Green Talk®

Whole Body, Healthy Home, and Sustainable Garden Inspiration

  • About
    • Press
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
  • New Here?
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Hire Me
  • 5 Reasons to Subscribe!
  • Build Green
  • Gardening
  • Green Business
  • Green Living
  • Green Home
  • Recycling
  • Tech

Fracking for Natural Gas: Freddy Krueger Returns to Victimize Earth

June 12, 2012 By: Anna1 Comment

Anti-fracking statement on the an Ithaca NY store wall

Anti-fracking statement on an Ithaca NY building

Will the exploration of natural gas lead to our independence from oil or just another environmental Freddy Krueger nightmare?  Rachel Dawn Davis, the New Jersey coordinator for Food & Water Watch, during her Green Talk TV video interview sets the record straight about the horrors of fracking. Trust me.  It isn’t pretty.  

But nor was any of the Freddy Krueger movies.

Davis explained fracking toxicity issues for air, water, and land as well as debunks the myth that natural gas is our savior. I urge you to listen to the video or podcast interview. Knowledge is power and we need to take a stand before fracking destroys our ground water.

What is Fracking?

The EPA explains

“Fractures are created by pumping large quantities of fluids at high pressure down a wellbore and into the target rock formation. Hydraulic fracturing fluid commonly consists of water, proppant and chemical additives that open and enlarge fractures within the rock formation. These fractures can extend several hundred feet away from the wellbore. The proppants – sand, ceramic pellets or other small incompressible particles – hold open the newly created fractures.

Once the injection process is completed, the internal pressure of the rock formation causes fluid to return to the surface through the wellbore. This fluid is known as both “flowback” and “produced water” and may contain the injected chemicals plus naturally occurring materials such as brines, metals, radionuclides, and hydrocarbons. The flowback and produced water is typically stored on site in tanks or pits before treatment, disposal or recycling. In many cases, it is injected underground for disposal. In areas where that is not an option, it may be treated and reused or processed by a wastewater treatment facility and then discharged to surface water.”

Why is Fracking So Bad?

Thanks to Davis, let me count the ways:

  • A recent peer reviewed study published in Ground Water using computer modeling revealed that the natural faults and fractures in Marcellus Shale, one of the largest natural gas reserves, will be exacerbated by fracking.  In turn, the chemicals used in fracking could pollute our water much sooner than expected.
  • Toxic chemicals are used in the fracking process.
  • Waste water from the fracking is stored in pits.  The toxic chemicals in the waste water evaporates.   In fact in Texas, high levels of benzene was found in the air around wells.
  • Waste water disposal into the ground may be the reason for increased earthquakes around waste water wells.
  • According to Davis, fracking uses 16.6 Olympic size swimming pools of water.
  • Davis explains there is an intent to shipping natural gas overseas since companies can get paid a higher premium for the gas.
  • Contamination of ground water.
  • Fracking is an international issue.  Russia is the second highest producer of natural gas followed by the European Union.  (Check out Bulgaria’s ban on fracking.)
  • Extracting natural gas by fracking poses a larger threat to Climate Change than the extraction of oil or coal due to its methane emissions.

What Can You Do?

  • Listen to the above video interview and get educated.  As I said before, knowledge is power.  Also, read Food & Water Watch’s fracking fact sheets.
  • Support legislation banning fracking. In the New Jersey, a fracking waste water bill is pending.  See here about US  local actions against fracking.  In Canada, see here.  In the UK, see here.
  • Check out Food & Water Watch’s event page for meetings, rallies, film screenings and other events centered around banning fracking.
  • Watch the movie, Gasland.  (Read about my review here.  I was horrified while watching the movie.)  You can buy the movie on Amazon or watch it on HBO GO.
  • Um, don’t open the door if Freddy comes calling.  We all know how that turns out.

Join the Conversation:

  • What are your state or country’s grass roots efforts about fracking?
  • How do you feel about fracking?
  • Do you think natural gas extraction is inevitable to reduce our oil dependency?
  • Is fracking just a horror film in the making?

Similar Posts:

  • Natural Gas Industry, Panacea or Toxic Destroyer of America?
  • Six Degrees Could Change the World Aired Tonight
  • To Soil Less Aims to Change the Way We Grow Food
  • Winter Gardening Prompts A Sci Fi Movie of Our Future Scary World
  • 10 Tips to a Green, Sexy Valentines’ Day

Grow From Seed Mini Course

Grow From Seed Mini Course

About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

Chat with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , and Google+.

Trackbacks

  1. Green Mamas New Years’ Resolution Inspiration. What’s Yours? | Green Talk® says:
    January 8, 2013 at 2:57 pm

    […] Which includes Leigh of Green4U, who resolves in 2013 to be an outspoken activist against fracking and educate others about climate change. (You know how I feel about fracking.) […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shop from Anna’s Farm– The Naked Botanical– Farm Fresh Teas, Salts & Body Products

The Naked Botanical Click HERE

Save Money By Growing Your Plants Indoors.

Three Must Have Equipment "

Grab My Free Mini Course

Connect with Me

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Posts

  • Organic Color Systems: Wash those Grays Away with a Safer Hair Color

  • Coffee Grounds in the Garden: Friend or Foe?

  • Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?

  • Freeze Cucumbers & Learn How to Use Them.

  • Hydrogen Peroxide + Ears = Bye to Colds. A Remedy that Works

  • Orange Peel Vinegar Cleaner. Make Your Own Green Cleaner

  • 15 Ways to Recycle or Repurpose Your Underwear

Recent Posts

  • How to Grow Grains in a Small Garden
  • Proper Lighting to Grow Seeds Indoors.
  • Gone Vegan: And Loving My New Life
  • Sleep On Latex: A Healthier Mattress to Sleep Better
  • Eco-Friendly Multi-Use Yard Living. Eat and Enjoy.

Popular Posts

  • Organic Color Systems: Wash those Grays Away with a Safer Hair Color

  • Coffee Grounds in the Garden: Friend or Foe?

  • Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?

RSS Green Talk TV

  • Hibiscus in the high tunnel and some discoveries I found.
  • Turmeric indoor sowing time!
  • Short snippet of creating a rose hydrosol
  • Elderberry, more uses than just for health
  • The Naked Botanical's Gift Boxes

Copyright Green Talk © 2025 · Website Designed by Clever Kiwi