Lush Cosmetics employees braved the eleven-degree weather on Wednesday, June 9 to protest Alberta’s oilsands development. The store employees on Whyte Avenue joined national Lush employees and Rainforest Action Network (RAN) members in the protest, demanding a stop to development.
Lush makes its organic products by hand and supports environmental, humanitarian and animal rights campaigns.
The Whyte Avenue store’s manager, Shanda Kunce, said the point of the protest was to raise awareness of the oilsands’ destruction and to share other energy options.
The staff stood outside for 20 minutes in rain boots and barrels, encouraging passing people to sign a postcard asking Prime Minister Stephen Harper to fund renewable energy sources.
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) said the protest was a misguided attempt based on rhetoric and misinformation to promote environmental activism. CAPP’s President, David Collyer, said the activities don’t add to reasonable people’s serious dialogue about energy solutions.
Collyer also stated that renewable energy only represents a small portion of total energy supply.
Oilsands campaigner for RAN, Eric Deranger, said they are aiming to stop the oilsands development until a study is performed on the oilsands’ impact on toxicity effects and environmental health.
In his release, Collyer said the Canadian oil and gas industry is committed to giving consumers what they want, including economic growth, safe, reliable energy supplies and environmental protection.