The Trial Against Shell Oil for their Crimes in Nigeria

I feel it is necessary to bring this issue to your attention dear readers. The following is a choice quote from the video:

"Shell partnered with the brutal Nigerian military government to suppress the popular movement of the Ogoni people. On multiple occasions, Shell paid the Nigerian military, they requested the Nigerian military, knowing that it was a brutal force and that force committed horrific acts of violence against civilians who were peacefully protesting."

- Marco Simons, Plaintiffs' Attorney, EarthRights International

This video was taken from HanShan's article on Alternet.org, "The Video Shell Oil Desperately Doesn't Want You to See". I really feel it sums up the trial better than I could. The casualties and deaths of the Nigerian people at the hands of soldiers hired by Shell cannot be ignored by the West, and halfhearted boycotts will not induce Shell to atone for its crimes against the Nigerian people. I hope to see that both this video and trial come to the attention of all, considering how Shell does not want anyone to see it. Think twice when you're at the gas pump, and consider what sort of impact you're really having on the Earth as well as your fellow human beings.

A Note on Green Labels

The article below is definitely a promising turn of events. Although several environmentalists blame multinational corporations for the majority of the destruction of our environment they have the resources and the power to fuel the innovation in new environmentally beneficial technologies such as this one.

That being said, there is always an issue of "greenwashing" taking place when companies begin to promote their environmentally-friendly policies and products. Although green is good, sometimes when a company attaches a "green" label to a product, the truth is the product/company may be masking what they are actually doing during the production process of all their products.

Before I go further I do not believe Google is necessarily greenwashing their image to the public (I am sure there are those who disagree). I think they are making a tentative investment in a new technology (that is the nature of business, you weigh the risk and invest according). Although it would be very encouraging to see Google invest $100 million into the project, they are nonetheless a business.

However there is still something to be said about those green labels you see on many of the new products on our store shelves. To be honest, buying a 'green' product is not going to save the planet. Conserving energy, buying less, reducing our consumption of nonrenewable resources and doing our homework before we buy a product are the best ways to make a positive impact on the environment. It is only common sense to not believe everything you read! Caveat emptor fellow environmentalists!