Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. It’s also really, really stupid.

Are we nuts or are we nuts? Clearly my question is the answer. The only real question is how nuts are we? How much are in denial that what we once thought was OK is clearly not OK and clearly not working? How long until we change? These questions were provoked by this article I read this a couple of days ago [1]:

Insanity in the frac patch: Dawson Creek, BC seeks more than $100M water pipeline due to worsening drought while frac’ers continue to hoard & permanently remove billions of gallons of water from the hydrogeological cycle.

You see there is a drought in northeastern BC in the middle of fracking country. Fracking uses a LOT of water [billions of barrels] and a high proportion (25% to 100%) of the water used in hydraulic fracturing is not recovered. Consequently this water is lost permanently to re-use, which differs from some other water uses in which water can be recovered and processed for re-use. So what is the response of folks up there? Of course they can’t stop the “goose laying the golden egg” – the fracking industry – although it is clearly a short term drunkin’ party, so what silly idea do they dream up [other than denying the climate emergency]? Let’s spend a 100$ million of tax payers money so private business can make more money as they destroy our climate and drain the water aquifer dry! Great plan guys! Way to go! Perhaps the folks who came up with the brilliant plan didn’t hear that their part of the world is drying up or that burning more LNG will continue to accelerate the burning of the forests they live in. Perhaps they didn’t hear about the fire in Jasper?

About a year ago, a wildfire in Jasper prompted a mass exodus from the town. More than 25,000 residents evacuated from their alpine home before a third of its buildings burned. It’s a stark example of the reality most municipalities are grappling with across Canada — that more floods, fires and smoke are here, exacerbated by emissions they have little local control over.

That fire was on Jasper mayor Richard Ireland’s mind as he joined a coalition of over 250 municipal leaders calling on the federal government to invest in “nation-building, not nation-burning” infrastructure projects. Building off a central campaign promise, Prime Minister Mark Carney released the first of his major projects list earlier this month, which included an LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat, BC, which has been dubbed a “carbon bomb.” [3]

You’d think these endless fires across western Canada that blow smoke even to us here in Ottawa would have people and leaders question of wisdom of increasing GHG emissions. Not really. There are big bucks involved here AND lots of political hay to be made as the Liberals – our once “let’s at least pretend to save the environment and do a few good things’ – have promised to make Canada an “energy super power”. Read, LNG. Read: develop the BC gas fields.

There is an enormous supply of natural gas in Northeast B.C.: an estimated 3,400 trillion cubic feet. This is enough natural gas to support the energy needs of Canada, and many other nations, for more than 150 years. BC is working to create a new industry to generate, process and ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the world’s markets. If it becomes operational the LNG industry will add hundreds of billions of dollars, and tens of thousands of jobs, the BC and Canadian economies. [4]

So, for now at least, it looks like the insanity is going to continue. Yikes!

And there is another oops! The “unintended consequence” of exporting LNG is that it will increase the price of local natural gas as we will have to pay the world price [our price is lower in North America because of excess supply]. International experts caution that Canada should heed the lessons from other exporters. Australia experienced a tripling of domestic gas prices after LNG exports began, causing economic strain for households and manufacturers. BC has already seen gas prices rise sharply, with further hikes expected through 2026. Meanwhile, demand from Asia, the largest LNG market, is weakening. China’s LNG imports have dropped sharply, and Japan is reselling LNG volumes due to declining domestic demand. This raises the risk of oversupply and stranded assets for new exporters like Canada. BC’s LNG project has also received substantial government subsidies and tax breaks, sparking debate over the true costs to taxpayers and the environment. [5]

Not only that, Wind and solar farms with battery backup are both cheaper to build than natural gas power plants in Ontario and Alberta, and the price of the renewable options is expected to fall another 40% by 2035 [6]. So why is that we continue on the fossil fuel bandwagon when they both killing us AND becoming more expensive than renewables? One answer: follow the money. The oil/gas industry is huge and exerts massive influence both on politicians needing to be re-elected and on the population who is risk averse believes that their jobs and families are safer with a known quantity like a fossil fuel job/car rather than a job/car using renewable. In other words: inertia. People and systems and societies resist change – especially when the facts tell them they are wrong and need to change. Especially when a river runs dry and fracking takes all your water to provide jobs – so when the blinders are on it seems to makes sense to build a water pipeline for 100$ million! Problem solved and we can get back to doing what we know how to do and not bother learning new things and changing how we think the world actually works. Oh dear me.

So what can we do? Let’s just admit that LNG is just a last gasp of the fossil fuel nightmare that has increased our standard of living and lifespans…which was well and good but we are now at the point in the party where we have to stop drinking or we are going to suffer from a massive hangover or maybe even the equivalent of alcohol poisoning. But there are good people doing good things, eg.:

The coalition of CDN cities noted how Canada could pay for the major projects it asked for: it said stronger financial penalties on the fossil fuel industry are key, specifically a climate damages tax in the form of a royalty on fossil fuel production that could then be directed into a national resilience, response and recovery fund. Ending subsidies for that same industry — which have amounted to at least $75 billion over the past five years — would free up needed funds, says the coalition, which also argues for the establishment of a climate project-focused public development bank. [3]

So what can you do? Work with those who want oil/gas subsidies ended. At a personal level that also means not consuming oil or natural gas and even more importantly not voting for any political party that encourages/subsidizes the fossil fuel industry. That means the Conservatives and Liberals are no longer an option. Too bad, so sad – they both want BAU. And while the insanity continues – keep sane. Keep positive because when it’s all said and done – LIFE IS GOOD! Life is the gift that keeps on giving – if you participate in life giving activities. So, help a friend. Consume less. Smile more. Watch a silly movie – but also don’t ever forget that what we choose today decides our kids futures.

A section of the Kiskatinaw River running dry just upstream of the old Highway 97 trestle bridge between Fort St. John and Dawson Creek