Fracking frackers
FRACK!
I rarely use this oft-used geek substitute for the most pliable word in the English language, but this time it is appropriate, both as a substitute for fuck and as a verb, in this particular case.
So, I'm seeing the fallout of the well-architected anti-government movement of the 80s, 90s, and 00s. We live in a budget-crises nation, whereby states are running deficits, cutting regulation, all in a self-destructive cycle. The private sector is not holding up its end of the deal, doling out profits to shareholders rather than labour. Labour and unions are now under seige (NPR: OH restricts unions, the ongoing WI debacle, and why unions matter to Dems), which if that seige is successful will further screw the middle class out of the meagre share of profits and earnings. The Right wing in this country is both afraid of feudalism yet is doing everything in our power to return to the lassaiz-faire-driven capitalism of the colonial era, where people were fracked (I had to), the corporatocracy/religous/monarchy... you know, where there is no difference from who is in power due to money, religion, or politics? Instead, you collapse all that power into the king and call it good.
Now, we come to fracking, a controversial practise that systematically fucks us socially and environmentally, but is great for the other bottom line of profit. Republicans can rejoice, because all those energy companies can now get rich in PA and the 'heartland' (real America, where there are no pesky liberals to care about health issues of the public). Global warming ensues, but we have a domestic source of energy. Trade-offs only apparent in the fossil fuel industry... when you're dealing with renewables and biofuels, the problems are different, but not at this scale nor magnitude.
Some of the things brought up in this article byt he NY Times are chilling:
In Texas, which now has about 93,000 natural-gas wells, up from around 58,000 a dozen years ago, a hospital system in six counties with some of the heaviest drilling said in 2010 that it found a 25 percent asthma rate for young children, more than three times the state rate of about 7 percent.
"It's ruining us," said Kelly Gant, whose 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son have experienced severe asthma attacks, dizzy spells and headaches since a compressor station and a gas well were set up about two years ago near her house in Bartonville, Tex. The industry and state regulators have said it is not clear what role the gas industry has played in causing such problems, since the area has had high air pollution for a while.
"I'm not an activist, an alarmist, a Democrat [goth forbid!], environmentalist or anything like that,"Ms. Gant said. "I'm just a person who isn't able to manage the health of my family because of all this drilling".... [translation: I'm not a consistent, douchebag, liberal who cares about all people, I'm a narrow-minded conservative who just cares about my family. Your family, on the other hand, can fuck off and die, as long as we have jobs in Texas.]...
More than 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater was produced by Pennsylvania wells over the past three years, far more than has been previously disclosed. Most of this water -- enough to cover Manhattan in three inches -- was sent to treatment plants not equipped to remove many of the toxic materials in drilling waste.
At least 12 sewage treatment plants in three states accepted gas industry wastewater and discharged waste that was only partly treated into rivers, lakes and streams.
Of more than 179 wells producing wastewater with high levels of radiation, at least 116 reported levels of radium or other radioactive materials 100 times as high as the levels set by federal drinking-water standards. At least 15 wells produced wastewater carrying more than 1,000 times the amount of radioactive elements considered acceptable.
So, my friend, mission accomplished. A reduction in regulation and states' budgets means that the people have no government-sponsored overseers of industry. Industry is charged with self-policing (basically diverting funds into looking into ways to reduce its profit margin... hrm, I wonder why that never works out), and when it all comes out in the wash, executive and shareholder profits reign supreme and the health of the people and environment in and around the industry are all suffering for it. [sarcasm] But, shit, man, we have like 300,000$ of profit for 2 years! [/sarcasm] Now, we will end up with radioactive water, corroded power plants (some nuclear, the BASTION of safety is a corroded nuclear power plant!), and flammable kitchen sinks! All for a bit of profit and a lack of vision for a sustainable future.
Congratulations, PA! I'm hoping this works out for you. Somehow, it seems it won't, though.
Now, can someone tell me what is so horrible about renewables again?
