Why are so many people talking about hydrofracking?
Hydrofracking or fracking is a technique employed by the gas companies throughout the United States and the world to capture the natural gas deep inside the earth by cracking the sedimentary rock formations. The gas companies are selling this as a “Green Alternative” to dependency on foreign oil. At first, it sounds like a great idea, until you realize that the end result is the complete antithesis and is actually depleting the earth’s natural resources. Recently, the majestic state of Wyoming offered their lands for hydrofracking and as a result, they have more pollution and smog than Los Angeles.
Hydrofracking has now entered New York State. Although there has been a two-year moratorium that is up shortly, gas companies are gearing up to start drilling. It has become clear that this process is very dangerous and not worth all of the problems that go along with capturing the gas. Along with drilling 8,000 feet into the earth, fracking uses millions of gallons of our natural resources of clean water along with many toxic chemicals which eventually end up in our rivers, streams and aquifers. Also there is the issue of transporting and disposing of the contaminated water. Clearly, we must rethink this form of energy.
Join us for a free movie screening and Q&A of the award winning documentary, Gasland, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 48 Shelter Rock Rd., Manhasset, on June 2 at 7 p.m. This is an opportunity to become informed about this “hot” topic and make our voices heard upstate before the moratorium on hydrofracking is lifted.
Patty Katz
Great Neck
