(Screengrab: Sierra Club)[Last June] the Sierra Club released The Dirtiest Oil on Earth, an animation on the dangers of tar sands crude and pipelines transporting the world’s dirtiest oil from Alberta, Canada, through the U.S. The animation, created by Sierra Club Productions and featuring narration by actor Joshua Jackson (Fringe, The Skulls, Dawson’s Creek) illustrates the dangers of spills, destruction of natural areas, contamination of air and water supplies and political influence exerted by the oil industry to build pipeline projects designed to transport tar sands across the U.S. to reach foreign markets.
Polling has shown that most Americans oppose the Keystone XL project once they know the facts about the proposed tar sands pipeline. A poll released earlier this year found that Americans oppose the pipeline once they understand the project’s severe risks to water, farmers and ranchers, and once increased air pollution and climate disruption are part of the conversation.
“With Joshua Jackson’s help, the public will come to understand that the price Big Oil wants us to pay in our health and environment is far too high and that America draws the line at tar sands oil,” says Michael Brune, Sierra Club executive director. “Tar sands oil and pipelines like Keystone XL are front page news, but the bigger point is being lost. This project tells the real story of tar sands oil, climate disruption and political influence.”
Defying Trump’s right-wing agenda from Day One
Inauguration Day is coming up soon, and at Truthout, we plan to defy Trump’s right-wing agenda from Day One.
Looking to the first year of Trump’s presidency, we know that the most vulnerable among us will be harmed. Militarized policing in U.S. cities and at the borders will intensify. The climate crisis will deteriorate further. The erosion of free speech has already begun, and we anticipate more attacks on journalism.
It will be a terrifying four years to produce social justice-driven journalism. But we’re not falling to despair, because we know there are reasons to believe in our collective power.
The stories we publish at Truthout are part of the antidote to creeping authoritarianism. And this year, we promise we will kick into an even higher gear to give you truthful news that cuts against the disinformation, vitriol, hate and violence. We promise to publish analyses that will serve the needs of the movements we all rely on to survive the next four years, and even build for the future. We promise to be responsive, to recognize you as members of our community with a vital stake and voice in this work.
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