I am collecting data about #keystoneXL to explore how the current events surrounding the rising issue elicits different emotions and responses throughout America.
I chose this hashtag to investigate a topic close to my interests in biology but within a fresh and different perspective than I am normally exposed to. While I am looking forward to understanding more about the KeystoneXL movement and it as an environmental topic from a scientific standpoint, I hope to further see its relevance as I measure its growing popularity/animosity as Trump begins enacting his anti-environmental policies.
I was expecting to find a number of oppositional tweets from national park foundations and environmental organizations, and from the other side political organizations and Trump supporters. However, practically all of the immediate 365 tweets found were in opposition to the movement. A large majority of the tweets found are retweets. for example from @EdJoyce, a news reporter passionate about the environment, where @OhioWomensMarch retweeted: RT @EdJoyce: “We will mobilize, we will #resist” Groups plan massive #resistance to Dakota Access, #KeystoneXL pipelines. https://t.co/xJP5…”. Similarly, many retweets were found from @NRDC the National Resource Defense Council highlighting the two pipeline spills and its timely coincidence as Trump advanced his keystoneXL policies this past week. One of the few tweets in support of the Keystone movement from @AlRobins2015 was a retweet of @Heritage: “President Trump just signed new executive orders to help restart #KeystoneXL and #DAPL pipelines.”