In the 2015 film, Damnation, the controversial topic of removing dams is discussed all across the country as a benefit of the ecosystem. In much detail, the film included the entire environmental strategy from an activist’s point of view to show the disastrous imbalance that has been created by these dams. The film was narrated by Ben Knight, a new dam removal activist who knew little about the issue before the make of the documentary; however, he created a realistic look into how the process of dam removals became such an issue in today’s society.
In the beginning of the film, the foundation of why dams were created in the early 20th century was shown through a timeline, from the creation of dams until today. I found the intro information
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Segments of mini interviews were included to provide a firsthand perspective on the disturbing reactions of the effects of the oil wells. This is where the “fracktivists” discussed their experiences of health concerns with their families as well as the lack of say they have in the companies bringing in these pads to their neighborhoods. I found this to be very informative because not only are the families facing health concerns from the fracking, but they also have no say in the production of the oil wells and can only relocate to escape the issue. However, this idea plays an important role within the film to the parents of children who have experienced health concerns from the fracking; they choose to take a stand against the industries and show that no profit should out weight a child in harm. In a short clip, we see how the hydraulic fracking has exposed serious health concerns on many different levels. The oil wells release pollutant toxins of methane gases into the air the community is breathing. Because the well pads are being placed in neighborhoods of family homes and schools, children are starting to experience health effects. Another concern of the families is the toxins being released into their water systems. I found the data included to represent how badly this these toxins are effecting the community to be very disturbing. The fracktivists presented that tons of gallons of water are being contaminated daily and this is the water that their families are drinking. The toxins included arsenic, metals, oil…etc. The value of this data is very convincing to the viewer because direct harm is taking place towards society. One scene in particular that stood out to me was the clip made by the governor of Colorado. He stated that he knew the fracking was a concerning issue regarding the safety of the
Silenced Rivers: The Ecology and Politics of Large Dams author Patrick McCully (2001) reports that dams store water for river fluctuations as well as for energy and water demands (p. 11).
The one feature common to the Hoover Dam, The Mississippi river and the three gorges dam is that they all tried to control nature’s swings, specifically in the form of flooding. Before the Hoover dam was built, the Colorado river “used to flood spectacularly…but after 1900 the Colorado provoked a vehement response” (Pg 177). The response was simple, but large. The U.S. built several large dams, including the Hoover dam, on the Colorado to decrease its flooding and increase power and irrigation. Unfortunately, just as human control of the Colorado’s flooding increased, its organisms and habitats were detrimentally influenced, and the water became more and more salinated.
The negative aspects of Glen Canyon Dam greatly exceed the positive aspects. The dam’s hydroelectric power supply is only three percent of the total power used by the six states that are served by the facility. There is a surplus of power on the Colorado Plateau and with more and more power-plants being created in the western hemisphere, Glen Canyon Dam’s power is not needed (Living Rivers: What about the hydroelectric loss). Although the ‘lake’ contains twenty seven million acre feet of water, one and a half million acre feet of water are lost yearly due to evaporation and seepage into the sandstone banks surrounding the ‘lake’ (Living Rivers: What about the water supply?). The loss of that much “water represents millions, even billions of dollars” (Farmer 183). If the government were to employ more water efficient irrigation practices, as much as five million acre feet of water per year could be saved.
The documentary ‘Gasland” is a telling tale of the terrible consequences of natural gas mining in the US. The filmmaker, Josh Fox, travels around the country visiting different homes that are in very close proximity of natural gas drilling sites after receiving a $100,000 offer from a natural gas company to use his land as a drilling site . The film focuses on how the drilling sites not only leave ugly scars on the land, but also the horrendous health problems people get from drinking the contaminated groundwater.
This Paper will describe and analyze three articles pertaining to the ongoing debate for and against Glen Canyon Dam. Two of these articles were found in the 1999 edition of A Sense of Place, and the third was downloaded off a site on the Internet (http://www.glencanyon.net/club.htm). These articles wi...
Of central interest to the “Taylor machine” is the Willet Dam Project, a bill which masquerades as a means by which to promote local agricultural interests but in reality only seeks to generate ill...
a) In the classic 1985 film, The Emerald Forest, the dam built at the beginning of the movie poses a prevalent problem to the culture of the Invisible People. A part of
The people who are being asked permission to transform their land into drilling sites for natural gas have more reason to be concerned than most because it will affect them more directly than people who do not live in that specific area (although it does affect people who do not live in the vicinity as well). Although fracking may seem to concern to only a small group of people, it should also concern anyone who cares about doing what is safe for our country's citizens. The truth is, fracking is extremely dangerous, not only because of the negative effects on the environment, but also because it could make people ill.
