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What are the environmental impacts of this resource extraction?
Tar is one of the least efficient, dirtiest source of oil in the world; it is also very destructive. This type of oil has unfortunately destroyed large portions of the Boreal Forest, with having the tar out in the forest- spreading the smell around. Tar is considered toxic and also carcinogenic; which means it has the potential to cause cancer.
It has been killing Migrating Birds, Herds of Caribou, and toxins leaching from tailings ponds and air pollution has caused a 30% increase in cancers from 1995-2006 in local indigenous communities. The tar enters the lakes and ponds, which impact the aquatic life in those lakes and ponds- with the tar it would get into the plants and the plants would be eaten by the land animal- it would impact the whole ecosystem. Like a huge food chain.
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Hello Cielo,
Very relevant topic and nice and detailed description of the issue at hand and all its effects. Do you know what has/is being done about this issue? Maybe read this (https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/envi...
Do you think having a cap and trade system would be effective and appropriate in Alberta to reach its targets, like it's being done in Ontario? I understand there is the carbon tax, but has it proven to be successful?
For more info on Ontario's cap and trade system, refer to https://www.ontario.ca/page/cap-and-trade
Awesome job, it's great that you're looking at this issue holistically :) Keep going!
I also researched about the Alberta Tar Sands region too. I agree on the info that tar is carcinogenic- it provides harmful chemicals such as mercury. Many of the Indigenous living downstream are suffering under these conditions, and if this continues on, Indigenous cultures and legacies will gradually disappear.
Helen Chen
Oct 11, 2017