Pipeline Monologue Project
For history class, we were assigned to research about a new project in the process of happening in the U.S. and write monologues in the voice of some that would be affected by this project. This project is the building of the Keystone XL Pipeline. It will be used to transport tarsands from Canada to America, then oil will be extracted and used to lower gas prices and improve the economy by adding thousands of American jobs. On the contrary, scientists believe the pipeline will be detrimental to our environment by adding huge amounts of co2 to the air and contaminate water supplies in areas near the pipeline. My monologues are in the voice of a bus driver who is losing his customers because of low gas prices and a piece of corn that is malnourished because of the weather conditions affected by global warming. I learned that there can be a lot of opinions and variations of information when doing research so it is extremely difficult to make your own opinion on what is the best thing to do.
Name: George, African American
Occupation: Bus Driver, 68 years old, hasn’t retired because he loves interacting with people everyday
“Another day, another dollar.
(opens up bus doors)
Oh, hey Maurine! How are you this morning?
The kids acting good? Millersville is a pretty good school, eh? Yeah, I have the exact same feeling. Back when I was a 3rd grader I would play outside, ride my bike, and go to the park. It seems like there was more Sun back then. Or maybe it just shined brighter. I know, I know, I’m a tad bit overdramatic but don’t you agree? Just a little?
(pause)
Yeah. Now it’s not even safe for kids to stay outside too long. Houston’s getting hit hard. I honestly feel for this generation. Is this a way to grow up?
(pause) (gets louder)
I mean, yeah the cost of gas is BETTER, EHHH but why does that matter? We’re going to isolate ourselves til we self destruct.
(thinks someone is getting on bus) Oh are they getting on? Oh, wait, no. Damn it. This pipeline shit!....(pauses at stop light and leans back in relaxed position, calms down) (sighs)
America is so greedy, it’s inhumane. Look at this woman in designer clothes!
(pauses)
What’s wrong with that you say... we’re in the ghetto Maurine! And her son not even properly dressed. Maurine stop your giggling, I’m serious. I can’t take it anymore. Maurine, look at this bus.. If it weren’t for you and a few more passengers I would be alone.
(pause)
I’m still drivin this bus at 68 just to see smiling faces everyday. But that’s not reality anymore. I’m considering quitting. I know, I don’t want to leave you! You’re my only reason to keep going. Yeah. This is your stop. I’m going to try to keep going for you. Have a lovely day Maurine. Bye.”
Name: C-Nizzy Robinson
Description: He is a dried up, malnourished piece of corn from Nebraska who is just awaiting his death.
Wassup, it’s ya man C-Nizzy
(cough)
Nebraska bound for about 5 weeks now.
(cough)
Look newscaster lady, all I know is supposed to have water to live. You see my skin, all brown and shriveled because this place has been havin a drought for about 3 months now. I never had any hope of living. Global what? You tryna tell me this the human’s fault. All this time I been tellin everyone “Noo don’t blame the humans, they can’t control the weather. It’s God’s fault” and done made a fool of myself. I guess that’s exactly what I get. HEY, HEY Pedro! Yo you know this the human’s fault. The reason we dyin out here man. They built some pipeline and it make it all hot, like hotter than it’s supposed to be and dry up the water. Yeah, you heard of it? Yeah global warming. Guess I’m late. Anyway back to you newscaster lady, I heard it was gonna be some flood
(tears up)
and it’s gonna wash me away. Could you please tell the humans to stop this so corn like me can have fulfilled lives? Yeah I know I was gonna get eaten away but that..
(sounds proud)
would have been more honorable than drowning. I guess they just care about themselves. You don’t support the pipeline, do you? What d? Hey COME BACK HERE AND ANSWER MY QUESTION!
Name: George, African American
Occupation: Bus Driver, 68 years old, hasn’t retired because he loves interacting with people everyday
“Another day, another dollar.
(opens up bus doors)
Oh, hey Maurine! How are you this morning?
The kids acting good? Millersville is a pretty good school, eh? Yeah, I have the exact same feeling. Back when I was a 3rd grader I would play outside, ride my bike, and go to the park. It seems like there was more Sun back then. Or maybe it just shined brighter. I know, I know, I’m a tad bit overdramatic but don’t you agree? Just a little?
(pause)
Yeah. Now it’s not even safe for kids to stay outside too long. Houston’s getting hit hard. I honestly feel for this generation. Is this a way to grow up?
(pause) (gets louder)
I mean, yeah the cost of gas is BETTER, EHHH but why does that matter? We’re going to isolate ourselves til we self destruct.
(thinks someone is getting on bus) Oh are they getting on? Oh, wait, no. Damn it. This pipeline shit!....(pauses at stop light and leans back in relaxed position, calms down) (sighs)
America is so greedy, it’s inhumane. Look at this woman in designer clothes!
(pauses)
What’s wrong with that you say... we’re in the ghetto Maurine! And her son not even properly dressed. Maurine stop your giggling, I’m serious. I can’t take it anymore. Maurine, look at this bus.. If it weren’t for you and a few more passengers I would be alone.
(pause)
I’m still drivin this bus at 68 just to see smiling faces everyday. But that’s not reality anymore. I’m considering quitting. I know, I don’t want to leave you! You’re my only reason to keep going. Yeah. This is your stop. I’m going to try to keep going for you. Have a lovely day Maurine. Bye.”
Name: C-Nizzy Robinson
Description: He is a dried up, malnourished piece of corn from Nebraska who is just awaiting his death.
Wassup, it’s ya man C-Nizzy
(cough)
Nebraska bound for about 5 weeks now.
(cough)
Look newscaster lady, all I know is supposed to have water to live. You see my skin, all brown and shriveled because this place has been havin a drought for about 3 months now. I never had any hope of living. Global what? You tryna tell me this the human’s fault. All this time I been tellin everyone “Noo don’t blame the humans, they can’t control the weather. It’s God’s fault” and done made a fool of myself. I guess that’s exactly what I get. HEY, HEY Pedro! Yo you know this the human’s fault. The reason we dyin out here man. They built some pipeline and it make it all hot, like hotter than it’s supposed to be and dry up the water. Yeah, you heard of it? Yeah global warming. Guess I’m late. Anyway back to you newscaster lady, I heard it was gonna be some flood
(tears up)
and it’s gonna wash me away. Could you please tell the humans to stop this so corn like me can have fulfilled lives? Yeah I know I was gonna get eaten away but that..
(sounds proud)
would have been more honorable than drowning. I guess they just care about themselves. You don’t support the pipeline, do you? What d? Hey COME BACK HERE AND ANSWER MY QUESTION!
Six pieces of information that I learned:
- According to some scientists, this project will "Game over for the climate"
2. Because of our dependence on oil, we are "making our economy vulnerable to events halfway around the globe"
3. The Keystone Pipeline will give America a source of "cheap, reliable, abundant energy"
4. There is believe that recent extreme climate change has to do with global warming, and because of this "the price of food has gone up 80% because harvest after harvest with drought and flood"
5. "To extract oil from tar sands, companies must destroy fragile forest ecosystems and then use a very energy-intensive upgrading and refining process to turn that oil into transportation fuel. Tar sands mining and production harm the boreal forest’s fragile ecosystem, waste enormous amounts of water, and disrupt the lives of indigenous people in the area." (http://www.foe.org/projects/climate-and-energy/tar-sands)
6. “Borenstein, for instance, said the pipeline would "bring additional oil to the world market, starting around 2020.”-Severin Borenstein
In other words, we will not immediately have relief on gas prices (
http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/04/12/myths-and-facts-about-oil-and-gasoline/184527#drill)
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