Samo students participate in Keystone XL Pipeline protest

All around the nation, communities came together to protest the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline, which would disrupt the environment in the middle US. After taking part in protests last February, many Samo students again raised their voices by participating in a vigil with citizens of Santa Monica on Feb. 3.Natalie Hubbard (’15) said she first heard about the rally from Samo Marine Biology teacher Benjamin Kay.“I really wanted to be a part of the rally and even learn more about the pipeline,” Hubbard said. “I had heard about the it from my parents, but did not know as much as I wanted to about it. So when Mr. Kay told us about the rally in class that day, I got excited to help in any way that I could.”According to Hubbard, the rally took place on the west side of the intersection between Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. Hubbard said the event was well-attended.“There were a couple famous and significant environmental activists who spoke in the beginning, which was really awesome,” Hubbard said. “There were also posters, flashlights and candles we could borrow for the protest. Team Marine [club] even brought a bullhorn.”Several of Samo’s environmental clubs participated in the rally as well, including Team Marine and Samo Solar Alliance (SSA).Team Marine decided to protest after one of their members brought up the topic. Team Marine President Angelina Hwang (’14) said that the club came up with chants and made signs for the protest.“I went to the rally because the Keystone XL Pipeline is definitely an issue that will have a dramatic impact on the environment,” Hwang said. “I wanted to convey the message that a safer, cleaner, and a more sustainable option needs to be explored.”SSA Publicity Leader Caitlin Smith (’15) came to the rally to show her support for the fight against the Keystone XL Pipeline. Smith signed the petition and included with her signature an email on why she is against the Keystone XL Pipeline.“The email I included in the petition talked about why the pipeline is unnecessary and why I thought the pipeline plan is not worth all of the hurt it will bring upon the inhabitants that used to live there,” Smith said.Western Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Joel Reynolds also participated in the rally. Reynolds has been working on the NRDC’s campaign against the Keystone XL Pipeline for many years.“The concern about the pipeline is based on the effects that this dirty oil will have on aggravating the problem of global climate change,” Reynolds said. “[It contains] some of the dirtiest oil anywhere in the world. The greenhouse gas emissions associated with [this oil] are significantly greater than the emissions associated with regular oil, which is of course bad enough in and of itself.”Reynolds sees the Keystone XL Pipeline as a test to see how serious the president is about fighting climate change.“If he is serious about addressing climate change, then we can’t continue to allow projects like the Keystone [XL] Pipeline to be approved, which are simply going to make the problem worse,” Reynolds said. “In order to do the right thing, we have to stop doing the wrong thing, and the Keystone XL Pipeline is the wrong thing.”Hwang also sees the Keystone XL Pipeline as a way for the president to push forward an environmentally friendly agenda.“I want to tell Obama that we can do better," Hwang said. “The Keystone XL Pipeline is not in the best interest of the environment nor the people. America needs to set an example and show that we are leaders and pioneers for a sustainable future.”Reynolds says that the best way to get involved with the protest against the Keystone XL Pipeline is to sign the petition at www.nrdc.org, the Sierra Club’s website or any other organization’s website that is involved against the Keystone XL Pipeline.“Ask your friends [and] your family to do the same thing,” Reynolds said. “The more people that can participate and express their opinion against this pipeline, the better the chances are that Obama will hear us. On the other hand, if people don’t get involved, I think there is a real risk that he’s going to think that people don’t care about it and simply approve the pipeline.”cdebeus@thesamohi.com