268 p. : 22 cm

""A scathing critique." Green Inc. The New York Times" ""An astonishingly entertaining read that raises your hackles while raising your awareness." Sustainablog" ""Required reading for every citizen." The Georgia Straight" "The Alberta tar sands could make Canada the world's second greatest oil exporter by 2050. Although growth has been tempered by the global financial crisis, U.S., Asian, and European investors are still pouring billions of dollars into the megaproject. To extract the world's ugliest, most expensive hydrocarbon, we are polluting our air, poisoning our water, destroying vast areas of boreal forest, and undermining democracy itself. In this new edition of his provocative bestseller, Andrew Nikiforuk assesses recent developments, refutes industry's claim that steam plants are a "greener" way to extract bitumen, and argues more convincingly than ever that it is folly to stake our future on dirty oil." ""Nikiforuk has a point, and he has guts ... Buy this book." Edmonton Journal" ""A slashing indictment of politicians in the back pockets of energy megacorporations, of regulators cowed into acquiescence, and of all of us who look the other way as we fill our gas tanks," Thomas Homer-Dixon, author of The Upside of Down"--Jacket

Co-published by the David Suzuki Foundation

Includes bibliographical references and index

Declaration of a political emergency -- Canada's great reserve -- It ain't oil -- The vision of Herman Kahn -- Highway to Hell -- The water barons -- The ponds -- The fiction of reclamation -- Dragons and pipelines -- Carbon : a wedding and a funeral -- Nukes for oil! -- The money -- The first law of petropolitics -- Eighth wonder of the world -- Tar age ahead -- Twelve steps to energy sanity

Rachel Carson Environment Book Award, 2009