Humans have been damaging the Earth for decades. Things that humans view as helpful and beneficial, sometimes have a very sinister side that actually damages humans and our earth. From simple objects like water bottles to cars, and complex things such as fracking. Even though you might not realize it there are very negative effects from using everyday objects. Notably, water bottles are actually very harmful to our environment for a plethora of reasons. First there size, water bottles take up tons of space in our landfills when we could be recycling them. Every 5 minutes 4 football fields are filled up with water bottles this creates major problems for landfills and makes it so landfills have to take up more precious space in our earth. Next water bottles take up tons of oil to make then we also have to …show more content…
Fracking may seem innocent at first but it can actually be very harmful to the environment and even to humans. People today see it as a fast easy way to make a lot of money but aren't always aware of the side effects later. Even after cleaning up fracking still poses a danger to the environment. When fracking dangerous chemicals get released into the ground at high pressures. When these chemicals hit streams or water sources the result is devastating. Plants animals and humans can all get poisoned and when the contaminated water is drunk it could result in death. Whole lakes and river's living things can all get wiped out and very sick from the run off of fracking. Next when fracking methane can get into water sources that humans use. People have been able to light the water coming out of their faucets from the methane. subsequently because of fracking humans waste tons of usable water. Since 2012, 280 billions of waste water has been generated in effect from fracking. Always think before doing something learn the effects it has on, not just you but other living things as
In today's global economy, energy is one of the most crucial and sought after commodities. Who supplies it and how much they supply determines how much influence they have over other countries as well as the global economy. This is why hydraulic fracturing is currently such an important and controversial topic in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as "fracking" or hydrofracturing, is the process of using pressurized liquids to fracture rocks and release hydrocarbons such as shale gas, which burns more efficiently than coal. This booming process of energy production provides a much needed economic boost, creating jobs and providing gas energy for Americans. The efficiently burning shale gas reduces carbon emission from electricity production plants, reducing carbon footprints on the environment. However, the process of hydraulic fracturing uses millions of gallons of pressurized liquid, which contains toxic chemicals, and some of this water is left over undealt with. The air near fracking sites is often also polluted and unsafe for nearby community residents. Injecting millions of gallons of water laced with toxic chemicals into the rock thousands of feet deep can cause earthquakes, causing a safety hazards for all nearby areas. Hydraulic Fracturing makes rare natural gases easily attainable, boosting the economy and reducing carbon emissions. However, the negative side effects such as contaminated water and air, make hydraulic fracturing a process that may not be worth the benefits.
The U.S federal government should significantly increase fracking because oil and gas fracking is big business in America, with more than two million hydraulically fractured wells across the country producing 43 and 67 percent of our national oil and gas outputs, respectively. But in my opinion these wells also nearly played a secondary role as nuclear waste storage sites and had the Atomic Energy Commission had its way with Project Plowshare. And fracking is the process of pumping water deep into the Earth, specifically into underground oil and gas reserves, at tremendous pressures in order to break apart the surrounding rock and free the energy product, which can then be pumped out and used. However in the mid 1950s, scientists from the Atomic Energy Commission and officials from the U.S. Bureau of Mines did begin experimenting with an alternative method of fracking, one that employed nuclear bombs more powerful than anything we dropped on the Japanese.
Fracking can cause harm to people, animals, and nature. When they drill into the ground they are pumping chemicals to extract the gas and oil, and this contaminates the water sources around it. “An editorial on gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale in the Post-Star, a newspaper in Glens Falls, New York, contends, “New York state simply can’t take the risk. There are plenty of places to find fuel. It’s not so easy to find a new water supply for 17 million people.”” (Hydrofracking
Oil and natural gas companies have developed a way to drill for natural gas, a process called hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. Natural gas is a flammable gas mixture consisting of methane and several other hydrocarbons that occur naturally underground. Natural gas is used as fuel for heating, cooking, and even in some automobiles like the “RideOn” buses. This technique has only recently become economically feasible with the rising prices of fossil fuels, and there is much potential for recovering natural gas through fracking. However, fracking has many waste products and unusual side effects caused by the unnatural forces and materials used. Fracking has a detrimental effect on the surrounding environment through pollution and earthquakes.
“Hydraulic fracturing involves the use of water pressure to create fractures in rock that allow the oil and natural gas it contains to escape and flow out of a well (Energy From Shale).” Fracking has served to extract natural gas and oil where other methods would not be as successful but many environmentalists argue that fracking is affecting the environment and our drinking supply of water. Although fracking is still a controversial topic, it provides Americans jobs, increases the economy of the region, and the natural gas and oil are cleaner and more affordable source of energy. The EPA recognizes that natural gas and oil are an essential part to help our planet survive but do not want fracking to come at an expense to the public health of the citizens or to the environment.
