Symbolic, empty enviro-gesture from Seattle Mayor Murray

Since activist mayors are supposed to do activist things every so often, Mayor Ed Murray today decided to stall Shell Oil’s plan to dock their arctic drilling rig in the Port of Seattle because… environmentalism.

“This is an opportunity for the port and all of us to make a bold statement about how oil companies contribute to climate change, oil spills and other environmental disasters – and reject this short-term lease,” Mayor Murray said in a press release. “To prevent the full force of climate change, it’s time to turn the page on things like coal trains, oil trains and oil drilling rigs. It’s time to focus on the economy of the future: electric cars and transit, green homes and environmentally progressive businesses.”

He initially made his announcement at a downtown climate change fundraiser where definitely, 100 percent, probably, maybe no one drove to. It cost $100 a person to attend (though you can purchase a table for $1,000) and have the privilege of helping protect the environment. This is an odd event for the mayor to attend, since two weeks ago he announced (in a barely comprehensible press release) an initiative meant to attract low-income residents to take part in environmental policy. It’s a shame the “[c]ommunities most impacted by environmental injustice” couldn’t participate in this event with the mayor &#8212 they were priced out.

So what does any of this mean, other than the symbolic nod of approval to kayactivists? The oil is still going to be drilled and collected, after all.

Well, in a tweet Monday, the mayor proclaimed, “We should use the Port to build our energy future.” I reached out to his office to see which plans or proposals he’s supporting to use the Port for these purposes. His office forwarded me the press release I quoted above. It would appear the mayor doesn’t have a plan or proposal to “use the Port to build our energy future.” It was just empty words from Seattle’s activist mayor. (Though, to be fair, there’s no reason to believe he won’t have specifics in the near future; if anything, he has been a mayor to push policies and proposals fueled by his deeply held ideological beliefs.)

Like the mayor’s press release, it would appear the movement, locally, seems rather empty; at least right now. The idea behind this particular protest is to protect the world against the impacts of climate change. Laudable, certainly if you believe we’re going to suffer catastrophic climate consequences. But what exactly does any of this do to address the consequences? Drilling will obviously continue. Driving to climate change conferences will continue. If we’re on a collision course with irreversible environmental destruction, why is it that all you’re doing is blocking the docking of a drill? Why is it that all you’re doing is jumping into a kayak and paddling your way in front of a drill? Shouldn’t your actions be more drastic? Why is it that all you can seem to muster is delaying a permit for docking?

The mayor banned city-funded travel to Indiana after the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Why doesn’t he ban city-funded use of the substance that is so bad it’s use can destroy the entire planet? Why doesn’t he make the city inhospitable to businesses that profit off of oil? The mayor just championed the city’s newest big business, Expedia.com, a company that connects you with gas guzzling, environment-destroying plane rides all across the globe.

Why doesn’t Mayor Murray offer more meaningful response to such a severe problem? Why not even come up with ideas beyond the simplistic “well, pollute less folks!” theme he throws out there?

Baby steps, I guess?