Environmental Assessment Of The Alberta Tar Sands

What is environmental stewardship, and why is it so important? Well, environmental stewardship is being responsible, with the way we treat the environment. It is important, because if we destroy our environment, we end up destroying that which provides for us, and ultimately our means of survival. We are going to talk about the Alberta tar sands development, and about how they are not effectively protecting their environment. This has already led to negative effects in the surrounding areas. These effects will only continue to worsen, if nothing is done to slow down, or further prevent them from happening. The Alberta tar sands, is currently the largest construction project taking place in the world, and as such is a very important†¦show more content†¦It brought with it deforestation, and large amounts of pollution, which have had a large impact on their small community. This has led to the water supply becoming tainted with arsenic, and other toxic chemicals, which has mutated the fish. It has also led to an increased number of cancer, and brain tumor patients in the town of Fort Chipewyan, due to their exposure to these toxins. The Alberta government claims that the tar sands development leaves the Athabasca Lake unaffected, but I don t believe that for a minute. They say that any contamination found in the river comes from natural bitumen seeps. It is very obvious from the number of cancer patients in Fort Chipewyan, and the deformed fish from the lake that the tar sands is the cause. I believe that the tailings ponds used by the tar sands are not properly lined, and that is leading to their toxic contents contaminating the river. The Dene land was taken by the government for the development of the tar sands, without their consent. As such, the law states that the Dene have the right to hunt, and fish, on that land. The main reason that they hunt, and fish is for subsistence, as it is a traditional part of their way of life. Sadly, it will be no point in hunting, and fishing because the prey will be far too dangerous to eat, due to its exposure to toxic chemicals from the tar sands. There was a pressShow MoreRelatedOil Sands Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesCanada has always had extensive deposits of oil sands, and has been a fascination to the explorers and settlers of earliest Canada, when Europeans saw how First Nations people used it to water proof their birch bark canoes. That being said, the majority of oil sands in Canada are contained in Alberta. Alberta’s oil reserves play an important role in the Canadian and global economy, supplying stable, reliable energy to the world. 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