Anti Keystone XL Pipeline Rally in Washington DC today

Today's rally for Climate Change Awareness in Washington DC is critical for all of us. For those of you who do not know what it is all about, here is a brief summary:  The Keystone XL Pipeline is proposed to bring oil from the Tar Sands in Canada, bisecting America, to ports in the Gulf of Mexico.  This "oil" is particularly high in carbon pollution and is extremely energy intensive to mine, refine and convert to oil products.  All Climate Scientists have repeatedly warned that if this pipeline is approved, and these tar fields are brought into full production, it will be "Game Over" for Global Climate Change.  The carbon pollution produced from this single event will push us well past the tipping point for slowing down climate change. The discussion will then change focus, as the fight to limiting the effects of climate change will be lost.  All discussions will then need to be focused on reacting to the new climate reality.  We will need to focus on building sea walls, accepting droughts, floods and storms of epic proportions, developing new methods of agriculture, building desalinization plants, water purification systems, and otherwise dealing with the new climate reality. Clean water will become increasingly scarce and significantly more expensive.  

This pipeline will benefit an extremely small minority of oil and gas companies. It will not create many permanent jobs, and will not drive down gas or oil prices for the rest of Americans.  The negative impacts however, will affect ALL OF US.

I applaud the efforts of all of those taking part in this rally in Washington DC today.  Bill McKibbon, Van Jones and many more are leading the efforts today.  Others can write a letter directly to President Obama or sign a petition, which can be found at www.350.org or at www.sierraclub.org  

If people knew how much this single decision will impact their lives, there would be an even greater groundswell of public support.