Conflicting reports make it difficult to discern just how detrimental the practice is to the environment and people. What is known is that fracking uses phenomenal amounts of water, which is becoming a scarce resource in many parts of the country. There is no doubt that the fluid used in the fracking process contains chemicals, and when released into water supplies has negative effects on these sources. Injection of flowback materials into deep wells has been definitively linked to increased seismic activity. Damage to roads due to the high traffic of trucks shipping equipment and product is astronomical. Worldwide, four countries have outright banned the practice and others are waiting for more research to be done before they continue to allow it. A few states know the devastating side effects that come with the practice, and have banned hydraulic fracturing. While there is no doubt that fracking can produce resources that are used by Americans, there is a lot of doubt as to whether it is safe or not. Hopefully, the country will follow those that have banned the practice, and adopt other safer forms of energy
What is Fracking? Hydraulic fracturing, also known as ‘fracking’ is a technology that involves the extraction of natural gases through the injection of harmful chemicals, sand, and water. This technique includes the process of drilling a hole deep within the surface layer of the environment. As a result, it deteriorates the density of the land, pollutes the air, and contaminates underground drinking water sources. According to Bill Freemans’s “Fracking Is Not Harmful to the Environment,” the author argues that fracking is a technique that does not harm the environment and that instead, it helps the United States achieve energy independence. In contrast to his statement, hydraulic fracturing should not be
In 2005 more than twenty-two billion disposable plastic water bottles ended up in landfills or incinerators in the United States, that is an average of sixty million bottles a day (Franklin, 2006, para. 3). The wastefulness in the production of disposable water bottles and its process is just as astonishing. In 2011, an average 1.39 liters of water were used to produce one liter of water for disposable water bottles (Gustafson, 2013, para. 2). The water used to produce the bottle is the main problem; in the production of a one liter bottle of water it is estimated to require six or more liters of freshwater. Disposable water bottles are a constant contributing factor to the overuse of the limited resources of freshwater. Despite having many
Hydraulic fracturing, or it’s more common name fracking, has been a very debatable topic for decades. Fracking is when chemicals, water and sand are pumped into the ground to break apart rock so that natural gas can be released. Not only is fracking obviously bad for the environment, but it also has many impacts on the people that surround the area. Fracking has short term benefits, but long term consequences and impacts to the entire ecosystem. Fracking that is done today can affect our future generations for many years and generations to come. Although hydraulic fracking may reduce our dependency of oil on other countries and stabilize our economy, fracking has way too many environmental and health impacts; therefore proving that fracking is problematic and should not be an energy resource that countries depend on.
In regards to a lack of advancement, many people are concerned that due to how easily we can attain natural gas through fracking reaching difficult deposits, we will not look into a situation that proves harder-finding renewable and alternative energy resources. Rather than search for solar, geothermal, or wind energy perhaps, we will continue to pump harmful chemicals into the ground and cause global warming much more rapidly due to our excessive use of fossil and atmosphere-damaging fuels. Based on this point, it is no wonder that another con to fracking pertains to the conflict of air pollution. In regards to the prospect of seismic activity, based on the 2014 Annual Reviews of Environment and Resources paper, between 1967 and 2000, geologists observed a rate of 21 earthquakes level 3.0 Mw or greater in the central US per year. In 2001, when fracking was used to provide shale gas and other “unconventional” energy sources more frequently, the number increased to 100 earthquakes of that caliber, with 188 in 2011 alone. Supplemental research in Texas and Oklahoma also suggest that fracking can cause risky changes on seismic activity. Lastly, one of the greatest concerns with fracking- water pollution. The water that is pumped into the ground during fracking is filled with chemicals, and is not always properly
Controversy has never been in short supply. One controversy in particular is always being discussed. And that is the topic of fracking. What is fracking? Fracking is actually short for hydraulic fracturing. According to Merriam-Webster, hydraulic fracturing is the injection of fluid into shale beds at high pressure in order to free up petroleum resources such as oil and natural gas. Although, the process has around for a long time, since 1947 to be exact, is has only become controversial as of recently. Fracking has come under fire because mega-companies, like ExxonMobil, have commercialized it. They are the largest producers of natural gas (Thompson “Hydraulic Fracturing Can Be Done Responsibly”). Fracking has been such a controversial topic in the United States because of its environmental impact, effect on the economy and politics, and concerns to public health.
There are lots of reasons why fracking should be banned, It’s because the earthquakes and toxic waste in the water are destroying and pollution on the people and animals in small towns, big cities, and in the forest as the toxins in our water supplies that can make people and animals sick. The only way to stop from destroying the world with fracking is to protect and save the wildlife from the pollution makes the air, water, and the soil toxic. I have a video that can example on fracking: Frackopoly: The Battle for the Future of Energy and the ... - YouTube it's going to explain what’s been happening in this world and here are the three websites that i research and used on my
In this article, Hoffman explains the process of hydraulic fracturing. He explains that contamination can happen because of the location of the wells and as well as the method used. Hoffman also goes into detail about all of the different impacts fracking has on the environment, such as air pollution, water pollution oil spills and many of the numerous health impacts on humans and animals.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees the bottled-water industry, Americans drink more than eight billiongallons of bottled water each year. Most of that water is packaged in plastic bottles.The EPA estimates that plastics such as those used to make water bottles make up nearly 13 percent of our trash. An industry watchdog group reports that it takes nearly eighteen million barrels of oil to make the amount of plastic needed to meet Americans'thirst for bottled water. That's about the same amount of oil that a million vehicles use in one year. Oil is a nonrenewable resource—once it's gone, it's gone. Worse yet, the vehicles used to move bottled water from place to place release harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Perhaps more alarming is that people recycle fewer than 20 percent of their empty bottles. Most emptybottles are tossed in the trash. From there, they end up in a landfill, where they cause further environmental damage.
Water is one of the most essential non-renewable natural resources on the Earth. Technically, an un-hydrated human being can live no more than three days. In the United States, people consume water mainly from tap water and bottle water. However, the consumption between these two sources is not even but lean to one side heavily. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, people consume from 240 to over 10000 times more per gallon for bottled water than they usually do for tap water. (NRDC) In addition, according to a survey from US National Library of Medicines, only 17% of the participants prefer to drink tap water exclusively.(US National Library) Compared to the bottled water which is shining like a superstar, tap water is like a diligent worker in the shade, unpopular but useful. The extremely unbalance of bottled water consumption implies that a commonly hold conception exists: bottle water is superior to tap water. In fact, scientific evidence proves that tap water is nothing different than bottle water. More importantly, the excessive consumption of bottled water is an irrational use of resources and creates severe environmental issues.