The past few months, I have been one of thousands of activists trying to stop Shell Oil’s irresponsible, reprehensible plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. We’ve fought to prevent Seattle from becoming the home base for Shells Arctic drilling fleet, but the bigger fight has always been about stopping Shell’s drilling plans.
We already have enough oil to safely transition away from fossil fuels to a clean energy future, but Shell’s attempt to drill in the Arctic is a blatant move of corporate greed at the expense of destroying the planet through climate disaster.
I’ve done everything I know how to do as a citizen, an activist, and as a City Councilmember to try and stop this disaster from happening. Today I am on the water to try one last attempt at stopping Shell’s Arctic drilling plans. And I am not alone.
Millions of people around the world have already spoken up to say Shell No to Arctic drilling at sHellNO.org. Hundreds in Seattle have been involved in protests, and today there will be dozens of us on the water.
I’ve never been arrested before, and I have always been one to play by the rules. Shell on the other hand has a long history of violating the law in search of profits. Shell was in violation of City permits just being moored at T5. The State ruled their stay may be unconstitutional. And in their last trip to the Arctic, they pled guilty to eight felony counts of violating environmental and maritime laws.
This is a company that is willing to do whatever it takes to profit from Arctic drilling, including breaking the law. We simply cannot trust Shell to do the right thing.
I am prepared to face the consequences of my actions today, because if Shell is successful in drilling in the Arctic, billions of people around the world will suffer from the climate devastation that oil poses to the planet. And those billions of people aren’t here today; they may not even know who Shell is or what they plan to do in the Arctic. But we are here today and we are doing everything we can to stop Shell’s disastrous plans for Arctic drilling.
Please join us in doing whatever you can to say sHELL NO to Arctic drilling.