| Don't Play the Gasland Game by Thomas Ryan Ward (Though I wrote this over 2 years ago...it is becoming ever more relevant.) Many Americans are experiencing an economic boom in these troubled times that seems too good to be true - and it is. Reports and testimonials are growing on a silent land lease program across the country where Natural Gas companies come to small communities and offer land owners a range of tempting cash-in-hand offers for land leasing in return for the chance to set up shop and begin a process called Hydraulic Fracturing (which sounds bad enough) more commonly known as Fracking. | |
I'm sure we've all seen the commercials playing on cable networks over the course of the past 3 years or so featuring an attractive, impeccably dressed spokeswoman asking, "do you know where most of America's energy solutions come from?" and then providing statistics which seem incredible - nearly all our gas needs can be provided right here! For many people, these commercials were the trumpeting prior to the entrance of gas companies in their areas, priming them with patriotism and the promise of ready money in hard times. What many of these companies often fail to do is explain the Fracking process - how it contaminates water wells and waterways, produces toxic runoff, leads to animal disease and death, total area decimation, and, when the process is over and the product all sapped up, the companies will leave residents with unsalable lands - making that initial cash-in-hand feel like a slap in face.
GASLAND, a documentary film on HBO, was created by Pennsylvanian Josh Fox, whose family was presented one of these tempting offers. Unlike many of his neighbors, Mr. Fox not only investigated the effects Hydraulic Fracturing could have on his land and water but went one step farther - traveling the nation to learn more. Fox sought out individuals and communities which had "taken the Fracking bait" and have been left with not just egg on their faces but contamination in their water.
Sustainable energy is possible, though many times the processes and production to get our nation there are not as simple. Our goals should be simple - combat scenarios such as these, fighting exploitation and uncovering community manipulation (whether through greed or fear.) Being green might be good for frogs but finding real world answers to our energy needs is a simple matter of science taking the lead and Big Oil (and its cousins) taking a backseat.
Question, uncover and decide.
GASLAND, a documentary film on HBO, was created by Pennsylvanian Josh Fox, whose family was presented one of these tempting offers. Unlike many of his neighbors, Mr. Fox not only investigated the effects Hydraulic Fracturing could have on his land and water but went one step farther - traveling the nation to learn more. Fox sought out individuals and communities which had "taken the Fracking bait" and have been left with not just egg on their faces but contamination in their water.
Sustainable energy is possible, though many times the processes and production to get our nation there are not as simple. Our goals should be simple - combat scenarios such as these, fighting exploitation and uncovering community manipulation (whether through greed or fear.) Being green might be good for frogs but finding real world answers to our energy needs is a simple matter of science taking the lead and Big Oil (and its cousins) taking a backseat.
Question, uncover and decide.
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