Kindly let me remind you that as
earthlings it is still very much our duty to keep the natural environment clean
and balanced, sustainably, much more so now than ever! Much more so because the
things we do to aggravate the deterioration of the environment is escalatory.
It is escalatory because philosophically some scientists believe that it is not
the activities of humans that are causing global warming, but rather what is
happening to the environment is cyclical- mass extinction or so. It is argued
that contribution to global warming through human activities is minimal. This
position has the support of some transnationals who gain from the fossil fuel
and related businesses. It is not only some transnationals who support this
position, some politicians do too. This position encourages many people to do
things that escalate the degradation. Some transition to renewables is ongoing
though, but it does not come anywhere near the rate of degradation.
Deteriorations going on in the
natural environment are at record highs. For example, 2014 went down in history
as the hottest year, perhaps ever. Then, immediately, the following year, 2015
was recorded as being even hotter. There is the problem of acidification of the
oceans. We have acid rain too. Forests are yielding place to urbanization. When
forest like rain forests yield place to urbanization, it means loss of species
and ecosystems. Loss of ecosystems results in disruption of the food chain. A
bacteria that is supposed to turn nitrogen into nitrate or ammonia for plants
to use cannot do that job when taken out of the food chain because of urbanization
of the rain forest, and such a plant losing
such important nutrient it needs stops growing. Looking at it another way, as
humans we need nitrogen to sustain our DNA and we get them from plants so the
plants not getting their nitrogen means we are also going to be deficient in
that nutrient. Here we see a dominoes effect. Accelerative degradation is
taking place on all fronts- land, air and water. The root of all that may be
population explosion which is putting pressure on natural resources, more so
because we are not generating the requisite policies and attitudes to manage
both population and natural resources, sustainably and in a balanced way.
FRACKING TOO
Let us come to fracking also
known as hydraulic fracturing or high volume hydraulic fracturing, another tool
created by man intended to extract resources from Earth for their consumption,
but it too is contributing to the deteriorating of the natural environment. Fracking or Hydraulic fracturing is a means by
which the earth is drilled into to reach shale rock containing oil and natural
gas. Water, sand and chemicals are released into the rock at high pressure to allow
the flow of gas out of the rock to the top of the well, which has been created
by the drilling. When the mixture of sand, water and chemicals are injected
into the rock the rock cracks to release the gas. Fresh water injected into the
well through drilling flows back after use as waste water. This methodology is
being used in the United States of America and Canada among others. As of
December, 2015, fracking was at exploratory phase in the United Kingdom.
Some things fracking does to add
to the deterioration of the environment are follows:
EARTH
TREMOR
Fracking causes and increases the
occurrence of earth tremors resulting in damage to properties. Tremors are
linked to fluid injection into wells. In 2011 test fracking near Blackpool in
Lancashire (UK) stopped when two earthquakes struck.
WATER
POLLUTION
Fracking results in pollution of
groundwater and environment. The chemicals used in fracking seep into
groundwater. Stray natural gas and spilled brine for example, are known to
pollute ground water. In Pennsylvania, USA, groundwater contamination is linked
to fracking. Waste water that flow back in the cause of fracking contain
contaminants like chloride, bromide salt, heavy metals and chemical additives.
The waste water is treated to varying degrees to remove the contaminants before
the water is released into the environment or reused. The issue is how much toxic matter is still
left in the water?
AIR
POLLUTION
Emission of methane, a greenhouse
gas, results from fracking. Methane escapes from the well, particularly older
wells. Other emissions too occur through the use of extraction equipment.
Methane is a more difficult gas to handle as a greenhouse gas- more difficult
than carbon dioxide.
LAND
Construction of well pad and
support system damages landscape and for that matter the fauna it supports. 8.9
acres of land is needed for the installation a surface structure for one drill
pad.
NOISE
Noise generated by fracking is a
cause for worry. A well pad of ten wells, during its preparatory and fracturing
period takes 800 to 2500 days of noisy activities, upsetting human and animal
life patterns.
SUMMARY
- As citizens of planet Earth we have the responsibility to keep the natural environment clean and balanced, sustainably.
- The degradation of the natural environment is escalatory, and it is happening on all fronts- air, water and land.
- Fracking is another means by which the natural environment is being degraded.
PARTING SHOT
That there is a school of thought
who are of the opinion that what is happening to the natural environment is not
due to human activities should not catch you off balance. Stand up and fight
against fracking that causes damage to the natural environment!
Natural Environment! ......... Clean and Balanced!
Reference:
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