The Unfortunate Invention of Fracking

Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as fracking, refers to the process of injecting fracking fluid, water, soil and chemicals into the ground to extract oil and natural gas. With the use of hydraulics, the shale rock bed begins to crack. From there, many chemicals are pumped into the ground. Although many benefits can come out of this, there are many negative, life changing effects. Fracking should not seen as a revolutionary discovery but instead seen as an unnatural, harmful procedure.

Fig. 1. This is the illustration that shows the hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, process (How 1).

The process of fracking, in general, can be very harmful to the environment. Shale is a very fine-grain rock composed mostly of mud but also has some other sediments in it as well (ENERGY 20). An engineer wrote about the hazard of drilling into shale: “This is why shale gas is hard to get at. It's locked into hard rock under immense pressure, often deeper than conventional gas wells. Even if you drill into shale, the rock holds onto the deposits so tightly that it won't flow - hence its other name, 'tight gas'” (ENERGY 20). This means that, from the start of the process, it is not easy. The only way to get through the shale is to crack it. This can lead to a major concern: earthquakes. There are studies that connect hydraulic fracturing to earthquake growth in the United States:

A study headed by William Ellsworth of the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo

Park, Calif., documents a dramatic increase in earthquakes in the Midwest coinciding with the start of the fracking boom. From 1970 to 2000, the region experienced about 20 quakes per year measuring at or above magnitude 3.0. Between 2001 and 2008, there were 29 such quakes per year. Then there were 50 in 2009, 87 in 2010 and 134 in 2011. (Ehrenburg 20)

Seeing as fracking makes the land unstable, this idea makes perfect sense. Earthquakes can cause large amounts of damage worth millions of dollars to repair. Looking at this, you are actually losing money in the long run and also losing stable land. Therefore, fracking causes more harm than benefits in the long run. It is hard to tell if the earthquakes are directly related to fracking, but evidence has shown hydraulic fracturing is most likely related to the increase in earthquakes.

There is, surprisingly, something even worse than the possibility of fracking causing earthquakes. At the end of the process, the fracking fluid is pumped back into the ground and sealed with concrete. Unfortunately, the chemicals do not always stay where it is supposed to. These chemicals can get into drinking water and contaminate it, making it toxic.  According to the article “Drill, Maybe Drill?“ by Alex Halperin, these chemicals can have very harmful affects on people: “The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX) obtained data on 246 products used in natural-gas production in Colorado and found that more than 40 percent contain chemicals that disrupt hormonal processes” (16). Another thing to think about is the fact that contaminated water is almost impossible to clean. Some of the chemicals are not even able to be removed from the water. Even the chemicals that can be remove are extremely hard to get out of water. Since water flows, it is hard to contain chemicals enough to remove them. The contaminated water is not able to be drank, used for bathing, or used to wash appliances. If this was to happen to a place where someone is living, it would be very hard for them to sell their house and move to a new location that has not been contaminated. This is because no one will want to buy a home where they are not able to drink, bathe, or wash items in the water. A curiosity is how harmful these chemicals can truly be. Although contaminated drinking water is a serious problem, the effects get worse. Rachel Ehrenberg, the writer of “The Facts Behind the Frack” mentioned the effects of chemicals within fracturing fluid:

As the gas comes out of a fracked well, a lot of this fluid comes back as

waste. Until recently, many companies wouldn't reveal the exact chemical recipes of their fluids, citing trade secrets. A report released in April 2011 by the House Energy and Commerce Committee did provide some chemical data: From 2005 to 2009, 14 major gas and oil companies used 750 different chemicals in their fracking fluids. Twenty-five of these chemicals are listed as hazardous pollutants under the Clean Air Act, nine are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and 14 are known or possible human carcinogens, including naphthalene and benzene. (20)

Something to keep in mind is that Hydraulic Fracturing is exempt from the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. This is a long list of very important laws that Hydraulic Fracturing is exempt from. This raises suspicion of what is happening in the fracking process that citizens do not even know, as well as possible effects of fracking that might not have been released to the public. There is fear in the lack of knowledge on this topic. Joyce Stone, a clean water advocate, realized the dangerous effects of fracking after working so hard to keep water clean:

‘The whole thing is unreal,’ she explained. ‘I've worked since I was twenty

to try to get clean water and clean air. So many people have. We've made such huge strides. Back in Connecticut, where I'm from, so many rivers have been cleaned up. And Pennsylvania. And it's like the gas industry is just exempt from everything. They are reversing everything and poisoning the rivers that have been so clean now for forty years.’ (Federman 34)

Sadly, contaminated water from fracking is not a foreign thing to people. There are many towns out there that have contaminated water. As stated before, it is extremely hard to remove chemicals from water. The irresponsibility of the drillers is unexplainable.

