I personally am not a die hard environmentalist who believes environmental issues should be the government's number one priority. However, when it comes to the simple needs in life such as water, I believe precautions and actions need to be taken to accommodate for any such need in life. Thus being said, fracking on land which is used by communities for resources should be restricted. In the United States, we import more oil than we export oil. We don't need to vacate people from their homes to drill oil. We are not in a shortage. Conserving the environment is a concern that pops up with the task of drilling oil, but nobody think about the people. The people are at harm as well. There are other methods to achieve the same goal.
Like Aneesh, I am not really big on environmental issues being a priority. However I never realized how much danger oil drilling could present not only to those living in surrounding areas, but also to the workers who have to live directly in it almost every day. The danger that is presented to all of the lives that are affected by the oil drilling process is not worth it and should be stopped until a more regulated and safe process is available.
I am not one to argue the basis of drilling for oil or the dangers of climate change, but I do think that environmental issues should be a priority to everyone. However, I also realize that creating jobs and sustaining an economy is a priority as well. Aneesh stated that the U.S. has plenty of oil and that we import more than we export. This is very true, but fracking also includes natural gas. In the video, it was said that we have so much there is virtually a “sea” of natural gas. My only complaint is the fact that we don’t power all of our cars with it. I know it can be done, in fact a lot of drilling companies have vehicles which run off natural gas. And as the means of carrying out fracking I believe more research needs to be done on the effects it has on the environment. The video was mostly a very one sided, personal story. It wasn’t too hard to find evidence debunking the part of the video where the tap water caught on fire. If more definitive research was made, I would have no problem changing my stance. The environment should very much be everyone’s number one priority but suddenly stopping fracking is not the answer. It creates millions of jobs and drives not just our economy, but the world’s economy. Peak oil is not a thing as we have enough gas and oil to last us the next 110 years right under our feet. Maybe I’m a little biased because my Dad and Grandfather both have jobs in the oil and gas industry, but it’s not going away soon, and neither will fracking.
Knowing where the environment stands today, I emphasize that government takes on a better role in terms of climate change. As Aneesh said, it shouldn't be government's number one priority at the moment, but sooner or later if the issue is not dealt with, it will have to be priority one due to the high risks that are put on the earth. People around the world and especially the United States, need to be more cautious of how much water is being used and wasted. Just like other countries around the world, I believe the U.S should implement stricter water restrictions to conserve as much water, and begin using fuel efficiency vehicles.
As said above by a few, I agree that environmental issues should not be the central focus of the government, yet if people are being affected negatively, it should be a concern. Water is a necessity of life and if drilling oil is contaminating the substance, there should definitely be better precautions taken and a safer way to obtain the energy source. Not only is water essential for life, but oil is as well. It is not fair for people's health to be put at risk because it doesn't matter where they go, contamination still remains an issue. There are other ways to obtain oil rather than requiring people to move. Therefore, thorough research needs to be done to see the other effects on the environment that will later effect the population. Fracking needs to be conducted in moderation to ensure safety until efficient means are found because there is not yet a shortage of oil; however, people are suffering.
After watching this documentary the so called "clean burning gas" that some of us use to cook and warm our houses with doesn't seem so clean. Compared to burning oil, natural gas might seem as a cleaner alternative, but the process of obtaining it is just as harmful, if not more. While I was watching this documentary I kept thinking, "why don't we just use solar panels" according to Elon Musk a solar array that's a little more than a hundred square miles in north Texas could be used to completely withdraw the need for electricity produced by fossil fuels. However I realize that the uses for fossil fuels will never be completely wiped out. We rely on them too much for our air travel, day to day transport, and the majority of our energy production, just to name a few factors. However for us to perhaps, convert our grid to complete solar electric power would be too costly, so there must be ways we can slowly and realistically transition from our dependence on fracking and oil drilling, or in someway mine these products with less of an environmental impact. Collins point about the jobs in the oil and gas industry are very true, if we suddenly wiped out all the fracking facilities and oil refineries, our economy would be a bigger problem than the environment. But we could start transitioning these workers into a different field that focused on producing clean energy, in a place that wasn't disrupting people's lives and ruining their water supply. It just seems with these companies going full steam ahead by producing all these chemicals to extract gas out of the earth, and trucking them out in fleets of big rigs, and they aren't even trying to make any headway in producing and alternative form of clean energy. We don't need this much effort being put forth to producing fossil fuels in America, because we certainly aren't undergoing a shortage. However with my limited knowledge I don't want to make any claims that exceed my credibility, but bottom line we need to slow down our production of fossil fuels and start focusing on producing clean energy more so that we can leave less of an impact on the earth and the people who inhabit it.
