h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The smallest of Greenpeace's fleet of ships, the Arctic Sunrise is, bizarrely, an ex-sealing vessel. It's an icebreaker, and spends most of its time in cold waters where ice is a possibility.

The ship has sailed down to the Canary Islands to bring publicity to the local protests against oil drilling off our coastlines. To see this tiny vessel making the journey to our shores was quite emotional. The Canarian government, and all the people I have come across are in one mind - we don't want the oil company, Repsol, to drill. Unfortunately, the Spanish Government has won a judgement allowing for oil prospecting. S*d the locals and their tourism, their year round sunshine, the Trade Winds that blow more or less constantly. So, no push for renewables, just this crazy desperation to get the last of the oil from beneath the sea floor.

It's daft, from my perspective. Added to the mix is the fact that there is a lot of seismic activity in the region. Small quakes are frequent. We also have whales, dolphins and turtles in the seas around here. Honestly, the locals are quite beside themselves at the thought of a view of oil rigs from the beaches.

But Spain is in a financial mess, and corrupt politicians are rumoured to be hand in glove with the oil company. And, because of lethargy where the development of alternative energy provision has been concerned - there is no case that shows the islands are anywhere near self sufficient from the need for oil. In fact, all our electricity and water supplies are obtained from oil generators.

This IS madness right? Would you imagine that all of our sunny roofs have nice new solar panels, solar water heaters and the upper slopes of some of the volcanoes have wind turbines? Think again. In fact it is incredibly difficult to get photovoltaic panels - I am told that you have to pay a tax. Words fail me.

So, thank you Greenpeace, for sailing this far south in a tiny ship that doesn't have a keel. The crew say it is like being in a washing machine, as the design is meant for the ship to sail onto thin ice and then break through it with its own weight. I hope it makes some difference to our plight. But I doubt it.

I asked, on behalf of h2g2, for more information and was sent a press release, in Spanish, and a link to these photos and videos.

Even if you don't understand the Spanish, you can see a bit of their protest.

http://greenpeace.smugmug.com/Prospecciones-NO/Renovables-S%C3%8D-Torre-Lanzarote/i-dR7hTzM

You can also try and spot me on this photo - all the visitors to Arctic Sunrise were asked to be photographed in order to show how many people were supportive. The ship docked in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and is now in Gran Canaria.

http://tinyurl.com/n98pbqk

I see you!

Well done, you, for showing support for Greenpeace. I think they do a wonderful job, but their activists are regularly abused, arrested and imprisoned for doing it.

[Amy P]

It sounds rather like a hopeless cause. Even if the income from tourism does deteriorate, the effect will probably not be seen within this legislative period and the people at the top in Madrid won't even notice.

How much say does the Government of the Canaries actually have?

My Spanish is extremely ropey, so I used translate and I spotted you!

Reddit

I find it strange that Spain, a country that gets a lot of its electricity from wind turbines, would be behind offshore drilling.

Of course, there's a lot here that seems strange, not just the desire to drill. Whales and porpoises and dolphins flocking to a place with regular seismic activity? Canaries in the coal mines but not in the oil fields?

Money for someone the development of alternatives to oil are a real threat to the oil producers. So the attitude is cash in whilst the market still exists

Best of luck to all of you down there - may sanity prevail.

And wave to the dolphins for us!

[waves]

Sadly I could tell you similar stories closer to home, too. Like building a bloody golf course and massive hotel slap bang on top of a UNESCO world heritage site. I don't even buy the argument that it's good for the local economy, either - what you're gaining in one hand you're losing from the other.

Apparently there is no end to human stupidity

I am writing this only a few days after the newest reports on climate change have been revealed here

http://www.ipcc.ch/

The quick buck is king and never mind the future.

Deb

Think how future generations will curse this one.

They may not survive to do that and if they do they may be to busy fighting a global war for rescources

Been following your rainbow antics on Fb

Slowly getting to every NaJournal. I would get very angry if I wasn't so damn old. Seems to me that there is quite a competition for the title of the best Government money can buy.