How did we get to the point where we had to start drilling into the ground for natural gas? How did we even get to the point where we are running out of energy sources? It all started with us, humans, we are the reason why energy in the world is so grossly consumed. With the rising inventions of new types of technology, the demand for energy increases. Americans constitute 5% of the world's population but consume 24% of the world's energy. The world is only so abundant in energy sources and we can’t rely on them forever, we need to conserve energy. Families around the world carelessly waste energy everyday, this video by European Commission that animates what goes on in our daily lives.
To save and conserve energy, there are many options and ways to lower the consumption of sources such as coal and oil. One of those options is natural gas. How is natural gas obtained? One of the ways is Hydraulic fracking. Hydraulic fracking is when a pipe is drilled deep into the ground while a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and chemicals gets pumped into the well, making small fractures in the shale rocks that hold the natural gas. Although hydraulic fracking is a controversial topic that has bother benefits and negatives, I believe that hydraulic fracking is a good investment. Hydraulic fracking has been used for many years but has recently conjured up many controversial topics. Are there positive outcomes from fracking? Yes. Are there negative outcomes of fracking? Yes. I believe that hydraulic fracturing offers both benefits and harms in the environment and in health.
Fracking in the United States provides abundant energy and builds local economies. The natural gas collected from fracking sites can provide energy to a city for a number of years. Not only can the natural gas from fracking be useful in conserving the amount of other energy sources we use, it can also boost the economy. In 2011, the USA produced 8,500,983 million cubic feet of natural gas from shale gas wells. Taking an average price of $4.24 per thousand cubic feet, that’s a value of about $36 billion, due to shale gas alone (aei.org). Hydraulic fracking can create many jobs that are high-paying such as construction workers within the oil and gas companies . More of the benefits of fracking can be found through this article.
With every positive there is always a negative, and in the case of fracking it includes environmental and health issues. Many who live within fracking sites are against the idea of fracking because they believe that their water becomes contaminated with many toxic chemicals, these toxic chemicals then lead to health issues. Some communities claim that they become ill after drinking the water. An example where this issue is known is in cities within Pennsylvania. Others have also claimed that fracking is not worth the money because it involves other types of energy to be used to build fracking sites. Read more about why fracking is bad.
I believe that fracking is very beneficial for us humans because we’re going have to find other sources of energy if we don’t want to use up all of the earths oil. The natural gas collected from fracking can supply a city for a number of years, so why not go through with hydraulic fracking? The possibility of contaminated water from fracking sites along with the cost of building fracking wells is what would stop the fracking movement. I feel that there isn’t really an absolute answer as to if fracking is good or bad, they’re both. What do you think?
References:
Fracking explained: opportunity or danger. (2013, September 3). YouTube. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uti2niW2BRA
Energy, let's save it!. (2008, November 11). YouTube. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-g73ty9v04
Fracking. (n.d.). Food Water Watch General. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/
Benefits of Fracking. (n.d.). Energy From Shale. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://www.energyfromshale.org/fracking-benefits
