Andrew Fiscella

October 28, 2011

     Ten University of Vermont students, who call themselves the Vermont Environmental Crimes Unit, called out Burlington-based Seventh Generation for not doing more to distance themselves fromheavily polluting Canadian tar-sand derived fuels. Seventh Generation produces and sells environmentally friendly household products nationwide and uses ground transportation to ship their goods. The group is calling for Seventh Generation to insist itsshipping and distributionfirm boycott fuel derived from tar-sand oil.Seventh Generation does not use tar-sand oil/fuel themselves.Part of Seventh Generation's stated mission is "to inspire a revolution that nurtures the health of the next seven generations." They are an advocate for the environment and the fight against global warming.

However, Seventh Generation President and CEO John Replogle had to meet with the ten students to address its relation with their shipping and distribution firm over use of tar-sand fuel sources.This comes on the heels of Governor Shumlin publicly stating he opposes the Keystone XL tar-sand oil pipeline which would double the current tar-sand oil usage in the US and run from Alberta, Canada to the southern tip of Texas. Additionally, the Vermont Natural Resources Council has expressed concerns that tar-sands oil could possibly be shipped through a pipeline that cuts across Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.

The production and use of tar-sand oils is an environmental concern.Presently, tar-sand oil is shipped from Alberta, Canada and makes up about 5% of transportation fuel used in the US. Tar-sand oil requires an energy-intensive mining and refining process and the despoiling of cast tracts of Canadian forests. This process accelerates climate change. Some American's promote its use because it helps to limit our dependency onoil from the Middle East.

     The challenge by the ten students is misplaced and brings to light a bigger problem in environmentalism. Seventh Generation is already committed to protecting the environment and promotes healthy products to benefit and secure our environment and communities for the next generations. Seventh Generation is doing more than their part in the fight against climate change and global warming. Nevertheless, these students are challenging them to do more while giving them negative publicity. They fail to realize the environment has enough enemies. There are scores of other businesses who are polluting and doing nothing to protect the future of our environment to call out.

It is partof the bigger problem of environmentalists fighting amongst themselves and trying to be "greener" than one another. In Vermont alone there have been protests and debates between proponents of wind and solar energy. The truth is the environment has enough enemies and we are only hurting ourselves by fighting amongst each another. This type of in fighting needs to end now if we are going to have any chance to win the fight on climate change.

Sources:

1) Joel B. Baird, Group challenges Seventh Generation on tar-sand oil, Burlington Free Press, Oct. 25, 2011, http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20111025/

NEWS02/110250306/Group-challenges-Seventh-Generation-tar-sand-oil?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE.

2) Vermont Natural Resources Council, Could Tar Sands Oil Flow Through Vermont?, http://www.vnrc.org/article/view/41315/ (last visited Oct. 25, 2011).

3) Gov. Peter Shumlin (VT) Opposes Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline, ThinkProgress, Sept. 5, 2011,http://thinkprogress.org/green/2011/09/06/312432/vermont-governor-opposes-tar-sands-pipeline/.

Please visit Seventh Generation's website for more information on their green initatives:

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/