Although there are a multitude of issues that affect our society nowadays, one of the most prevalent ones that I have noticed happening around my area is the problem with Marcellus Shale. Instances of moral responsibility transpire every day and being a concerned resident of Northeast Pennsylvania, I found it necessary to address this daunting issue that some people will not speak out about. It is wrong for gas companies to take advantage of individuals by waving a fat check in front of them and masking all of the negative effects that Marcellus Shale has on our environment and our general health. Our land and water are being contaminated every time someone signs a gas lease, and if that is not enough to raise any concern, just think of the health concerns that are involved. According to Under the Surface: Fracking, Fortunes, and the Fate of the Marcellus Shale, “As shale gas development progressed…cases implicating drilling operations in explosions, pollution, and illness began raising questions by advocates who demanded that federal policy be revisited,” (Wilber 120). We have to stop and thoroughly think of what will happen to the future of our health and our environment because if we do not, then no one will. Having hydraulic fracturing occur in my backyard has truly been an eye-opener, and the only way for us to avoid all of the negative consequences in the near future because of all of the Marcellus Shale drilling is to address it and get the word out there.
In today’s society, many people consider any business that uses the advertising catch phrases “recycled fracking water”, “safeguard the environment”, and “clean-burning energy solution” to logically be environmental friendly. Appearances, however, can be deceiving, especially from businesses like Cabot or Chesapeake, two of many drilling companies in Pennsylvania who pay big bucks for advertisement agencies to make everything about their business happy and safe. All the smiling families in their advertisements portray a fake life trying to deceive the audience into thinking that fracking is somewhat “safe.” It may seem like a great idea at first and having that big, fat check in front of your face enticing you to sign your freedom away may have something to do with that. In order to fix these misconceptions, however, people need to be informed of what is actually happening in their backyard.
Research Questions:
- In what ways does fracking impact the environment?
- What are the health effects of fracking among the general population?
- How does fracking affect the overall infrastructure in the area?
Works Cited
Wilber, Tom. “Chapter 4: A National Issue.” Under the Surface: Fracking,
Fortunes and the Fate of the Marcellus Shale. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 2012. 120.
Print.