Don't Frack With Our Water

[lucasframos-blog]

Political Campaigning and Fracking

My classmate Zach Piper's topic is seemingly unrelated to mine, however there are parallels. His topic is about how politicians use ads to try to sway the general public, which relates to fracking because politicians attempt to convince the public that fracking is not as dangerous as some say it is. This is not only limited to fracking, but some politicians attempt to claim harmful side affects of renewable energies such as wind and solar power. Politicians attempt to convince us of the benefits of fracking, and deny its negative affects, so that the economy can continue to thrive. Politicians also support fracking companies because they help contribute to their campaign funds, and politicians want to get elected more than anything.

[rayprice]

So I just finished watching GASLAND 2. And It’s horrific that the gas companies have so much power in our government that it allows the government and the states to disregard the environment, the Ecosystems, the communities, and the people who are affected and WILL be affected by the effects of natural gas extraction (fracking - hydraulic fracturing). Water aquifers being polluted to the point that the water running out of someone’s tap/faucet can be lit on fire because of the methane it now contains. Earthquakes are happening at an alarming rate in California because they are fracking on the San Andreas fault line. People moving out of their houses and farms, some families of which have lived there for generations, have been given settlements and forced to sign non disclosure agreements to keep them from talking. Fracking has to stop or it will endanger the country, possibly the world, and the only people benefitting from it are the oil companies and the politicians/government officials being paid off to let it all continue, in complete disregard to the constitution, private property rights, and to the health of people and families across the country.

[lucasframos-blog]

Gasland 2 is the second installment of the documentary gasland that I have talked about in previous posts. This documentary goes even further in depth in how the gas companies work along with the government to gain the power to pollute the environment without consequences, while also giving first hand experiences, such as that of the gentleman in the picture. I strongly suggest this to anyone who has seen gasland, or is interested in fracking and the politics behind it.

[odinsblog]

The Hulk and Wolverine are teaming up against fracking in New York 

[lucasframos-blog]

Props to Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Jackman for standing up to fracking companies. This is not the first time they have done this, and particularly Mark Ruffalo is very involved in fighting against permanent damage done by fracking. If more powerful and well known voices like their's continue to stand up to fracking, then our fight against fracking will be more successful, and for that I commend them.

[mtol]

An insane amount of tar sands and fracking infrastructure is proposed for some of the most beautiful places on earth - unceded indigenous territories in so-called ‘BC.’ This article talks about the proposals (12+ pipelines, 18+ liquefaction and export facilities, tens of thousands of fracking wells, thousands of tankers), how tar sands and fracking projects are intertwined, and how indigenous communities are positioning themselves to thwart this development.  “There is a barrage of oil and gas developments being proposed in this whole North West and if they were successful we would see a wasteland development. We wouldn’t see a build-up of community development,” argues Mel Bazil, a resident of Hazelton and long-term supporter of the Unist’ot’en Camp blockade. “It comes with forms of violence: domestic violence, a large influx of drugs, missing and murdered women, and pollution.” Read now on VICE.com

[lucasframos-blog]

Fracking companies are also attempting to intrude into indigenous territories with several fracking wells and pipelines. However this would create a wasteland in the northwest, and bring even more problems into these indigenous communities. Mel Bazil is just trying to stand up for his community against the fracking companies, but not with much success as these companies tend to have legislation on their side.

[lucasframos-blog]

Just a little Fracking comic

[lucasframos-blog]

Q and A

An interview of a friend

Q: What do you now about fracking?

A: That's the drilling for natural gas right? I think I've heard that its bad for the environment but I'm not too sure

Q: It is. Did you know they pollute people's drinking water, making it toxic and even flammable?

A: No that's pretty messed up, they shouldn't be allowed to do that

Q: What do you think the government makes them do for these affected people?

A: At least give them clean water, but hopefully they make them treat their dirty water so that it becomes drinkable again

Q: What if I told you that they didn't have to do anything most times as it can't be proved that they put the chemicals there?

A: Well then...I'd say fracking companies are pretty sneaky about how they pollute

[lucasframos-blog]

Why is the slurry that fracking companies use permitted to be kept secret as a proprietary recipe when it is known to contain chemicals that are extremely hazardous?

Laws have been passed to keep these chemicals a secret so that fracking companies can get away with using the most efficient chemicals regardless of their effect on the environment. These laws are in place to have more resources available and in turn boost the economy, but at the cost of a lot of pollution.