As most of the people above me said, I think that environmental issues should not be the governments top priority. Our nation has enough problems as it is. However, after watching this documentary it came to my attention that we need to go about oil drilling in a different manner. Because of how this is affecting not only the workers and the people getting kicked out of their own homes, but it's affecting us all in ways it shouldn't be. If it has become such an issue that it's even affecting our water, our necessity in life, then something needs to be done about this. I don't think it's right to continue doing what we're doing with oil drilling. Further research needs to be done and further precautions need to be made before obtaining oil. Oil is essential in life as well and our nation depends on it more than we think we do. This will not ever go away. But if we discover a way to stop from so much contamination then this could potentially become less of an issue in the future.
I found this video surprising, when the water caught on fire and when they talked about what are cows are digusting and what will end up on our plates after that. Water is an essential to us and we should have clean and safe water to drink. And while drilling oil we should have a better way, not forcing people to change their lifestyles or get up to move so we can get the oil that is there. It shouldn't be a main concern because we aren't in a shortage but all these things are necessary in our everyday lives so will have to get taken care of . We need to be able to drink clean water and get our oil easily, it shouldn't be a hassle or a worry so sooner or later we need room find a better way to do all of this, so we can have more safe, clean and easy outcomes. There is no way our water should be lighting on fire and have people in harm of containmented water or have drilling oil be affected people so much. There is a better way that we should strive to find.
Like many of my peers, i do not think environmental issues should be the top priority of our government, but after seeing this video, i agree that it definitely should be something that as a people we are making an real effort towards at the very least protecting the most valuable thing to people on earth-water. It really surprised me some of the things that have to go on to get some of the fossil fuels we use and some of the serious repercussions that follow. What especially surprised me was how bad the process of getting natural gas was, because i had always thought it was pretty clean and all around better but thanks to this video i was shown otherwise.i think it will be important for us as a people to make a transition to using more renewable resources in the stead of fossil fuels.
Fracking has been a controversial issue for many years now, and multiple documentaries have tried to explain their side of the story, but I believe that the truth is somewhere in-between both ideas. Fracking is bad for the environment, but at the same time the economy relies on it for jobs and fuel resources to further the economy. To stop fracking entirely would cripple the economy and course the U.S. to become more dependent on other countries for fuel, which could cause problems in the future. The idea to stop fracking seems to be driven by money too. Renewable resources are an expensive commodity, and a relatively new concept, making them an ideal candidate for companies to exploit for a profit. I think that the government does need to take action on more domestic policies, as the decision will be critical to our countries future.
I feel like I've been oblivious to the environmental issues going on around me after this documentary. I've been quite aware of all of the air pollution that occurs due to the use of fossil fuels, even the water pollution and harm to wildlife from the BP Oil Spill in 2010. However, something about this video really captured my attention. I think that since real people are being affected, it makes me realize that this is something that could directly cause harm to me. Fossil fuels like natural gas might seem like a necessity, but water is the clear requirement in life. How can the government sacrifice the health of its people for the economy? I was surprised oil companies ever even got exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act. The shadiness and reserved behavior of the people from the various oil companies throughout the documentary prove even they are aware that what they're causing to happen is wrong.