Contaminated water isn’t the only harmful effect to humans. There are also problems that are created from the tanks holding the fracking fluid as well as other chemicals. These fumes can lead to respiratory problems. Carter, whose water had been contaminated due to fracking, reported back on the effects of both the contaminated water and air:

The water in it is too poisonous for drinking, cooking, or bathing. The oil

company also built a storage tank about 100 meters (330 feet) from his

home. The tank holds chemicals that are by-products of drilling, and area residents say it is venting fumes into the air day and night. Carter and his wife now have respiratory problems. ‘We'll have guests out here on the porch, but most people can't take it,’ he says. ‘Their eyes get watery, throats gets scratchy. One young lady had to leave. She couldn't breathe with all the fumes.’ (Kors 10)

These effects are long lasting. They can’t be taken care of within a couple weeks. If these chemicals get in the water, it will stay there and effect the living environment of both people and animals. The storage tanks from the chemicals are just as hazardous, if not worse.

Some people like to argue that fracking contributes to so many benefits including a drastic decrease gas prices. This may be true; however, the cost for the fracking process is much more, especially with the hazards it causes. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to remove methane, found in fracturing fluid, from well water, at least $193,000 for replacement water, and about $6 billion dollars if water is contaminated in a large city. On top of contaminated water expenses, there are medical issue costs as well. Silicosis, caused by fracking, has imposed $50 million medical care costs in the United States in 2007. For an example of health issues from fracking, air pollution from gas drilling in Arkansas region imposed public health costs of more than $10 million in 2008. There are also cases of headaches, eye irritation, respiratory problems and nausea which adds on to the expenses (Report).

With all these effect, there are also social effects that come with it. Due to the toxins released into the drinking water and atmosphere, there have been devastating effects on the environment. These contribute to effects on business income. With the death of animals, taxidermies lose profit because of less animals to hunt. Wildlife watching industries lose money because there are less animals to view (Report).

As all of these expenses and hazards add up, it is easy to see that fracking does more harm than good. Fracking might have been a good idea at the beginning, but looking at the effects, it is clear to see Hydraulic Fracturing needs to come to an end. If it does not, earthquakes, contaminated water, and health issues will become an epidemic within the United States.

Drop Out

I get it. Life can be hard. "It's hard to make the right choice when you're sixteen and know everything," a parent told me once. She was obviously joking, but how much truth is within that? When you are my age, you think you know everything. The world is your oyster and you can choose what you want with it! That's what I have been told at least. Unfortunately, many people at sixteen years of age don't realize how much is resting on their shoulders. Every little move effects the outcome of their future.

The steps are quite simple: kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school. It is no wonder that by the time people hit high school they want out. Some people even decide to drop out before they even graduate. But, do they realize what they are doing with their lives when they do this?

 

This picture is one of my favorites. You never know how close you are to your goals, so never give up. When you are in High School, you don't realize how close you are to the end. You think "man, I have been in school forever," not "man, I'm almost done with school forever!"

A friend recently informed me she wants to drop out of High School. Seeing as I play a big role in her life, she wanted to know what I would do/ think if she decided to drop out. I honestly answered that I would be upset. I informed her how hard it is to get a well paying job without a diploma. Her and I had discussed in the past the fact she didn't want to go to college. After a long conversation, I accepted the fact. I knew she would have less job options, but I didn't lose hope in her. It was hard to see her go through this after years of depression. I knew the lack of motivation was definitely not helping the cause. 

Dropping out of High School is not something I can be persuaded into being okay with. It is a touchy subject with me seeing as I am a devoted child to school. But, as I have said before, It is hard to make the right choice when you're sixteen and know everything. I suggested a mentor to her; she shot me down with a shrug of her shoulders. I stated, "Do you realize how close you are to being done?!" It broke my heart when she said, "I'm not even close to being done." The words burned through my mind like hot coals on smooth skin. I began to tear up. 

The world is a hard place, but it only gets harder when you give up. The dreams you started working so hard for become nothing but wasted memories. Working eleven years toward graduating with it right at the tip of your fingers and then letting it slip away is probably the biggest waste of time ever. The thing you worked so hard for, so you could create a better life for yourself and your future family, you are letting fly away in the breeze like it meant nothing.

