Celebs against Fracking – There are Good Alternatives to Find New Gas
Daryl Hannah (centre) at the White House, Washington D.C.
Daryl Hannah’s fans have became quite familiar with her committment to protect the environment: The actress uses her celebrity status to draw public attention to whatever harms our planet. On 22 August she moved, together with members of the Alliance Americans Against Fracking to the White House in Washington D.C. in order to present to President Barack Obama a petition to ban fracking. Her activity gained world-wide attention.
What is fracking anyway?
Fracking is a short form for „hydraulic fracturing“, which means „breaking up with water“. It is a procedure in the oil and gas production industry, when liquid is squeezed into deep rock layers at very high pressure. Creating cracks, natural gas and oil can flow more easily toward the bore. From an economic viewpoint, the method is very effective – but ecologically it is challenged, because not only water and sand is pressed into the soil, but also twelve different chemicals. Recent findings have proven that these ‚additives‘ have polluted the ground water. On top, the water cocktail above ground has contaminated the surface water.
Are there alternatives to fracking ?
Fracking is quite new and is used in th US to pump natural gas. When fracking has been considered in Europe, a huge debate flared up : Critics say that the economic advantage doesn’t offset the permanent damaging of the environment – especially when it is not necessary. There are still plenty of oil and natural gas reserves on Earth, they just need to be found. Earth observation satellites are our best assistants: Small satellites like the European Swarm constellation can detect slightest anomalies of the Earth’s magnetic field and suggest new deposits. But after all, we have to decide in which way we tap these ressources…