That’s right, kids. Fracking Friday, much like a menstrual cycle, arrives monthly!
Fracking Friday rants appear the first Friday of each month (or thereabouts) and I discuss what kind of fruitcake nonsense is happening in the world of Fracking. This month I’m leaning heavily on the “thereabouts” timing, since I’m pretty doggone late getting this out (like, a week). Since I’m participating in the #AtoZChallenge, this is my letter “F” contribution.
Fracking Friday — Let’s talk about earthquakes.
Everybody still seems absolutely shocked when an earthquake is found to be caused by some fracking activity or another. Every couple months another article comes out declaring that “abc” earthquake has now been linked to “xyz” fracking event. And it drives me fucking insane. Because — PEOPLE — fracking causes earthquakes. It just DOES. Can we please stop acting surprised every time the two events are found to be connected? It is simple cause-and-effect, you guys. Fifth grade logic.
My consternation on this particular Fracking Friday is brought on by last month’s article by entitled “Forget climate change, now we have to worry about fracking-related earthquakes”. First, it discusses an earthquake which occurred in Oklahoma, a relatively quake-free zone, and ties it to wastewater injection into an oil field like twenty years ago. But, as I just said… THIS ISN’T NEWS! This whole following paragraph acts as though we don’t already know that fucking fracking causes fucking earthquakes:
“The scientists noted that earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater are rare in the US east of the Rocky Mountains. But between 2008 and 2011 there was an 11-fold jump in such temblors compared to the preceding 11 years, with 66% of the quakes hitting in 2011 alone. A 2012 US Geological Survey (USGS) study found that in Oklahoma, there have been 25 earthquakes a year of magnitude 3.0 and above since 2009, as against an average of 1.2 a year in the previous half century.”
Second, the article makes mention of a correction in which fracking is distinguished as separate from wastewater injection. Okay, look now. We freaking know that there are different activities associated with fracking and all its various parts. But separating out the different steps is tantamount to saying that the act of baking a cake only includes the part where you stick it into the oven, with all the stirring of the eggs and powder and whatnot being distinguished as an entirely separate activity that occurs BEFORE the baking, and the frosting of the cooled down cake as an entirely separate activity that occurs AFTER the baking.
We’re not stupid, okay? Baking is all the mixing and the sticking it in the oven and the frosting. It’s the whole process. Much like fucking fracking has shit that comes prior {bringing in tons of water on a krillion different 18-wheelers}, shit that comes in the middle {spraying large amounts of water into the earth with enough force to piss off the tectonic plates}, and shit that comes afterward {dumping the waste water into the neighbor’s yard so their sink explodes and their cows all get cancer and die}.
In spite of claims to the contrary {such as this little gem I almost didn’t write about since it’s such a smug and self-satisfied ditty: “Fracking does cause earthquakes – but you’ll hardly feel them”}, research has shown that there is a direct correlation between smacking someone and their likelihood of being moved by the strength of your blow. So, now that we’ve cleared up this little mystery {“Fracking causes earthquakes? OMG, I had *no* idea! Jeezy!”}, can we please move on to the bit where we do something about it? Like, I don’t know, maybe STOPPING THE FUCKING FRACK ATTACK??? Just a thought.
Fracking Friday — A note on climate change.
Even when researchers try to make light of the quakes caused by fracking, they are forced to admit all the other bad shit that comes with the process. For example, Andrew West, of the organization had this to say:
“The continuation of this technology is putting us into a bigger hole in terms of climate change” because “the process of fracking and the burning of the fuel itself releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.”
Gary Cohen, Co-Founder and President of Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth, authored a piece published on Forbes.com entitled “What does Climate Change Have to Do With Health Care?”, in which he points out the following:
“fracking for natural gas contaminates local groundwater and vents toxic chemicals into the community air. Health care has a mission-related imperative to lower its own extensive carbon footprint and lead the effort to a secure and sustainable energy economy.”
He goes on to state that our current healthcare system is ill-equipped to handle the climate changes coming our way, as evidenced by the slow and unprepared responses in the aftermath of both Hurricanes Katrina and, five years later, Sandy. As fracking continues to add to the problem, our ability to handle the emergencies fracking causes just isn’t keeping up. I don’t know if I’m more pissed at fucking frackers or our slow-ass advances in medicine.
Fracking Friday — It impacts our food supply, too.
According to EcoWatch.com, a new bill in Pennsylvania would put a stop to exposing the dangers of fracking on food supply. The article states the bill will:
“make it a crime to photograph, videotape, or audiotape activities on farms without the permission of the owner. The bill would limit information to the public about food safety, animal cruelty and environmental issues, according to its critics. Some opponents say such bills also limit gathering information and photos of natural gas drilling, much of which occurs on agricultural land.”
Am I the only one who sees a problem with this so-called ag-gag legistration?
Fracking Friday — Take action, people!
If you are in doubt about Fracking, or find yourself stymied as to what the word even means, or how it can possibly have anything to do with you, I urge you to watch the film GASLAND by . Then, when naysayers are all argumentative about it and question the documentary’s validity, watch the follow-up, THE SKY IS PINK, in which Josh responds to the critics and answers more questions about fracking and its impact on the planet.
Fracking is BAD, you guys. We have to stop it. The sooner, the better.