In 2009, Fertile Ground began to organize in the city of Bellingham, Washington against a tar sands pipeline that lies underneath the town. After mobilizing the community, holding numerous public events, pressuring public officials, and speaking with the media, we were able to get two resolutions passed in the City Council.

The first resolution expressed Bellingham's opposition to the tar sands, and the second resolved to avoid tar sands fuels in the City vehicle fleet. Entering the campaign, we were aware (thanks to the work of organizations like CELDF and Thomas Linzey) that our efforts would not be able to stop the pipeline; in this system, the rights of commerce are valued more highly than the rights of the planet and communities.

However, we went forward with the campaign despite this as an exercise in community organizing, coalition building, and to create awareness of and opposition to the tar sands. When the news broke that these resolutions had been past, it was a national news story in Canada. Bellingham was the first community in the U.S. to pass any resolutions against the Tar Sands, and these events triggered an outcry in Canada. Hate mail from oil-industry supporters began pouring in, and we were interviewed on CBC.

To learn more about the Tar Sands, visit Oil Sands Truth.