While methane is not a rare contaminant in drinking water wells, the fracking process seems to allow more methane to seep into the wells. A study headed by Duke University’s Robert B. Jackson, a professor of Environmental Sciences, shows that in Pennsylvania, drinking water wells within one kilometer of fracking sites contain nearly six times more methane than in wells farther away (Banerjee). Methane, no matter where it is contained, is flammable, thereby posing a risk for explosion, which is not good for homes. Reports show that a fracking site in Dimock, Pennsylvania caused methane to leak into a water well, where it detonated, leading to even further contamination of other water wells and homes (Henheffer 30). The domino effect presented here raises fear in critics of fracking, who seek only to stop the process from happen-
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
Fracking is quickly becoming a debatable topic in our society today. The practice involves injecting fluid into the ground to fracture rock in order to release natural gas. It sounds like it would be a safe way to harness fuels in the earth’s surface, but it actually is a danger to our environment. Because of the dangers of fracking, what little fresh water remains on earth is being contaminated. It is also releasing toxins into the airs creating contaminated air and acid rain. Because of the many health and environmental dangers of fracking, it should be stopped immediately to help prevent more worldwide health issues down the road.
EnergyFromShale.org shows the fluid mixture is comprised of 90% water, 9.5% propping agents such as sand, and 0.5% chemical additives. Some of the chemicals found in this mixture are: sodium chloride, ethylene glycol, borate salts, sodium carbonate, guar gum, and isopropanol. Proponents of fracking will lead you to believe that the chemicals used are essentially harmless, and found in such small amounts as to have negligible side effects. On the CDC website, ethylene glycol is described as an odorless liquid with a sweet taste. When ingested it breaks down into toxic compounds. A person’s central nervous system, heart, and kidneys are affected. Large amounts of ethylene glycol can be deadly. While many say that the 0.5% amount of chemicals used is such a small amount, they are traceable amounts. Additionally, drilling companies are supposed to treat the fracking fluid before it is injected into the ground, left to dissipate, or released into surface water. The EPA claims that flowback is properly treated before it is disposed of, and that it is regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. After treatment, the EPA Underground Injection Control program is supposed to regulate the flowback being injected underground to dispose of it (epa.gov.,
Before one can see the devastating effects of fracking, one must first understand how fracking works. As previously stated, the main intent of hydro-fracking is to access and harvest natural gas that lies below the surface of the Earth. Having formed over 400 million years ago by the collision of tectonic plates (Marsa 3), the Marcellus Shale plays host to a gold mine of natural gas, which is currently at the center of the fracking debate in the Northeastern region of the United States. Unfortunately, access...
Since the early 2000’s, after new technological advancements in fracking and the discovery of large shale reserves across the country, fracking has increased domestic energy production substantially. Shale gas production has increased 20% from 2005 to 2012, promoting a more prosperous economic demand for domestic energy solutions (Pritchard). The demand for transportation vehicles, fuel, housing and water also increases with the expansion of fracking. Furthermore, the increase in fracking has increased employment significantly. In a country struggling to rebound from a recession, well-paying jobs are easily accessible in the booming oil field. This is evident in the prosperous state of North Dakota, in which the unemployment rate has fallen to 2.8 %( Gottesdiener). However, although this industrial expansion creates temporary employment, the consequences of mismanagement may also cost millions of dollars to repair. Fracking has the potential to create environmental damage such as water contamination, radioactive spills, and increased seismic activity that could cost thousands of dollars in damage. The cleanup of drinking water contamination is difficult and expensive, and ultimately rarely attempted. Moreover, the cost to replace the drinking water of contaminated homes and communities also cost a substantial amount of money (The Costs of
Numerous reports have been given on the dangerous affects of hydraulic fracturing. One such affect that has been noticed is that drinking water wells near the fracturing sites have been contaminated. During the hydro-fracking process, injected fluids that help to break and keep open the rock bed where the natural gas is kept, have “been known to travel three thousand feet from the well (Goldman).” This fluid could have the potential to enter and contaminate any water well for homes around hydraulic fracturing sites. This incident is one of the major problems that people want to figure out and know about before they allow a fracturing site by them. It has been the most feared outcome of having a fracking site nearby, and it is highly appropriate. One site in Wyoming had this happen, “…in August, EPA reported that eleven of thirty-nine drinking-water wells near a Wyoming hydraulic fracturing operation were contaminated with chemicals used in the fracturing process (Hobson EPA).” In Pennsylvania, another such case occurred, “There have already been severe pollution cases in Pennsylvania, mo...