Michigan State University Protesting Coal on Campus

Although schools across the US are increasingly adopting greener energy alternatives, this is not the case for Michigan State University. The school has the largest on-campus coal plant in the nation burning over 200,000 tons of coal each year. In addition to contributing to climate change, the plant's pollution contaminates the air in the community of East Lansing, and far beyond.

Greenpeace reports that the incidences of asthma, sudden infant death syndrome, lung disease, and emphysema are drastically higher in areas near coal-fired power plants. It is estimated that coal pollution causes 31 deaths annually in East Lansing.

“Coal is harmful to our environment and us, but not everyone knows. I think it is important to raise awareness of the problem so it can be fixed and the damaging effects of coal can be stopped,” said student activist Kendra Majewski.

For two years MSU students have been engaged in Greenpeace's Quit Coal campaign. Students have gathered petitions, rallied, marched, met with the administration, and brought clean energy experts to campus to meet with physical plant engineers. They are demanding that the administration quit coal and transition to clean energy. The MSU administration has thus far ignored their pleas.

Even though three students were recently arrested at a Michigan State University Sit-in, MSU activists have indicated that they are going to keep demanding clean air. Hundreds of other campuses across the nation have demonstrated in support of the school's Quit Coal campaign. month of October's 100 Actions for 100% Clean Energy.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Canadian Federal Provincial Energy Conference on Resource Exploitation

In the middle of July Canada's energy ministers met in Kananaskis, Alberta to discuss creating a national energy strategy and opportunities in the mining sector. The annual conference between federal, provincial and territorial officials was held between July 16th and 19th.

Predictably, Conservative Federal Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver said it was "in the interest of all Canadians, from coast to coast, to exploit the enormous natural resources we have."

For pro-oil Conservatives, now is the time to push ahead with an environmentally hazardous resource exploitation policy. After the Conservative election victory earlier this year, many companies associated with the old energy economy are counting on a regulatory environment that expedites the exploitation of Canada's natural resources.


Prior to the meeting, Sierra Club's executive director, John Bennett, indicated that he wants to see a change in the whole focus of the meeting. Rather than trying to increase the country's oil exports, the ministers should discuss ways to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to the war on climate change.

Roger Gibbins, president of the Canada West Foundation, a non-profit, public policy organization which represents Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, said the diversity of energy sources in this country make a national strategy worthwhile. However, Gibbins conceded that Alberta's massive oil reserves, particularly the toxic tar sands, put Alberta in the driver's seat when it comes to energy policy.

Alberta and the Federal government share a common desire to exploit the tar sands, and many other provinces seem prepared to accept the environmental havoc it will wreak.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Video: The Alberta Tar Sands Dirty Oil

Dirty Oil - A Documentary on The Alberta Tar Sands, is a film written and directed by Leslie Iwerks. This 2009 documentary explores Canada's role as the largest supplier of American oil. It also exposes the dishonesty and greed of the Canadian and Alberta governments as well as the oil companies.

Governments and oil companies make astronomical profits at the expense of the environment, the wildlife, and the native communities who live near the tar sands of northern Alberta.

The film indicates that renewable sources of energy offer a way out of our dependence on destructive fossil fuels. It cites America's mobilization at the beginning of World War ll despite being a recessionary economy. At the start of World War ll, Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "Let no man say it cannot be done, it must be done, and we are undertaking to do it."

We are at a crossroads, we can either engage the struggle to reduce our footprints or ignore it at our own peril. The film also encourages personal responsibility as a way out of the environmental calamity we face.

The film concludes by quoting President Obama who said, "We must end the age of oil in our time, energy independence will require an all hands on deck effort from America , efforts from scientists, and entrepreneurs, from businesses and from every American citizen."

"Its going to take leadership and its going to take a vision and its goinng to take action by each of us, saving civilization is not a spectator sport. We all have to get involved, we all have a stake in it."

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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