Local residents continue support of pipeline protest

The No Tar Sands Oil movement, which opposes the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, has gained national and local momentum in the past month.

An action on Nov. 6 in Washington, D.C., prompted President Barack Obama to send the Keystone XL Pipeline back to the State Department for review.

One hundred and two students and Bloomington residents from No Tar Sands Bloomington participated in the action. In all, about 12,000 people took part in the event.

The Bloomington group traveled more than 25 hours on a bus to spend six hours in D.C. Once there, participants listened to a variety of speakers and encircled the White House for the demonstration.

The original plan was to circle the White House in one line, but with 12,000 people present, participants were able to circle the White House four people deep. At one point, they all linked arms, creating one continuous
circle.

“It was nice to feel the collective energy of that many people,” said David Haberman, professor of religious studies and supporter of No Tar Sands Bloomington.

Sophomore Peter Oren said the turnout moved him. Oren had attended a similar demonstration in D.C., just two months ago where he was arrested.

“We really needed this kind of grassroots movement, and we’ve accomplished a lot so far,” Oren said.

While the President has sent the pipeline back to the State Department, demonstrators say there is still work to be done.

“This is a long war,” Haberman said. “We might have won a battle. The major issue is climate change.”

Supporters say the tar sands issue reaches beyond the pipeline. The petroleum deposits are located on virgin forests in Canada that act as the “lungs for North America,” and if those forests are uprooted, the environment will be detrimentally affected, Haberman said.

The No Tar Sands movement plans to work with local Democratic offices across the country in an effort to spread awareness of the issue.

“We think that will send a powerful message that this isn’t a one-time thing, that there are thousands and thousands of people around the nation that are going to continue to work against this,” Oren said.

Stroot said education is the next step, adding, “We’re going to try to build solidarity and a more cohesive environmental presence on campus.”

Oren said he is more optimistic now than ever before about the success of the No Tar Sands Oil movement.

“I hope that people that are interested in the issue will get involved,” he said.

The tar sands issue is often included in a broader range of hot-button environmental issues, such as mountaintop removal coal mining, hydraulic fracking for natural gas and biomass incinerators.

Haberman said he hopes students can use their education to research and bring awareness to cleaner alternatives.

“This is a crime to future generations,” Haberman said. “We have a responsibility to think about life for current and future generations.”

No Tar Sands Bloomington members encourage anyone interested  in the movement to get involved with the group.

“We still need to get more word out,” said Emily Dingman, a Bard College graduate and Bloomington resident. “So many people don’t know about tar sands and other issues. Even if you don’t know anything about this, if you’re asking questions and looking into the issue and talking about it, you’re helping.”