What Happens When Greed Wins. Oil Refinery Explosion.

Something terrible has happened in my backyard. You may already have seen it in the news. My precious #gitchigami is in danger.

The Husky refinery in Superior, Wisconsin has literally blown up.

Depending on the source you are reading from there are between 15 and 20 casualties, no deaths and all people are accounted for.

But... What about the environment? We live on a delicate eco system. The Hudson River empties into our harbor and right outside the harbor, on the other side of the lift bridge, is Lake Superior.

And oil was literally pouring out of the tank. This isn't even "normal" oil, which is bad enough. Oh no. This is tar sands oil, fracking chemicals such as bitumen are in there.

3 miles in circumferance around the refinery is being evacuated. 10 miles south of the refinery is also being evacuated.

Over 6,000 people are expected to show up on buses to the Conservatory in St. Paul.

There have been multiple smaller explosions including several in the past few minutes. Firefighters are in danger right now.

This is a photo of the original explosion from the refinery's security feed.

The impact on the air is not yet known. We are breathing this shit and we have no idea how bad it is.

Now, the big thing. Look how close it is to the Lake. It's directly on the harbor, because OF COURSE the best place to put tons and tons of oil is immediately next to the water!

Now let me drop some facts.

Of all the water in the world, only 2.5% is Freshwater. The stuff we depend on for survival. It gets worse. Only 1% of the worlds water is freshwater that we can actually access and use.

Of that one percent? 10% of it is in Lake Superior. Why else would those fuckers at Nestle be bottling it?

It's the largest lake in the world by area and only Baikal and Tanganyka beating it by volume. Superior has depths as deep as 1,355 feet and home to all manner of fishes (34 native species and 88 introduced) and wildlife.

We NEED this lake. It is it's own ecosystem, affecting local weather, eating or feeding storm systems, cooling us in the summer and warming in the winter.

The very idea that a refinery is so close to it is asanine. Yes. I get all the excuses. It's easier to have it there.

Tesla was able to walk around on a stage with a lit, wireless lightbulb in his hand over 70 years ago. Powered by his genius.

There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON for us to be dependant on these oil and coal companies except to allow the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer.

Activists here in Minnesota have long been gearing up for a #StandingRock style fight with Enbridge over Line 3. Already Water Protectors are behind bars for standing up for our fragile eco systems.

But the banks and the police and the government will all protect the companies bottom line instead. Who cares if 6,000 people have to be evacuated if they can get their dollars?!

This explosion comes at a time when shipping companies are bidding to begin hauling crude oil across our great lakes.

Huge, giant, tempermental and volatile lakes that have sunken over 6,000 ships and taken over 30,000 lives. Great idea! Let's haul crude oil in them!!! Coorporate greed pisses me off more than I could ever explain.

Any volunteers to watch the trio so mama can get her boots on the ground? Just kidding. The kids are going to be gearing up, too.

This is our future, our WORLD at stake. Time to stop letting the coorporations win.

I took this last picture on the street my children and I live on.

Right outside my front door.

It is our responsibility to put down a tyrannical government.

Love to you.