Over a hundred protestors of 350 Santa Barbara marched through the streets on Saturday to send President Barrack Obama a message to reject the proposal to build the Keystone XL pipeline through the Midwest.
350 Santa Barbara is a local chapter of 350.org, whose mission is to raise awareness of the high levels of carbon emissions in our atmosphere.
“I think the decision the president of the United States is going to make about Keystone will send a global message about the role of fossil fuels and our energy consumption,” said Helena Schneider, mayor of Santa Barbara.
In protest of the possible construction of the Keystone pipeline, a 90 foot mock pipeline was built and marched from Alameda Park to the beach on Stearns Warf.
Elie Katzenson, City College associated student president attended the protest in support of 350.
“I want to fight climate change in any way that I can, so at City College that means working with a team of students to get our school divested from fossil fuels,” said Katzenson during the protest.
If built, the Keystone Pipeline would transport refined oil from the tar sands in Alberta, Canada through out the U.S., encouraging more oil to be extracted. The extraction process yields carbon emissions.
This protest is one of many happening all over the country. While some end with arrests and citations, protestors managed to convey their message with no major predicaments.
“This was the most well behaved protest…and adhering to traffic laws I have ever seen in Santa Barbara,” said Das Williams, assembly member of the 37th district in a speech given at Stearns Warf after the protest.
