Media Roundup: Chiquita to avoid fuel from Tar Sands refineries

In 2011 Canada's Tar Sands have been the subject of withering criticism from citizens, governments and international bodies around the world. As Canada withdraws from the Kyoto Protocol, and is accused of lobbying to undermine clean fuels legislation in Europe and the Untied States, the country has allowed the oil industry to drive its reputation into a deep ditch, as other countries continue down the path to cleaner energy that helps the world meet the challenges of the 21^st Century.

In this context, it's little wonder that 15 major companies would take action to do what the world's governments want to do: address the impacts of the fuel they purchase in order to meet their goals.

When the latest company, Chiquita Brands International, announced that it is committed to avoiding fuels from Tar Sands refineries, the response out of Alberta was once again indignant rage. The oil industry, which has never been a strong advocate on behalf of people's concerns in the countries where they operate, is framing the corporate trend against tar sands as some kind of personal attack on Alberta. But this isn't personal. This is about buying products that help you meet your goals, and the critical challenges of business and governance in the 21st Century.

And with that, let's move on to the media roundup:

The Financial Times broke the Chiquita story, calling the news "the latest success for protesters against tar sands production, who say it creates more damaging pollution both locally and in terms of carbon dioxide emissions than conventional oil."

Click the map to enlarge

On the same day, Mother Jones broke the story of how we do the work we do, publishing our map of US refineries taking Tar Sands inputs and, for the first time, raising in a serious way the issue of Tar Sands already being refined and sold in the United States. 

Treehugger picked up the map angle and says, "As you can see from the map above, we're going to have to do a lot more than cancel the Keystone XL pipeline to beat the tar sands--and we should."

The Canadian Press broke the story above the border, and included the following from ForestEthics' Aaron Sanger:

We want to see things change on the ground both in Alberta and in the United States. We want to see forest destruction in Alberta minimized, water pollution dramatically reduced and air pollution dramatically reduced in Alberta. And in the United States, we want to see safeguards to the continued threatening of community health that comes directly from the processing of Tar Sands in U.S. refineries.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper responded, saying that the oil industry must tell its story better. As the years go by, it's becoming a less and less effective message every time the government employs it. When will they realize that the problem is not the story they're telling, but rather the STORY on the ground in the Tar Sands?

Over the weekend DC political paper The Hill published "Keystone supporters go bananas over Chiquita’s no-oil-sands pledge", connecting two current narratives of the Tar Sands controversy and capturing the oil industry's siege mentality.

Environmental Leader weighed in, while Triple Pundit says "Chiquita Banana Gives Tar Sands Foes a Reason to Smile", and ends on this insightful note:

It wasn’t too long ago that establishing an image as a good corporate citizen was a noncontroversial matter of sponsoring local civic groups, charities and scholarships. Now it seems that in order to do the right thing, companies like Chiquita are going to have to step on a few toes. Oh well, at least it’s in good company: the U.S. Navy is also in the process of organizing its fuel supply chain around more sustainable sources along with the rest of the armed services.

Treehugger's covered the Chiquita news here, and the reaction from the Canadian Federal Government here.

Toronto's NOW Magazine took a look at Canadian Prime Minsiter Stephen Harper's "War on Bananas" , connecting the dots between the oil industry, its various PR fronts, and the highest levels of Canadian government.

Executive Director Todd Paglia told Canada's largest French daily La Presse, "Le monde entier dit non aux sables bitumineux et la réaction du Canada, c'est de boycotter les bananes Chiquita. C'est complètement fou." Translation: "The whole world said no to Tar Sands and Canada's response is to boycott Chiquita bananas. This is crazy."

And in the Huffington Post Todd published "What Does the Keystone Pipeline Have to Do With the Biggest Brands in the World?", which ends on this note:

Indigenous people, ordinary citizens and major US companies are all saying "No" to the Tar Sands and Big Oil. On the other side of that "No" lies an even more powerful "Yes." A "Yes" to intact ancient cultures staying that way, to old growth forests remaining pristine, to clean drinking water for all of us, to wild places remaining safe for the magnificent creatures that inhabit them. As the tide turns towards a greener future and away from outdated and dangerous fuels, like Tar Sands, we may finally arrive at the moment, in President Obama's words, "when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."

And on that note, Happy Holidays and have a Happy New Year everyone!