, but we have to look down the road and stop what is to be our future.

[grimordwow]

@FilmandTVMaker Since we need oil for plastic, and some other products, does it mean we shouldn't try to minimize it's use to what's really necessary and it's impact in our ecology? Should we just go "oh well, we will need oil for a long time, so lets keep drilling for it, no matter th dangers, and never try to find alternatives 'til all our reserves are gone"? Or, from the last part of your statement, should we ignore incremental improvements until we can totally replace oil for something else?

[HaploidCell]

You were doing so good - and then you said "we do not have to attack our earth with ever greater violence".

That sounds like such super-left, hippy bullshit, I'm afraid.

Because EVERY form of energy can be argued to do this.

Wind turbines need to be anchored in the ground. So we drill holes for the foundations. THAT is violence, no?

But even if you limit it to risky, "dirty" oil - any oil or coal operation is very, very messy.

So your argument is basically "get rid of everything" - which we cant

[grimordwow]

@HaploidCell Glad to see the faux news propaganda worked out well for you. Regarding your issue with the "attack our earth with ever greater violence" line: Try to google what a metaphor is.

[HaploidCell]

@grimordwow Simply pointing out that it's the same metaphor used by a group of nigh-delusional hippies from the 80's.

Also pointing out:

Saying "there are so much better methods of creating energy" is NOT constructive.

Currently there are far too few wind turbines to take over energy production.

And no-one WANTS the damn things in their backgarden. Every time they try to put one up around here it gets voted out because "it will destroy the view" and thereby "devalue the housing market."

[laurenpue]

Some of the points made are true but there are also some completely made up "facts" in the speech. Yes, the oil sands are not particularly clean, but then again neither is any other form of oil or "clean" coal. The oil sands are not a large extent dirtier than other forms of oil extraction. Being a native of Alberta who follows the oil sands projects I can say that the companies are making huge leaps towards cleaning up extraction process. They may not be clean yet but they're getting there.

[00jdn]

@laurenpue The extraction and processing of tar sands oil causes 3 times more CO2 emissions than 'regular' oil, as well as being extremely water intensive and a huge contributor to deforestation. You can only "clean up" the extraction process so much.

[NeapolitanSixth]

OK, this video is a little on the extreme side; it's not as simple as turning off the tap to the oil sands. Everything that we do relies on the petroleum industry. Does anybody have any idea how many barrels of oil go into building one computer? Or one car (even electric/hybrid)? A fundamental shift in the way we live our lives is required in order to decrease our dependency on Alberta's dirty oil; it's certainly possible, but it will take a bit of time, and less extreme attitudes.

[00jdn]

@NeapolitanSixth Videos like these start conversations, that's what's important and I don't think it's extreme.

[VWXYZ]

way to extreme a view for me to agree with, but I'm glad someone is picking it up, for on the other side is the spectrum, is someone just as crazy, ready to pull the debate the other way.

But really, I just find the graphics inspiring :)

[breakfast37]

Saying that "the vast majority of Canadians care deeply about climate change" is laughable and obviously not true.

[finallyflyingfree]

*sigh* We don't have to keep killing ourselves to live better, why don't people understand that?

[sileb13]

I absolutely love ThoughtBubbler, I wish they came out with videos more frequently.

[ThoughtBubbler]

@sileb13 Just came out with a new one :) How's that for often! Check it out in the video list!

[GlennLSmith]

@ThoughtBubbler Can I ask what you use to make these animations? They are fantastic! Great topic too. Would love to see a tutorial on how you make do such smooth motion from piece to piece.

[Rawrfearmeh333]

Make more vids!

[Supernonkey]

When will solar be more efficient than oil?

[Laryodienhizer]

@Supernonkey THAT is the question.

[WastWolf]

@Supernonkey i am sorry to say it, but probably never

[DreaminSusan]

@Supernonkey there are other options other than solar but they are all expensive but so is the production of oil

[WastWolf]

@DreaminSusan One type type of energy that is some of the cleanest and also cheap, clean and efficient compared to other energy sources is hydro power, by using dams or rivers. In Norway this is one of the most important energy resources. some negative thing is that you can flood ares and you destroy rivers and some ecosystems.

[Megamaluco]

@Supernonkey Probably just when oil runs out.