We all know the importance of oil in our day-to-day lives, whether it is heating our homes or fueling our cars. There has also been much attention brought up regarding America’s dependency on foreign oil. Through natural gas found in our own country it is possibly to alleviate some of that dependency. Large basins of natural gas have been found within American soil, and natural gas companies are jumping at the opportunity to take advantage of these gas basins with hopes of helping the economy and environment using natural gas, but at what cost? “Gasland” is a documentary discussing the immense cost of the methods used in order to tap into these natural gas reservoirs. The methods used incorporate the use of 596 different chemicals forced into the ground, breaking rocks, and freeing the gas. The incorporation of so many chemicals is having huge effects on health and the environment around the site. One outcome is the escape of natural gas into homes and water, and in some houses family are able to light the water on fire right out of their out faucets. What are other unforeseen side effects to this homegrown and natural source of energy?
Link to the entire documentary Gasland:
http://www.letmewatchthis.com/watch-movies/2010/watch-gasland-211332/
Flaming Faucets!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrnnQ17SH_A
By: Nicole Eads
Fracking is something that still ceases to amaze me. I do not know how the government can allow such a thing to occur, when it has such negative side-effects. I am okay with us trying to find oil at whatever means it may be, but we need to keep the people and communities at bay first. If we want to frack in a small community in Colorado, then we need to supplement this community whatever it may be worth. Do not rip these people off and not be truthful about what is going on. Be truthful, tell them everything, and give them what the deserve for the land you are pumping natural gases into. With fracking becoming a more prevalant problem, it also brings the idea to many people's minds about finding alternate means of transportation. Most of this oil we are digging for is going to be for automobiles or some other form of transportation. So, to me, it will be interesting within the next 10 or so years to see the alternate means of transportation or oil we as a nation come up with. Or, will we be taking the easy, lazy route and continue to frack more and more? Only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bryan's first sentence...and the rest of his comment, whole heartedly. After watching that clip from the video in class and after reading the article about fracking posted on the Moodle, I still remembering why the government and energy companies are okay with such a harmful process, not only to our natural resources effected by the process but especially the harm that is already blatantly visible amongst people.
ReplyDeleteOur culture's love affair and hunger for a quick fix for a solution is usually admirable and shows mostly great results throughout our history but I truly think that this method of obtaining gas is completely ridiculous and our eagerness to find a new form of energy really needs to be harnessed and focused into something less dependent on oil.
While trying to keep up with the news fracking is often one of the common subjects I notice being discussed. Fracking is one of the hottest topics these days. It is constantly debated in the nightly news and for good reason. One can provide a valid argument both for and against hydraulic fracturing. I read a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that did a good job of summarizing the fracking debate, and where it currently is:
ReplyDeletehttp://online.wsj.com/article/AP5da167d5a1a24925ad93548807d09d30.html
The main man behind "Gasland," Mark Ruffalo, is the head of the anti-fracking movement, and is trying to promote environmentalism and put an end to fracking. "Why are we wasting so much state money, time and energy wallowing around in the radioactive muck pit of gas drilling when what this state needs and wants is renewable energy?" Ruffalo said. This topic is interesting but it is clear that this is not a renewable energy source I'd think at this point we'd realize we can't continue to rely on fossil fuels, yet I don't see much being done to move towards a water, wind and solar powered society. Obviously the costs would be initially higher, but the longer we wait to move towards a green society, the more we hinder the sustainability of our nation.
I'm not sure if you guys have been keeping track, but fracking continues to make the front pages of papers in New York and Pennsylvania because both states are heavily considering allowing drilling to occur. In PA, it's a clear hotbed issue that should be solved in the coming months. I know that protests have been going on in major cities around the state, and it seems that more news about the issues regarding to fracking continue to come out as the issue becomes more popular. In NY, the issue is currently being debated by legislators, and the public has been very adamant about keeping the local watersheds uncontaminated by fracking.
ReplyDeleteI understand that oil is a crucial natural resource to our society as it stands today, but what price are we willing to pay in order to get the oil that we need? Health? Safety? It amazes me to think that the government would allow America's need for oil to come before the American people that live in areas that the oil is being taken from. I completely agree with Bryan in his comment that the people in these areas need to be consulted about the issue before these companies go in and just start drilling. If people's safety is in danger because we need oil than the government needs to start taking a harder look at alternate resources or needs to start creating a better plan to make transportation more sustainable for the future. We cannot allow innocent people to be hurt because the country needs to get its hands on more oil.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing Gas Land, I have no idea how fracking is even legal. It completely destroys the landscape where it occurs. It destroys the local drinking water. And, all it illicits are short-term profits for rich corporation. The government needs to put a stop to this horrible practice!
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