The challenges of climate change
Angela van Patten, a First Church congregant and a friend of Community for Earth, risked arrest at the oil depot demonstration in an effort to “to keep our beautiful region from becoming an environmentally degraded fossil fuel transport corridor.
“Every one of us alive today has a life built inextricably with fossil fuels, and yet the challenge for every one of us, individually and collectively, is to move beyond their use as rapidly as possible,” she said in statement released in connection with a protest Oct. 9, 2014, at the Arc Logistics oil terminal in Northwest Portland (click for more complete coverage).
Among the changes that she was seeking, she said, were statutes to prevent the process whereby “Arc Logistics was able to begin operations as an oil terminal within the past year with essentially no public input due to existing laws and regulations.”
“Every one of us alive today has a life built inextricably with fossil fuels, and yet the challenge for every one of us, individually and collectively, is to move beyond their use as rapidly as possible,” she said in statement released in connection with a protest Oct. 9, 2014, at the Arc Logistics oil terminal in Northwest Portland (click for more complete coverage).
Among the changes that she was seeking, she said, were statutes to prevent the process whereby “Arc Logistics was able to begin operations as an oil terminal within the past year with essentially no public input due to existing laws and regulations.”
"Another world is possible/We are unstoppable!". Angela van Patten lead a chant at the demonstration in Northwest Portland Thursday, Oct. 9. Van Patten, a First Church congregant and friend of Community for Earth, was among several protesters who risked arrest.
Her statemenT
“This action today at Arc Logistics is something I am proud to take part in as a way of urging an increase in momentum getting off fossil fuels here in Oregon and worldwide.
“Climate change is upon us and the overwhelming scientific analysis is that we need to accelerate our efforts to move into a post fossil-fuel era if we are to have a hope of keeping the worst effects of climate change at bay. As a parent, I am deeply worried about the future we are leaving to my daughters and all living beings of their generation and beyond. Every one of us alive today has a life built inextricably with fossil fuels, and yet the challenge for every one of us, individually and collectively, is to move beyond their use as rapidly as possible.
“Many, including workers at this facility, are decent, hard-working people, providing for themselves and their families. We need to increase the pace of efforts to create a post-carbon economy so that people can work at jobs that provide a decent living without helping to destroy the ecosystem we all depend on. This needs to be taken as seriously as the Greatest Generation conversion of the pre-World War II manufacturing base into a military powerhouse within a few short years.
“We can address this global crisis right here in Oregon by doing everything we can to keep our beautiful region from becoming an environmentally degraded fossil fuel transport corridor. Arc Logistics was able to begin operations as an oil terminal within the past year with essentially no public input due to existing laws and regulations. This should no longer be possible! Currently this facility can store approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil. Existing laws do not adequately take into account the impact of new projects and operations at existing facilities on global warming. This needs to change now. Having an ability to store and transport crude oil here in Portland has a directly encouraging effect on extraction of low grade, high damage forms of oil such as tar sands and shale oil in other regions of North America.
“By working to stop oil, coal, and gas infrastructure development and operation we can have a positive impact here on the true challenge of our lives – global warming.”
Angela van Patten
Climate Activist, Parent
October 9, 2014
“Climate change is upon us and the overwhelming scientific analysis is that we need to accelerate our efforts to move into a post fossil-fuel era if we are to have a hope of keeping the worst effects of climate change at bay. As a parent, I am deeply worried about the future we are leaving to my daughters and all living beings of their generation and beyond. Every one of us alive today has a life built inextricably with fossil fuels, and yet the challenge for every one of us, individually and collectively, is to move beyond their use as rapidly as possible.
“Many, including workers at this facility, are decent, hard-working people, providing for themselves and their families. We need to increase the pace of efforts to create a post-carbon economy so that people can work at jobs that provide a decent living without helping to destroy the ecosystem we all depend on. This needs to be taken as seriously as the Greatest Generation conversion of the pre-World War II manufacturing base into a military powerhouse within a few short years.
“We can address this global crisis right here in Oregon by doing everything we can to keep our beautiful region from becoming an environmentally degraded fossil fuel transport corridor. Arc Logistics was able to begin operations as an oil terminal within the past year with essentially no public input due to existing laws and regulations. This should no longer be possible! Currently this facility can store approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil. Existing laws do not adequately take into account the impact of new projects and operations at existing facilities on global warming. This needs to change now. Having an ability to store and transport crude oil here in Portland has a directly encouraging effect on extraction of low grade, high damage forms of oil such as tar sands and shale oil in other regions of North America.
“By working to stop oil, coal, and gas infrastructure development and operation we can have a positive impact here on the true challenge of our lives – global warming.”
Angela van Patten
Climate Activist, Parent
October 9, 2014