Environmental Concerns - Protect the Waters

Industry or the Environment?

Since oil companies can't promise they can contain and clean up a spill (in a volatile moving source like rivers, inlets and oceans), why was the approval given to Northern Gateway pipeline in June? That set the stage for a contest of wills.

Our lands, waterways and coastal areas in British Columbia will suffer the aftermath of any problem resulting from 'accidents', not the companies or provinces wanting a corridor to the shipping facilities. Spills and leaks happen. Cleanup and dealing with the aftermath can take a long, long time. Finding someone to take responsibility for the problem involves much finger pointing and shifting of blame.

Harbour Waters, Vancouver, BC, by DG Hudson

Whose water is it?

There are some who care what an oil spill might do to a community of people who depend on the waters and its cleanliness. The Nak'azdli First Nation is one of the groups that would be at risk. A battle will ensue between the industry and those who believe we should protect the resources from government and development intervention.

The climate is already changing. Do we want to hasten it by giving industry the chance to further pollute the waters we and other species depend upon? Shipping containers and tankers have developed leaks for various reasons. Does anyone inspect them other than their owners?  'Oops, mea culpa' is not good enough.

Note: The inspiration for this post came from the Vancouver Sun newspaper reference shown below.

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The Stuart River

Located in central British Columbia west of Prince George, the Stuart River flows over 110 km from Stuart Lake to its junction with the Nechako River. The river drains off a portion of the Nechako Plateau.

This area is a wildlife habitat with deer, moose, elk, and trumpeter swans. In the river are sturgeon and high-quality sockeye salmon. This is also an area rich in history and archaeological sites of First Nations Carrier people. An ancient village exists near the joining of the Nechako and Stuart rivers.

Historically, the Stuart River was the route used by explorer Simon Fraser and the New Caledonia fur traders. Paddlewheelers plied the rivers in the early 1900s to supply the nearby Fort St. James and other fur trading outposts. It is also the home of the Nak'azdli First Nation.

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Freighter in the Harbour, taken from Ferry, by DG Hudson

What do you think about it? Is the prevailing attitude to let the following generations worry about it?

Please leave a comment to let me know you were here, and I'll respond. Thanks for dropping by!
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References:

The Stuart River
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/heritage_rivers_program/bc_rivers/stuart_river.html

Newspaper article
The Vancouver Sun, front page news, Saturday, August 16, 2014.  Centre of Gateway resistance, The Nak'azdli First Nation is part of the Alliance opposed to Enbridge's Northern Gateway oil pipeline. Also: There will be no pipeline, section A10, by Gord Hoekstra, also in The Vancouver Sun.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/heritage_rivers_program/ British Columbia Heritage Rivers Program

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Location in Photography - What does it tell us?

Places can suggest story ideas or speculate on the people who inhabit these areas.

Up in these heights. . .wildlife roams and humans on the run hide in the heavily treed crevasses. Hunters and trackers know these mountains.




Winter Landscape near Merritt, BC, Canada, by DG Hudson
 

The color image above of British Columbia interior mountains looks as if it's black and white or Monochrome. As for the weather, it was a very grey day sapping the skies of the sun that would highlight the color of the evergreens.

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A Bridge runs above this scene

Steam is the only thing moving in the railway yard image below.



Steam Engine, New Westminster, under Queensborough Bridge by Green Eye

Railcars on the left side appear to be either left for hook-and-haul rail companies OR it's rolling at a slow pace. Imagine the hissing of the steam and the huge steam engine motors amping up as the traffic roars across on the bridge above this scene.

What you don't show can be just as telling as what you choose to highlight.


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Meet me at the General Store. . .

The equivalent of a corner store in the interior of British Columbia. That rectangular box looking thing is a telephone booth on the right side of the building, for those not recognizing such an entity. This is a combination gas pump, grocery and general store. A welcome site to the weary traveler or the locals coming for gas.

Winter at the General Store, Interior BC, by DG Hudson

What if there were a murder close to this location? What if the owner is the perpetrator? Or does the tracking team meet here to go into the mountains to look for the murderer in his hideout? That's what isolated locations suggest to me. . .maybe I've read too many suspense tales.

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How much importance do you give to location?  Is setting or location important in your story? Do you photograph interesting sites for future use as inspiration or 'just in case'.

As a blogger, I always consider that I might want to use an image for a post.

Please leave a comment to let me know you were here. I'll respond!
I'm slow blogging and still trying to visit other blogs for August, as I tend to personal matters close to home. Also, a BIG thanks to those who have been so supportive regarding hubs. It helps.

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