The Globe’s editorial (Our Russian ‘pipeline’ and its ugly toll) is an outrage. Its central idea- that environmental activists are NIMBY-motivated and wink at destructive projects in other countries- is an insult to the good faith opponents . The article’s conclusion- that Massachusetts should accept the environmental damage of pipelines in towns like Pittsfield or Danvers- is designed to shame those who speak against the corporate creed of more pipelines.
The piece is full of inaccuracies. It is a vast overstatement to say that Massachusetts is ‘reliant’ on gas imports. The attack on Maura Healy as leaning on ‘righteous sounding stands’ ignores the underlying damage of carbon pollution. It is hypocritical for the article to give us an image of a terrified seal’s feces spread out on an ice flow as a supertanker bears down, especially in a world where the climate change caused by that supertanker’s cargo is making that ice itself disappear.
The central dilemma posed by the article-whether should we let others degrade their homes for our fuel or instead that we should degrade our own homes to keep the gas flowing-is a false choice. The third choice, to forego natural gas and build clean energy technology at the scale and pace needed, is our best option.
Fortunately, a Massachusetts Senate bill proposed by Mark Pacheco is up to the task of reshaping our energy future with the clean technologies needed. Call your senator and support that bill!
The reading list:
- Utilities make money on pipeline investments
- Beware the Coalition of Sustainable Energy
- Globe's "Our Russian pipeline and its ugly toll"
- 100% clean energy is possible!
- Lowell Sun on Pacheco bill
- MassLive on Pacheco bill
- Register now for Local Environmental Action Conference March 3 at Northeastern
- HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre