Feature story - 27 June, 2008
As the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers embarks on a synchronized propaganda campaign aligned with Alberta's "rebranding" of its oil-extracting tar sands project, Greenpeace has launched its own website to paint the greenwash in its true colour: a deep, oily black.
Screenshot of the travelingalberta.com website
TravellingAlberta.com
is a tongue-in-cheek travel site that uses humour to communicate a
very serious issue to Canadian and international audiences about
the destructive nature of the world's largest industrial
development. The website showcases some of the unique attractions
that await travelers to Alberta: Black sand beaches, toxic lakes
and clearcut forests. Until now, this kind of vacation destination
was merely the stuff of science fiction; but now, it can be
experienced first-hand.
"We thought we'd help the province and the Canadian Association
of Petroleum Producers with their "rebranding" campaign by
bringing Alberta's newest tourist attractions to the world's
doorstep. Any visitor to the Alberta tar sands can see the
pollution, smell the sulfur, taste the toxins and hear the air
cannons - we're saving them the trip," says Mike Hudema, a tar
sands campaigner with Greenpeace.
"Premier Ed Stelmach and theCanadian Association of Petroleum
Producers can spend 25 million dollars of tax payers' money trying
to cleanup the image of the tar sands, but this development is
still dirty, ugly and foul. That money would be much better spent
cleaning up the tar sands themselves, rather than just the global
image."
But while a real cleanup of the area is still a way off, the
current state of northern Alberta offers a rare treat for the
seasoned globetrotter who is craving something new. A seemingly
endless expanse of bitumen-laden sands - coupled with the powerful
scent of oil from refineries wafting through the hazy air - makes
Northern Alberta a truly one-of-a-kind destination. As families
make their vacation plans, TravellingAlberta.com offers these
adventure tips:
- Diversion surfing: Catch a wave, Alberta-style, and join
Big Oil in taking advantage of the nearly 92 billion gallons of
water diverted from provincial rivers each year!
- Animal sightings: Moose playing in tailings ponds, loons
drenched in tar and ducks sinking in oil: it's not everywhere that
you can see some of Canada's most prized wildlife in these unique
settings. Hurry though! They're going fast!
- Tailings sailing: Come enjoy the vast lakes of toxic
water, so big they're visible to the naked eye from space! Chase
that horizon, but be careful not to capsize!
- Fun in the sun: Forget Cancun, Alberta is sizzling!
Boasting more greenhouse gas emissions than Canada's three other
most populous provinces combined, it's really heating up out
here!
Greenpeace will promote the website internationally, calling on
visitors to share the site with friends and to write Premier Ed
Stelmach, Travel Minister Cindy Ady and Prime Minister Stephen
Harper to demand they put the brakes on tar sand development.
Take Action
Tell the Alberta and Canadian government that it's time to put the brakes on the Tar Sands and save the Alberta's beautiful environment!
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