I personally am not a die hard environmentalist who believes environmental issues should be the government's number one priority. However, when it comes to the simple needs in life such as water, I believe precautions and actions need to be taken to accommodate for any such need in life. Thus being said, fracking on land which is used by communities for resources should be restricted. In the United States, we import more oil than we export oil. We don't need to vacate people from their homes to drill oil. We are not in a shortage. Conserving the environment is a concern that pops up with the task of drilling oil, but nobody think about the people. The people are at harm as well. There are other methods to achieve the same goal.
ReplyDeleteLike Aneesh, I am not really big on environmental issues being a priority. However I never realized how much danger oil drilling could present not only to those living in surrounding areas, but also to the workers who have to live directly in it almost every day. The danger that is presented to all of the lives that are affected by the oil drilling process is not worth it and should be stopped until a more regulated and safe process is available.
ReplyDeleteI am not one to argue the basis of drilling for oil or the dangers of climate change, but I do think that environmental issues should be a priority to everyone. However, I also realize that creating jobs and sustaining an economy is a priority as well. Aneesh stated that the U.S. has plenty of oil and that we import more than we export. This is very true, but fracking also includes natural gas. In the video, it was said that we have so much there is virtually a “sea” of natural gas. My only complaint is the fact that we don’t power all of our cars with it. I know it can be done, in fact a lot of drilling companies have vehicles which run off natural gas. And as the means of carrying out fracking I believe more research needs to be done on the effects it has on the environment. The video was mostly a very one sided, personal story. It wasn’t too hard to find evidence debunking the part of the video where the tap water caught on fire. If more definitive research was made, I would have no problem changing my stance. The environment should very much be everyone’s number one priority but suddenly stopping fracking is not the answer. It creates millions of jobs and drives not just our economy, but the world’s economy. Peak oil is not a thing as we have enough gas and oil to last us the next 110 years right under our feet. Maybe I’m a little biased because my Dad and Grandfather both have jobs in the oil and gas industry, but it’s not going away soon, and neither will fracking.
ReplyDeleteKnowing where the environment stands today, I emphasize that government takes on a better role in terms of climate change. As Aneesh said, it shouldn't be government's number one priority at the moment, but sooner or later if the issue is not dealt with, it will have to be priority one due to the high risks that are put on the earth. People around the world and especially the United States, need to be more cautious of how much water is being used and wasted. Just like other
ReplyDeletecountries around the world, I believe the U.S should implement stricter water restrictions to conserve as much water, and begin using fuel efficiency vehicles.
As said above by a few, I agree that environmental issues should not be the central focus of the government, yet if people are being affected negatively, it should be a concern. Water is a necessity of life and if drilling oil is contaminating the substance, there should definitely be better precautions taken and a safer way to obtain the energy source. Not only is water essential for life, but oil is as well. It is not fair for people's health to be put at risk because it doesn't matter where they go, contamination still remains an issue. There are other ways to obtain oil rather than requiring people to move. Therefore, thorough research needs to be done to see the other effects on the environment that will later effect the population. Fracking needs to be conducted in moderation to ensure safety until efficient means are found because there is not yet a shortage of oil; however, people are suffering.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this documentary the so called "clean burning gas" that some of us use to cook and warm our houses with doesn't seem so clean. Compared to burning oil, natural gas might seem as a cleaner alternative, but the process of obtaining it is just as harmful, if not more. While I was watching this documentary I kept thinking, "why don't we just use solar panels" according to Elon Musk a solar array that's a little more than a hundred square miles in north Texas could be used to completely withdraw the need for electricity produced by fossil fuels. However I realize that the uses for fossil fuels will never be completely wiped out. We rely on them too much for our air travel, day to day transport, and the majority of our energy production, just to name a few factors. However for us to perhaps, convert our grid to complete solar electric power would be too costly, so there must be ways we can slowly and realistically transition from our dependence on fracking and oil drilling, or in someway mine these products with less of an environmental impact. Collins point about the jobs in the oil and gas industry are very true, if we suddenly wiped out all the fracking facilities and oil refineries, our economy would be a bigger problem than the environment. But we could start transitioning these workers into a different field that focused on producing clean energy, in a place that wasn't disrupting people's lives and ruining their water supply. It just seems with these companies going full steam ahead by producing all these chemicals to extract gas out of the earth, and trucking them out in fleets of big rigs, and they aren't even trying to make any headway in producing and alternative form of clean energy. We don't need this much effort being put forth to producing fossil fuels in America, because we certainly aren't undergoing a shortage. However with my limited knowledge I don't want to make any claims that exceed my credibility, but bottom line we need to slow down our production of fossil fuels and start focusing on producing clean energy more so that we can leave less of an impact on the earth and the people who inhabit it.
