Photos of Tom Weis, president of Climate Crisis Solutions, on his journey to raise awareness of opposition to TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline project. Beginning Oct. 13, 2011, Weis rode his rocket trike from the Canadian border at Montana to Port Arthur, Texas, along the proposed path of the pipeline extension.
The following letter from Tom Weis is being republished with the author’s permission.
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:50:42 -0700
Dear Friends & Colleagues,
2,150 miles later, the Keystone XL Tour of Resistance formally concludes today at the end of the line in Texas. What more appropriate place to end the “Ride for Renewables: No Tar Sands Oil On American Soil!” than in the fence line community of West Port Arthur, in the shadow of some of the world’s largest oil refineries raining toxic emissions down on one of America’s poorest communities? Enough is enough!
Despite the numerous premature declarations of victory, and the recent pathetic display of political gamesmanship in Washington, DC, things have only gotten more dire out here on the front lines, where people would be most directly impacted by the Keystone XL tar sands nightmare. For more on this, check out my recent op-ed in the Huffington Post.
In solidarity with all the courageous farmers, ranchers, rural families, indigenous leaders and fence line residents I’ve been so honored to meet during my 10-week trek along the proposed pipeline route, I URGE ALL AMERICANS TO RELENTLESSLY CHALLENGE PRESIDENT OBAMA ON KEYSTONE XL ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – particularly in key swing states – until he denies this un-American pipeline. Alternatively, PRESIDENT OBAMA NEEDS TO LAY OUT A GREEN ENERGY PLAN FOR AMERICA that will revive our ailing economy and put millions of unemployed Americans back to work.
The “Ride for Renewables: No Tar Sands Oil On American Soil!” may be ending, but the fight to defeat Keystone XL and ecocidal tar sands mining has just begun. If you’re not yet subscribed to my YouTube channel, have not yet liked Ride for Renewables on Facebook, or are not yet following RenewableRider on Twitter, I encourage you to do so, as I will be posting dozens of new pipeline fighter videos and photos to my blog and social media sites after the New Year.
In addition to all my sponsors, whose generous support made it possible for me to pull off this ambitious undertaking, I want to give a shout out to Harvard Ayers for the logistical support he provided in the early days of the ride. But a special thanks is due to Ron Seifert, who helped me take the “Tour of Resistance” to a whole new level. Ron literally quit his job and became voluntarily homeless to fight this pipeline. In addition to selflessly supporting me for most of the ride, he biked with me through most of Oklahoma and Texas. I am deeply grateful for the help of all my friends.
If you don’t hear from me for awhile, it’s because I’m processing everything I felt, heard and saw over the past 10 weeks, and contemplating next steps.
Wishing you and yours all the best.
Tom Weis, President
Climate Crisis Solutions
Boulder, Colorado
www.RideforRenewables.com
RenewableRider on Twitter
www.YouTube.com/RenewableRider
Ride for Renewables on Facebook
