Media release - for immediate release
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy
www.greenenergybc.ca
February 28, 2009
Myths about green energy
spread to North Shore
“Well-funded campaign against clean, renewable
green energy lead by BC Hydro union COPE 378
sets down in North Vancouver
for an afternoon
of discredited myths
and misinformation
Vancouver, B.C. — The well-funded anti-run-of-river road show that’s been travelling around B.C. set down in North Vancouver this afternoon hoping to spread more of their discredited myths about clean, renewable green energy said David Field, co-spokesperson for B.C. Citizens for Green Energy.
“They had a poor turnout, with only about 30 people showing up, but as expected they repeated the same old myths they’ve been spreading around B.C. for the last year, including the myth that hundreds of rivers are being, sold, stolen or given away and the myth that green energy will cost more and lead to skyrocketing electricity rates,” said Field. “Our web site responds to all of these myths (www.greenenergybc.ca/myths.html) and no one is selling off B.C.’s rivers.”
Among the groups involved in the campaign against clean energy in B.C. is the Save Our Rivers Society (SORS), a once-anonymous group that suddenly gained prominence when they hired former talk show host Rafe Mair. SORS is part of a well-funded, tightly knit coalition of groups closely allied with COPE 378, a BC Hydro union.
“This coalition of groups have probably spent six figures already on their misinformation campaign including salaried speakers, full-time campaigners, support staff, province-wide public events, billboards, glossy brochures, internet banner ads and radio ads,” said Field. “Last October they even hosted a two-day training session in Vancouver with subsidized travel and accommodation for activists from across the province.”
Field said COPE 378 also offers financial or other support to smaller groups across B.C., such as Malaspina Communities for Public Power, to encourage them to join the misinformation campaign against green energy.
“The result is a very vocal network of small groups taking direction from a central source,” said Field. “That explains why so-called environmentalists keep coming back to the public/private issue, something irrelevant to the environment but crucial to COPE 378 and their interests.”
Field said the campaign against green energy routinely stacks meetings and open houses with out-of-town activists who shout-down speakers they disagree with and dominate question-and-answer periods with ranting speeches instead of actual questions.
“It’s not just the nonsense they’re spreading, but the way they express it,” said Field. “Some of their salaried campaigners seem to specialize in angry shouting, and mob tactics have prevailed at a number of meetings and open houses. They really don’t want other people to have their say. They want a monopoly on public opinion.”
B.C. needs new sources of renewable electricity to fuel a sustainable economy and lifestyle for the future, Field said, pointing to Europe, which has led the way in green energy, and President Barack Obama, who is taking bold, decisive action on clean energy.
“British Columbians can’t let a noisy, disruptive campaign of misinformation cause us to sacrifice our future economy and environment,” Field said. “COPE 378 even campaigned recently to get the gas-fired Burrard Thermal plant in Port Moody restored to full capacity which would make it one of B.C.’s worst sources of greenhouse gases.”
The ideological posturing and self-serving misinformation being spread by the campaign against independently-produced clean electricity has recently been thoroughly debunked in a comprehensive critique authored by Dr. Mark Jaccard, an energy economist and a winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
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For more information contact David Field
Co-spokesperson, B.C. Citizens for Green Energy
604-529-1604
e-mail us
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy is an advocacy group representing a cross-section of British Columbians who encourage a legacy of clean, sustainable electricity for future generations.