ReplyDeletei'm so mad i just typed my entire response then my phone died
ReplyDeleteAs most of the people above me said, I think that environmental issues should not be the governments top priority. Our nation has enough problems as it is. However, after watching this documentary it came to my attention that we need to go about oil drilling in a different manner. Because of how this is affecting not only the workers and the people getting kicked out of their own homes, but it's affecting us all in ways it shouldn't be. If it has become such an issue that it's even affecting our water, our necessity in life, then something needs to be done about this. I don't think it's right to continue doing what we're doing with oil drilling. Further research needs to be done and further precautions need to be made before obtaining oil. Oil is essential in life as well and our nation depends on it more than we think we do. This will not ever go away. But if we discover a way to stop from so much contamination then this could potentially become less of an issue in the future.
ReplyDeleteI found this video surprising, when the water caught on fire and when they talked about what are cows are digusting and what will end up on our plates after that. Water is an essential to us and we should have clean and safe water to drink. And while drilling oil we should have a better way, not forcing people to change their lifestyles or get up to move so we can get the oil that is there. It shouldn't be a main concern because we aren't in a shortage but all these things are necessary in our everyday lives so will have to get taken care of . We need to be able to drink clean water and get our oil easily, it shouldn't be a hassle or a worry so sooner or later we need room find a better way to do all of this, so we can have more safe, clean and easy outcomes. There is no way our water should be lighting on fire and have people in harm of containmented water or have drilling oil be affected people so much. There is a better way that we should strive to find.
ReplyDeleteLike many of my peers, i do not think environmental issues should be the top priority of our government, but after seeing this video, i agree that it definitely should be something that as a people we are making an real effort towards at the very least protecting the most valuable thing to people on earth-water. It really surprised me some of the things that have to go on to get some of the fossil fuels we use and some of the serious repercussions that follow. What especially surprised me was how bad the process of getting natural gas was, because i had always thought it was pretty clean and all around better but thanks to this video i was shown otherwise.i think it will be important for us as a people to make a transition to using more renewable resources in the stead of fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteFracking has been a controversial issue for many years now, and multiple documentaries have tried to explain their side of the story, but I believe that the truth is somewhere in-between both ideas. Fracking is bad for the environment, but at the same time the economy relies on it for jobs and fuel resources to further the economy. To stop fracking entirely would cripple the economy and course the U.S. to become more dependent on other countries for fuel, which could cause problems in the future. The idea to stop fracking seems to be driven by money too. Renewable resources are an expensive commodity, and a relatively new concept, making them an ideal candidate for companies to exploit for a profit. I think that the government does need to take action on more domestic policies, as the decision will be critical to our countries future.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've been oblivious to the environmental issues going on around me after this documentary. I've been quite aware of all of the air pollution that occurs due to the use of fossil fuels, even the water pollution and harm to wildlife from the BP Oil Spill in 2010. However, something about this video really captured my attention. I think that since real people are being affected, it makes me realize that this is something that could directly cause harm to me. Fossil fuels like natural gas might seem like a necessity, but water is the clear requirement in life. How can the government sacrifice the health of its people for the economy? I was surprised oil companies ever even got exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act. The shadiness and reserved behavior of the people from the various oil companies throughout the documentary prove even they are aware that what they're causing to happen is wrong.
ReplyDelete