I rarely use this oft-used geek substitute for the most pliable word in the English language, but this time it is appropriate, both as a substitute for fuck and as a verb, in this particular case.
So, I'm seeing the fallout of the well-architected anti-government movement of the 80s, 90s, and 00s. We live in a budget-crises nation, whereby states are running deficits, cutting regulation, all in a self-destructive cycle. The private sector is not holding up its end of the deal, doling out profits to shareholders rather than labour. Labour and unions are now under seige (NPR: OH restricts unions, the ongoing WI debacle, and why unions matter to Dems), which if that seige is successful will further screw the middle class out of the meagre share of profits and earnings. The Right wing in this country is both afraid of feudalism yet is doing everything in our power to return to the lassaiz-faire-driven capitalism of the colonial era, where people were fracked (I had to), the corporatocracy/religous/monarchy... you know, where there is no difference from who is in power due to money, religion, or politics? Instead, you collapse all that power into the king and call it good.
Now, we come to fracking, a controversial practise that systematically fucks us socially and environmentally, but is great for the other bottom line of profit. Republicans can rejoice, because all those energy companies can now get rich in PA and the 'heartland' (real America, where there are no pesky liberals to care about health issues of the public). Global warming ensues, but we have a domestic source of energy. Trade-offs only apparent in the fossil fuel industry... when you're dealing with renewables and biofuels, the problems are different, but not at this scale nor magnitude.
Some of the things brought up in this article byt he NY Times are chilling:
In Texas, which now has about 93,000 natural-gas wells, up from around 58,000 a dozen years ago, a hospital system in six counties with some of the heaviest drilling said in 2010 that it found a 25 percent asthma rate for young children, more than three times the state rate of about 7 percent.
"It's ruining us," said Kelly Gant, whose 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son have experienced severe asthma attacks, dizzy spells and headaches since a compressor station and a gas well were set up about two years ago near her house in Bartonville, Tex. The industry and state regulators have said it is not clear what role the gas industry has played in causing such problems, since the area has had high air pollution for a while.
"I'm not an activist, an alarmist, a Democrat [goth forbid!], environmentalist or anything like that,"Ms. Gant said. "I'm just a person who isn't able to manage the health of my family because of all this drilling".... [translation: I'm not a consistent, douchebag, liberal who cares about all people, I'm a narrow-minded conservative who just cares about my family. Your family, on the other hand, can fuck off and die, as long as we have jobs in Texas.]...
More than 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater was produced by Pennsylvania wells over the past three years, far more than has been previously disclosed. Most of this water -- enough to cover Manhattan in three inches -- was sent to treatment plants not equipped to remove many of the toxic materials in drilling waste.
At least 12 sewage treatment plants in three states accepted gas industry wastewater and discharged waste that was only partly treated into rivers, lakes and streams.
Of more than 179 wells producing wastewater with high levels of radiation, at least 116 reported levels of radium or other radioactive materials 100 times as high as the levels set by federal drinking-water standards. At least 15 wells produced wastewater carrying more than 1,000 times the amount of radioactive elements considered acceptable.
So, my friend, mission accomplished. A reduction in regulation and states' budgets means that the people have no government-sponsored overseers of industry. Industry is charged with self-policing (basically diverting funds into looking into ways to reduce its profit margin... hrm, I wonder why that never works out), and when it all comes out in the wash, executive and shareholder profits reign supreme and the health of the people and environment in and around the industry are all suffering for it. [sarcasm] But, shit, man, we have like 300,000$ of profit for 2 years! [/sarcasm] Now, we will end up with radioactive water, corroded power plants (some nuclear, the BASTION of safety is a corroded nuclear power plant!), and flammable kitchen sinks! All for a bit of profit and a lack of vision for a sustainable future.
Congratulations, PA! I'm hoping this works out for you. Somehow, it seems it won't, though.
Now, can someone tell me what is so horrible about renewables again?