Black Gold

On a day to day basis - how removed do you feel from the world around you? Do we carry on oblivious of our actions and what impact we have for future generations to come?

All over the media, we have been bombarded with stories about pipelines, oil and gas, the tarsands, and international trade and foreign investment.How much, with whom? and if it's even something we should consider?

 Emotions run high with these issues and sometimes people transfer and target their anger to other fantasy targets. People get so worked up in a frenzy they start believing in their own alternate reality.

I am an avid environmentalist at heart and believe in conservation biology I am also a realist and perhaps a bit of an idealist. I also believe in science and technology.

We use petroleum products everyday and we couldn't live without them unless we go back to living in a cave. Yet, there is so much fear and fear mongering going on that some people just follow along and drink the koolaid. Get informed - search for the grain of truth in other opinions and be open minded.  

There are mixed feelings all along the path of the proposed Keystone pipeline. Ken Ilgunas is walking the path of the pipeline from Alberta to Texas and his adventures are shared on his blog, Pipe Dreams. http://www.kenilgunas.com/

Strive for justice and peace....
  

Here is a partial list of products made from Petroleum (144 of 6000 items), what could you live without:

One 42 gallon (159.6 litres) barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like:

Solvents	Diesel fuel	Motor Oil	Bearing Grease
Ink	Floor Wax	Ballpoint Pens	Football Cleats
Upholstery	Sweaters	Boats	Insecticides
Bicycle Tires	Sports Car Bodies	Nail Polish	Fishing lures
Dresses	Tires	Golf Bags	Perfumes
Cassettes	Dishwasher parts	Tool Boxes	Shoe Polish
Motorcycle Helmet	Caulking	Petroleum Jelly	Transparent Tape
CD Player	Faucet Washers	Antiseptics	Clothesline
Curtains	Food Preservatives	Basketballs	Soap
Vitamin Capsules	Antihistamines	Purses	Shoes
Dashboards	Cortisone	Deodorant	Footballs
Putty	Dyes	Panty Hose	Refrigerant
Percolators	Life Jackets	Rubbing Alcohol	Linings
Skis	TV Cabinets	Shag Rugs	Electrician's Tape
Tool Racks	Car Battery Cases	Epoxy	Paint
Mops	Slacks	Insect Repellent	Oil Filters
Umbrellas	Yarn	Fertilizers	Hair Coloring
Roofing	Toilet Seats	Fishing Rods	Lipstick
Denture Adhesive	Linoleum	Ice Cube Trays	Synthetic Rubber
Speakers	Plastic Wood	Electric Blankets	Glycerin
Tennis Rackets	Rubber Cement	Fishing Boots	Dice
Nylon Rope	Candles	Trash Bags	House Paint
Water Pipes	Hand Lotion	Roller Skates	Surf Boards
Shampoo	Wheels	Paint Rollers	Shower Curtains
Guitar Strings	Luggage	Aspirin	Safety Glasses
Antifreeze	Football Helmets	Awnings	Eyeglasses
Clothes	Toothbrushes	Ice Chests	Footballs
Combs	CD's & DVD's	Paint Brushes	Detergents
Vaporizers	Balloons	Sun Glasses	Tents
Heart Valves	Crayons	Parachutes	Telephones
Enamel	Pillows	Dishes	Cameras
Anesthetics	Artificial Turf	Artificial limbs	Bandages
Dentures	Model Cars	Folding Doors	Hair Curlers
Cold cream	Movie film	Soft Contact lenses	Drinking Cups
Fan Belts	Car Enamel	Shaving Cream	Ammonia
Refrigerators	Golf Balls	Toothpaste	Gasoline