Arctic Drilling Protest Get Star Power from Jane Fonda and Rachel McAdams

 

The duo made public appearance at a Greenpeace rally in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday to protest against oil sands development, tanker traffic and Arctic drilling.

 

Roughly 5,500 people attended the Toast the Coast event at Jericho beach on Saturday. The gathering celebrated the beauty of B.C.'s oceans, and opposed Arctic oil drilling, coastal pipelines, and the use of oil tankers.

 

Rachel McAdams, 36-year-old Canadian actress and the acting legend were among those who took part in the Toast the Coast event at the city's famed Jericho Beach. Fonda, of course, is renowned for her activism and at 77, shows no signs of slowing down. 

 

Fonda even declared she would let herself be arrested to shine a spotlight on the cause, saying, "If I get arrested it'll bring even more attention to the issue. I hope I get arrested. Committing the rest of my life is no big deal, I don't have that much left. But my grandchildren have a lot left and I want them to be able to feel proud of me, to feel that... I did every single possible thing I could do to make their world a liveable world."

 

Fonda also took to her blog to discuss the rally, writing, "I came here to add my voice to theirs in opposing Arctic oil, pipelines and increased super tanker traffic in this beautiful part of the world."

 

Meanwhile, Greenpeace stated that in Canada, the United States, and around the world over 7 million people believe in a better future and are ready to fight Arctic drilling. Whether it is by scaling an Arctic rig as Greenpeace volunteers did earlier this year, hopping in a kayak, or sending a letter to President Obama, people are joining together and stepping up for what they believe.

 

If Shell wants to drill in the Arctic this summer, it is in for one hell of a fight, says Dawn Bickett is a Content Editor for the Americas at Greenpeace.