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I went to the first night of the Climate Change Film Festival last night. There were two excellent documentaries followed by a talk with Dr. Mark Jaccard, a Canadian economist specializing in sustainable energy systems. Overall it was great but these events always seem to attrack a few nutsbars eager to share their unconventional views on an open mic. Future hint to organizers: There must be a firm announcement up front indicating that racist comments are not welcome, self publicity or emotional rants will not be tollerated and all questions will be prescreened. This is a bit draconian but will save everyone’s time.

The first documentary, Out of Balance was a look at Exxon Mobil’s efforts to fund organizations discrediting and confusing the public about the reality of climate change. They have been effective, using their billions of dollars in profit to create a decade long viel of lies to keep the masses doubtful and unconcerned.

The second film, The Day the Water Died had the camera pointed at Exxon once again. Exxon did essentially nothing to clean up the spill which covered thousands of kilometers of coastline, destroying all marine life and wiping out local economies dependant on the ocean. To add insult to the devastation, they have refused to pay the $5 billion dollar charge awarded by the courts by keeping the case tangled in appeals court for the last 18 years.

Exxon’s logo is more familiarly known under the guise of its subsidiary Esso in Canada. Exxon is one of the most vile and unconscious organizations on the planet and I would encourage everyone to never buy their fuels again. Let them go the way of the Eastern Islanders.