In an attempt to increase
energy supplies,
drilling has begun
on the first project
to extract natural gas
from underground shale
in the United Kingdom. However, environmental
and health questions
have arisen, prompting
the House of Commons
Select Committee
to launch an inquiry into
the safety of the process
used to obtain
the natural gas.
Known as
hydraulic fracturing,
the extraction occurs
after chemical fluids are
pumped into wells to
crack the shale and
allow gas to flow up
pipes for collection.
In the United States,
where shale gas
has been produced
for several years,
some findings suggest
that the extraction
coincides with increased
methane and wastewater
in drinking water supplies
near drilling operations.
In states such as
New York, drilling
has been halted
completely pending
further investigation after
the discovery of cases
where people living near
natural gas shale projects
were actually able
to ignite gas in the water
running from their tap.
Philip Mitchell,
a Green Party councilor
living near
the United Kingdom project
underway in Blackpool,
has begun compiling
a petition asking for the
exploration to be stopped
until its safety
to the health of humans
and the environment
is confirmed.
Professor Kevin Anderson
of the Tyndall Center
for Climate Change
is also raising concerns
over a potential increase
in greenhouse gases
during the shale gas
extraction process,
stating, “Given that we
need to get our emissions
down very radically,
the idea of trying
to extract yet another
fossil fuel, with more
carbon emissions, is
completely at odds with
the scale of the challenge
we need to deal
with climate change.”
We appreciate
your diligence,
House of Commons
Select Committee members,
Councilor Mitchell,
Professor Anderson,
and other parties,
in prioritizing of public
and environmental health.
Let us all step toward
developing the most
sustainable forms
of energy for a verdant
British Isles
and protected world.
During a February 2008
international gathering,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
further reminded
of the need to focus
not on alternative energy,
but on the more urgently
needed adjustments
to reverse the planet's
foremost threat
of climate change.
Supreme Master Ching Hai : Everybody knows
by now, from the UN
report that meat eating,
animal raising,
it's
one of the worst factors,
or even the worst factor
of climate change.
And nobody talk about it.
OK, new energy, biofuel,
hybrid car,
compressed air car,
carbon sucking machine,
dig a hole
and store the carbon.”
As if it will not bust
one day.
And before that you have
to breathe in already,
as if will not affect you.
It's not just about dying.
It's suffering.
Mental and physical,
psychological, emotional,
before dying.
Because of all this gas,
it's already in the air.
It affects people a lot.
For the sake
of everybody's survival,
and their own children,
just replace
one piece of meat with
another piece of tofu?
Especially
even nowadays,
we have all kinds
of vegetarian meat,
it tastes so delicious.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politics/Shale-Gas-Extraction-MPs-Inquiry-Into-Controversial-Exploration-Of-Fossil-Fuel-Energy/Article/201102115925456?lpos=Politics_First_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_3&lid=ARTICLE_15925456_Shale_Gas_Extraction%3A_MPs_Inquiry_Into_Controversial_Exploration_Of_Fossil_Fuel_Energy,
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/02/01/01greenwire-ioil-and-gas-group-urges-oscar-judges-to-steer-99256.html