Posted on 09/17/2013 8:37:07 AM PDT by rickmichaels
Another week, another wrinkled celebrity hypocrite trying to atone for a life of extravagance by bashing Alberta’s oil industry.
Seven days ago, it was Neil Young rocking his ignorance by comparing Fort McMurray to Hiroshima.
And now, in what’s proving to be a banner season for old millionaires frothing with self-righteousness, Robert Redford has taken his own swipe at the bitumen industry — the second such go-round for the actor, who once starred in The Sting as con-man Johnny Hooker.
This is a swindle too, though it lacks a jaunty piano soundtrack.
Calling Alberta’s bitumen “the dirtiest oil on the planet,” Redford narrates a video sponsored by the National Resources Defense Council, on which the actor serves as a trustee.
Once again, Redford wants us to forget his own waste, as he slags off Alberta.
It’s a propaganda piece aimed directly at the Keystone XL pipeline, and goes so far as to link Alberta’s energy sector with deadly flooding elsewhere on the planet, showing scenes of watery destruction as Redford waffles on about bad bitumen.
“Developing the Canadian tarsands is destroying our great northern forest at a terrifying rate. It is producing enough carbon pollution to wreak havoc with our climate for decades to come,” says Redford.
Sigh. According to the latest World Resources Institute figures, Canada’s annual greenhouse gas output is 726 megatonnes, versus 6,886 megatonnes pumped out by the U.S. and 10,385 megatonnes released by China — and yet Redford casts Alberta as the planet’s supervillain.
Can we do better? Of course — but Alberta’s efforts when it comes to cleaner extraction and land reclamation is the convenient truth ignored by Redford, Young and the rest of the eco-elite.
The oilsands look ugly — and for superficial folk needing a brooding background for their superficial rants, it works wonders.
Young, who was here in early September making a documentary about his ethanol-converted Lincoln, refused to show the green side of the story, ordering only shots of the “Mordor” wasteland, while keeping his crew’s diesel-powered bus out of the footage.
Redford is just as bad, simplifying the big picture until all that’s left is dirty bitumen.
“Tarsands oil is exactly the type of dirty energy we can no longer afford. It may be great for oil companies, but it is killing our planet.”
Redford said the same in 2012, when he first went on record as a Keystone opponent.
His latest video tells the world to seek cleaner energy alternatives, showing happy images of solar panels and wind turbines.
Redford wants the world to change. But like other self-righteous preachers, he’s unwilling to heed his own advice.
A former paid spokesman for United Airlines, Redford welcomes 50,000 jet fuel-wasting guests each year to his Sundance film festival in Utah.
There, the giftshop sells diamond rings and other gemstone jewellery — but apparently, that resource mining doesn’t count.
And his world doesn’t have to change for the greener — just yours.
Redford’s ownership of a Napa Valley vineyard was criticised in 2009 when the actor allegedly blocked attempts to build eco-friendly housing nearby, because he didn’t like the proximity of homes to his wine-making estate.
And this year, Redford is back in front of the camera, taking a role in the $200-million Captain America sequel.
Despite attempts by Marvel to keep its films green, Hollywood blockbusters all consume vast amounts of energy, including jet fuel, building materials, electricity and gasoline — and that’s just to make a movie.
Once in theatres, a successful film will consume countless litres of gas and energy, as people flock to the big screen to see it.
Redford won’t utter a peep of protest, because that’s his bread and butter, dirty as it may be.
It’s the kind of hypocrisy to drive an Albertan crazy — and yet all officials in this province can do is ask for a fair assessment.
“It’s unfortunate that we end up with these representations not based on fact, not recognizing what’s actually happening in Alberta,” said Cal Dallas, Alberta’s Minster of International and Intergovernmental Relations.
“The video just completely ignores the facts — in the absence of this infrastructure, the Keystone pipeline specifically, energy into those Gulf states is from jurisdictions without the transparency or commitment to the environment that Alberta has.”
RR needs to wear a CO2 scrubber around his head as he speaks as to how others should live.
I thought this POS died 2 weeks ago.
Canadian oil from a pipeline is an open wound on Gaia’s body. Oil shipped by tanker from a middle eastern sheikdom makes Earth Mother smile.
Wow, who would have guessed coming from the ass who’s last movie made heroes out of terrorists.
Isn’t Robert Redford dead?
These old Democrat hacks, who live like kings because ignorant people scraped up ticket money to see them perform decades ago, are certainly adept at giving everyone advice about saving the planet while they plunder it. Hypocrites.
He may be a kook but he sells a good salad dressing.
They hung him in effigy in Kanab in 1975 for his opposition to Kaiporwits.
And then started calling him Bobby Bluenose.
Redford is just another liberal elitist who hates the so-called Rif-Raf living on HIS planet.
We need to just start ignoring these turds. Hollywood sucks.
“Bad oil companies!”
“Uh... my limo? Yeah, fill ‘er up...”
Just be sure to hike the cost of gas for the ‘little people’.
Sing and dance and act like clowns, but do NOT tell us your extremely ignorant views on politics.
You are almost Always wrong.
Go put on a silly costume and let the grown-ups do the thinking!
Isn’t that Paul Newman?
; )
WHO?
Back about 200 years ago, near what is today Fort Hall, Idaho, there was a natural flow of oil called the “TAR SPRING”. Often Mountain men would set it on fire just to watch it burn.
No, he just looks like he did.
without make up, he looks like he died 2 years ago..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.