Wednesday, August 10, 2022
The Green Market Oracle
  • Climate Change
    • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • Biodiversity
    • Wildfires
    • Extreme Weather
  • Energy
    • Renewables
    • Nuclear Power
    • Fossil Fuels
  • Politics
    • American Politics
    • Canadian Politics
    • International Politics
  • Social Change
    • Activism
    • Disinformation
    • Education
    • Psychology
    • Gender Equality
  • Business and Economics
    • Leadership
    • Decarbonization
    • Economics
    • Supply Chains
    • Investing
  • Technology
    • Carbon Removal
    • Carbon Capture
    • Transportation
    • Buildings
    • Food
No Result
View All Result
  • Climate Change
    • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • Biodiversity
    • Wildfires
    • Extreme Weather
  • Energy
    • Renewables
    • Nuclear Power
    • Fossil Fuels
  • Politics
    • American Politics
    • Canadian Politics
    • International Politics
  • Social Change
    • Activism
    • Disinformation
    • Education
    • Psychology
    • Gender Equality
  • Business and Economics
    • Leadership
    • Decarbonization
    • Economics
    • Supply Chains
    • Investing
  • Technology
    • Carbon Removal
    • Carbon Capture
    • Transportation
    • Buildings
    • Food
No Result
View All Result
The Green Market Oracle
No Result
View All Result
Home Other

The Environmental and Emotional Legacy of the Lac-Mégantic Disaster

by Richard Matthews
July 7, 2014
in Other
0

One year ago yesterday, a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded killing 47 people and destroying a large part of the little town of Lac-Mégantic. On the anniversary of the disaster, dignitaries joined the people of the town to mourn the tragic events of July 6 2013. After the fires burned out, the town was covered in black soot and 1.5 million gallons (6 million litres) of oil had seeped into the ground and the nearby river.

The explosion destroyed the town’s waste water treatment plant and released pathogens into the water.  Far more serious are the enduring impacts on the air, water and earth.


The damage wreaked by the explosion have produced scars that may never heal. In addition to the six million litres of crude that spewed from the train, a crater remains alongside other obvious signs of the cataclysmic event. Dozens of buildings remain off-limits cordoned off by metal fences as the decontamination work continues. Even more enduring are the emotional wounds that people will likely carry with them for the rest of their lives.

A granite memorial in the shape of a book sits in front of the local
church and bears the names of the victims. An 11 a.m. mass was preceded
by a late night vigil and procession which included a moment of silence
at 1:15 a.m. — the exact moment when the train crashed into the center
of the town and exploded. 

People in the town have invoked symbols of rebirth to help them to cope. Hundreds of butterflies were released into the air and thousands of trout were released into the lake. People also planted flowers in a new garden near the train tracks. These gestures are meant to symbolize the purification of the air, water and earth which were contaminated by the wreck.

Death and destruction are part of the costs of transporting fossil fuels by rail. People across the country and around the world are rallying in support of the residents of Lac-Mégantic who are still fighting to keep the oil trains out of their community.

Vast numbers of people are mourning the loss of life and the environmental toll of the disaster.  Many are vowing to do everything in their power to ensure that it does not happen again.

© 2014, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Event – Worldwide Oil Train Week of Action
More Oil Being Shipped by Rail = More Risks
Curtailing the Transport of Oil by Pipe and Rail
Growing Opposition to Shipping Oil by Rail
Criminal Charges Leveled Against those Responsible for the Lac Megantic Disaster
The Rail Company that Decimated the Town of Lac Megantic Quebec Sold at Auction
MMA’s Bankruptcy Protection is Unconscionable
Massive Oil Spill from Train Derailment in the Town of Lac Megantic
The Dangers of Transporting Fossil Fuels
Train Derails and Spills Oil in Lynchburg Virginia
Train Derails Spilling Oil in Saskatchewan
Oil Bearing Train Derails and Explodes in New Brunswick

Train Carrying Fossil Fuels Derails Causing an Explosion and Fire in Alberta
Train Derails Spilling Coal into a BC Waterway
Video – Train Carrying Oil Derails Illustrating the Dangers of Transporting Fossil Fuels
New Government Regulation of Oil Trains
Transport Canada’s New Train Safety Rules for Transporting Fossil Fuels
CN Plans to Phase Out Rail Cars that Caused the Lac Megantic Disaster
Stop Old Trains from Transporting Oil
Tables – Rail Traffic in North America
Graphs – Oil Shipped by Rail

ShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Event – Worldwide Oil Train Week of Action

Next Post

More Oil Being Shipped by Rail = More Risks

Related Posts

Seasons Greetings from the Green Market Oracle

by Richard Matthews
December 24, 2021
0

American Courts are Defending Democracy and the Environment

by Richard Matthews
December 14, 2020
0

Despite unprecedented challenges, America's legal system has held. In recent weeks the courts have repeatedly defended democracy and in the last four years they have overturned a wide range of environmental...

Environmental Plebiscites: Municipal Referendums and State Ballot Initiatives

by Richard Matthews
November 12, 2020
0

The November 3rd election not only elected an environmentally responsible president it also gave Americans a chance to vote on environmental issues in five state ballots and two city referendums. Americans ...

Next Post

More Oil Being Shipped by Rail = More Risks

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • SoundCloud

Subscribe to the Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

time is running out and climate change is driving extreme global heat waves
Climate Change

How Many Heat Waves Will it Take for us to Act on Climate Change?

by Richard Matthews
August 8, 2022
0

Despite steady increases in global temperatures and years of ever more deadly heat waves, we are not doing anywhere near...

Read more

Nuclear Power Versus Renewable Energy

July 20, 2022

Nuclear Energy Versus Fossil Fuels

July 5, 2022
different types of economic systems assessed by sustainable development goals

Types of Economies and their Implications for Sustainability

June 28, 2022
The facts about Nuclear Energy reveal that it is safe and clean but it is not renewable

Fact Check Reveals Nuclear Energy is Safe and Clean but not Renewable

June 13, 2022
  • About
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Business and Economics
  • Politics
  • Technology
  • Social Change
  • Events
  • Other

© 2021 Copyright The Green Market Oracle.

No Result
View All Result
  • Business and Economics
    • Leadership
    • Supply Chains
  • Economics
  • Energy
    • Renewables
    • Nuclear Power
    • Fossil Fuels
  • Climate Change
    • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • Biodiversity
    • Extreme Weather
    • Wildfires
  • Investing
  • Politics
    • American Politics
    • Canadian Politics
    • International Politics
  • Technology
    • Buildings
    • Carbon Capture
    • Food
    • Transportation
  • Social Change
    • Education
    • Activism
    • Psychology

© 2021 Copyright The Green Market Oracle.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In