[lucasframos-blog]

Lenses

In unit one of my college writing class, part of my context was that I was  going through a rupture as a student. My desire as a student to learn and make progress is what drove me to pick this tumblr topic. After learning about fracking last year I consider it to be a major issue in our country, and now I am trying to make progress by spreading awareness of its harmful affects through this blog. I hope that my posts can continue to reach people, because although awareness isn't change, it creates the will to make change.

[political-ecology]

Political cartoon by Clay Bennett of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

[lucasframos-blog]

The only people who like fracking are the big businessmen who profit from it, like the owners of poland spring, aquafina and other major bottled water products.

[lucasframos-blog]

GW #5 Remix

This post is completely unrelated to fracking, but is part of my College Writing Assignment

Back when I was in elementary school, sometime between 3rd and 5th grade, we had 3 consecutive days of MCAS. In hindsight this wasn't the most important test of my life, but the teachers sure hyped it up to be so. Naturally I arrived late on the first day. I sat down and immediately got to work on the packet I was handed, and no less than 30 minutes in I saw people begin to hand in their exams. As I looked at the packet I thought "how are they done so fast" as I was not even a quarter of the way through. Frantically I began to rush through prompt after prompt, probably about some weird poem about a tree, and I could hear the clock ticking in my head as the remaining time died down. I skimmed every story and knew my answers were poor but managed to finish the last one a minute before my session ended. That was when I read the back of the packet that said "you have finished section 3" and my teacher told us time for section one was up. That was the day I learned that you should always get to school on time, and you should always read directions.

[muffinw]

Fuck fracking, fuck Baker Hughes, and FUCK SUSAN G KOMEN

[lucasframos-blog]

Well isn't this ironic. Fracking puts up to 600 different chemicals into groundwater, and that ground water often ends up in drinking water and can cause cancer among many other diseases. Not sure how that qualifies as doing their bit for the cure.

[solarpowernow]

Every 4 minutes there is another solar power installation completed in America.

Word is getting out how solar panels can help homeowners save thousands compared to what they are paying their utility companies.

Check out solar-power-now.com

[johnhoarsraccount]

Every 4 minutes! Converting your home to solar energy can not only do better for the environment but you can also earn money while doing it! Aside from saving what you make by not having to by electricity, you actually have the ability to sell energy back to the grid to earn some phat bills. 

[lucasframos-blog]

This is a great example of alternative sources of energy to hydraulic fracturing. With more and more people installing solar panels on their homes, businesses and other places, we see a shift towards a more sustainable lifestyle in the United States. If this trend can continue or even accelerate, we can chop away at our need for natural gas and fracking, and not only be energy efficient but protect our environment from being turned from habitats for animals into big dirt fields.

[lucasframos-blog]

This is a video showing both sides of fracking, both the industry's view on it, and the arguments that can be made against it. This is more of an informational post for those who don't really know what it is, or exactly what the process is like. This video is mostly just facts so you can form your own opinion on whether it is a good opportunity or dangerous.

[redwingjohnny]

Facepalm Alert! Animals of the World Weigh In on Climate Denying Politicians

via one green planet

[lucasframos-blog]

It's a little scary that these are the people we have put in office. There is almost overwhelming evidence that our climate is changing, yet politicians continue to deny it so that natural gas and oil companies can continue to frack and drill without paying for the damage they cause to the environment, both globally and locally. 

[fencehopping]

Family’s kitchen tap water ignites due to natural gas contamination from local oil and gas company fracking.

[lucasframos-blog]

Pretty cool the first few times you see it. Then you realize that water is what people are supposed to bathe in, and use to clean their dishes. Natural Gas companies allow undisclosed chemicals to flow into peoples water sources, this can't go on.

[astrogasmic-deactivated20160915]

[lucasframos-blog]

Just because it might be cold now, doesn't mean that there isn't a trend of global warming. We must continue to push for a more sustainable industry, or face catastrophic climate change.

[lucasframos-blog]

Another 3 Blogs

Future Scope I am following this blog because it talks about technologies other than fracking that can be used to generate the energy we need as a country.

Green Energy Future This is another blog where the focus is in green energy as opposed to relying upon natural gas and other non sustainable sources.

MSU Sustainability This blog is Michigan States blog about what they are doing to become more sustainable. These are practices we should all partake in, to become a more sustainable community.