Pipeline Monologue Project

Posted by Melanie Harrington in World History - Block on

​Introduction
For our Benchmark project in my World History class, we had to create three monologues from different points of view related to the Keystone Pipeline. The Keystone Pipeline is a pipeline that will run from Western Canada to Texas to transport oil from tar sands. There’s a lot of debate and controversy as to whether or not the pipeline should be built. This class project was created to inform others about the pipeline and to give them a look at how the pipeline might affect different people. I wrote my monologues from the points of view of Earth, the pipeline itself, and Fred Hassel, a man who has been looking for a job for three years. Throughout my research I have learned that the pipeline will cost about $7 billion to build and will run about 1700 miles long. It will carry over 800,000 barrels of oil a day and run over the biggest aquifer on the continent. People who argue for it usually argue that it will provide jobs, it’s cheap, reliable, and abundant because they’re buying it from ‘friends’ and allies. On the other hand, people that argue against the pipeline are more concerned about the environment. They live in fear of leaks and spills.  Hopefully the project I will show to you both informs and interests you and gives you an idea about the affects a choice has on a wide variety of things.

Monologue #1 (Earth): Earth and the People That Hate It

(raining) I’m dying. Those are the words the human’s fear the most. They hear it from a loved one and they believe their world is falling apart. (sigh) They hear it from me and decide to ignore it. To carry on with their days as if they don’t see the signs. The tears I shed pour upon them in waves, creating tsunami tides that wash away loved ones; my children. The emptiness I feel has caused droughts. The anger and rage has boiled over to emit fires, erupt volcanoes, that destroy everything in their path. (sigh) I’m falling apart. I’m running high fevers. These fevers are melting the world. Yes, melting the world. Destroying animals. Pollution. That’s what is causing this. It has to be. If that isn’t enough they decided to build this eye sore that runs through North America, transporting the world’s dirtiest oil through the Nation and eventually to other countries, causing more pollution.  

(scowl) Stupid humans. Do they not see what they’re doing? I’ve treated them well haven’t I? The pain they cause me is unbearable. I can’t believe this. (yell) What have I done to make them hate me so much? (thunder and lightning) I’m their mother. I feed them and provide shelter and resources. And this is how they repay me? By destroying me? By destroying the life that inhabits me? (thunder and lightning) Their world is actually falling apart. (sigh) I’m falling apart.

(sounds determined) I should destroy the pipeline. I should teach them a lesson. I could just end this now. No oil would have to be transported anymore. I’ve heard what the protesters say, “It’s game over for the environment”. That means game over for me.

But...(sigh) I can’t. If I destroy it, the oil will just spread on the land. It’ll cause more damage. I’m stuck. (look down) (raining)

Monologue #2 (Pipeline): Story of My Life

(lying on the floor) (disgusted) Here I am. Sitting here in the dying grass on the land a farmer once owned. I knew it. (angry)I knew since the moment I was mined from the ground they were gonna ruin me. Silly little humans. Uprooting me and my family, separating and compressing us into perfect sheets of shiny brown metal, penetrating our outer skin with big dull screws that cause more pain than necessary. (scowl and grip the grass tightly) (release) It wasn’t until I was shipped to to Texas and bolted to a stranger that I realized they planned to run the dirtiest oil in the world through me. 800,000 barrels a day. (raises voice) (tighten fists around the grass while saying...) A day! (release grass) Do they have any idea what they have done? It’ll ruin me! (pause)

(eyes widen, voice becomes shaky) Oh no. No, No, No! Why? What if I end up like my friend? He was so worn out he burst and caused one of the largest oil spills in history. I’m going to be over worked I just know it. I can’t do anything about it. (looks down) I feel so helpless. I can’t even find my family. (looks up with sad eyes) I’ve even tried to play “whisper-down-the-lane” with other parts of the pipe in order to find them. They’re gone and now I’ll never be able to say good bye. Even if I don’t burst, what will happen when all the oil is gone? There would be no use for the pipeline. No use for me. (angry)They tore apart families for nothing. ( grab the grass again) Dug up whole towns and civilizations of precious metal to make a profit. (release grass) (sad) I guess now all there is left to do is sleep. (weakly) Goodnight.

Monologue Revised #3 (Fred Hassel): Desperate and in Need of a Job
(sad) So this is how it ends, huh? (rock side to side on rolly chair) Sitting alone in my office spinning on a rolly chair. No job, no money, near foreclosure. My family probably hates me. I have no idea why my wife hasn’t left me yet. It’s hopeless. There is no way to pay off our debt. (angry) I have no job! Haven’t had one for three years now! I should just...(eyes widen in excitement and smile) “Ohh, an email!”

Dear Mr. Fred Hassel, (mumble under breath like reading a letter to yourself) . …..................help.................pipeline............................welder..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................money(eyes widen in excitement)....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................(raise voice in disbelief and question)guaranteed job................



Sincerely,
TransCanada
(happily, smiling)) I can’t believe this! This is great! (excited) I can’t wait to tell the wife and kids. (types really fast on the computer)(yells) “Sweetie, come here. I have some great news!” (pause speaking. look over to your left) “Here, sit down, sit down.” (stop typing. look up in front of you)(take a deep breath and close your eyes) “I got offered a job. They saw my resume and want to hire me” (excited) “I know, I know! Isn’t it great? It’s so...(doubtful) well no I don’t really know when I start. Here I’ll explain it to you. So they decided to build this pipeline that runs from Western Canada all the way down to Texas, that will transport oil from the biggest tar sand in the world. Well they have this idea but no one to build it. So, they offered me a job as a welder to...” (pause) “Are you insane? Of course I’m going to take the job! I’d be stupid if I didn’t.” (pause) “No it’s nothing bad I promise. You have to trust me. We’ll be able to pay off our debt and send the kids to that nice school we were looking at.” (pause) (smile) “Yes I’ll even buy you that new pan that you wanted. The kind that you don’t have to grease before using.” (smile) “Thank you baby. I love you so much.” (close computer and stand up. hold out hand) “Come on lets go celebrate.” (walk off stage)

Appendix:
1)  Bill McKibben, an environmentalist, says that tapping into the tar sands will increase greenhouse gases. (PBS Newshour)
2) The tar sands are the 2nd largest pool of carbon on earth (PBS Newshour)
3) Carries about 800,000 barrels of oil a day (PBS Newshour)
4) The pipeline runs over the biggest water source on continent (PBS Newshour)
5) Joe Handson, a NASA Climate Scientist says that the pipeline will be “game over for the environment.” (PBS Newshour)
6) Over 400 protesters have been arrested (PBS Newshour)

Bibliography
perf. "Tar Sands Pipeline Plan Renews Energy vs. Environment Debate." PBS Newshour. N.p., 29 2011. web. 16 Oct 2012. <http://video.pbs.org/video/2110582932>.

"Tar Sands." Tar Sands. n. page. Print. <http://www.foe.org/projects/climate-and-energy/tar-sands>.

BILL , MCKIBBEN. "Three simple numbers that add up to global catastrophe - and that make clear who the real enemy is Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719

https://vimeo.com/51796645

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