Honestly? I need advice. I need to keep my friend in school. If anyone out there has a few words of wisdom, please let me know. Keep the education flowing!

Why I am who I am

I am half French Canadian, a quarter Irish and a quarter German. This, on the other hand, does not define me. Sydney Marie Vernier has not been created by my ancestors. I have, through my family and experiences, created who I am today ;  in other words, I have been created over time. Let me try to explain myself. Literally. I started creating myself when I hit middle school. When I was little, I used to play in the yard and play with all the animals and bugs I found, but this hasn’t made me who I am today. I have always been a hard worker and devoted learner; in spite of this fact, I never really started learning until my time in middle school. I do not mean academically; I mean learning how to live. My parents used to be madly in love. This, unfortunately, started to fade when I turned about ten. First, It started with arguments.  They were loud! The house would quake under the roaring of my mother’s and father’s voices. I would sit in my room, listening to the rumble of arguments. I taught myself to self sooth. I would exercise, listen to music and keep myself busy to try and ease my worried mind. Next, came the backstabbing. My mom would come to my sisters and me and talk bad about my dad, and my dad would do the same thing as my mom.I knew it was none of my business.  I kept my mouth shut. I had become the adult, and my parents had become the children. It was terrifying. By the age of twelve, I had to grow up. My mom would bicker about my dad for a couple minutes just to vent off her anger from the argument; similarly, my dad would do the same. I used to cry a lot, so I quickly had to learn to hold back the tears and be strong. It just got worse, though. At the end, there was a divorce. I saw the divorce coming for years, so it didn’t shock me. The thing that shocked me, and affected me the most, was the fact my dad was moving so far away. Guam. The word echoed through my mind as tears rolled down my face. I didn’t know where it was. All I knew is it was far away. The distances of 7,342 miles was heart breaking. Also, to add to the pain, I wasn’t allowed to go to Guam. For legal reasons, I wouldn’t be able to go to Guam until I turned 18, which was a ways off. My dad reassured me I would be okay without him. He had taught me so much before he left: how to do the dishes, do the laundry, cook, and wake myself up for school. I was practically on my own. With my mom working all the time, I knew I had to fend for myself. I learned to take care of myself and not to take anything for granted. I didn’t realize, until he moved, how privileged I was to be able to see my father every day and be able to actually spend time with him. I got a reminder of this fact again when my aunt passed away. I was grieving over her death for many months. At the same time I was grieving, I got a wake up call. My dad had a collapsed lung. In the process of them fixing this, they had found cancer. My father had stage four lung cancer, which is very serious. Nevertheless, I kept my hopes high. Instead of falling into a deep depression, I pushed away my sorrow and looked on the bright side. It is hard to see the bright side when someone you hold close to your heart has cancer, but I didn’t let the sorrow stand in my way. I began to help people. I looked past my own problems and selfishness and began using my experience to my benefit. I raised money between my friends and me to send to my dad. The medical bills when you have cancer are very high. We raised a small amount of $147 dollars. It was a start. I didn’t only work to help my dad; I wanted to help everyone. I began being someone anyone could turn to. I didn’t judge the pain people felt, whether it was big or small. I counseled people I barely even knew and tried to understand everyone. It discouraged my sorrow and encouraged my happiness. It was something that made me realize I have life pretty good. Sure, my life isn’t perfect, but it could be a lot worse. My self-esteem, unfortunately, was not something easily fixed. When my father moved, I found myself trying to fill a hole in my heart that he left behind. I turned to trying to find the perfect boyfriend. It is a weird concept and many people look at me weird when I tell him this, yet, in all honesty, I was looking for a manly figure in my life. I fell into the arms of boys. I trusted easily because I wanted someone to understand what I was going through. I no longer wanted to have to self soothe. I wanted someone to comfort me and tell me everything would be all right. This only caused me to hurt more. Many people broke my trust before I learned to choose who I trust wisely. I had been emotionally and physically abused by boyfriends who “cared” about me. I have been pushed into a wall and been put down, adding to my insecurities. I built up walls and hid behind them so no one could hurt me. I tried to be invisible. I didn’t understand at the time that not everyone can be trusted. But, man, do I know now. Through all the pain and sorrow, I began to grow stronger. I found someone I could trust and began to tell him everything, good and bad. I met him at a memorial service. He had gotten my number from my friend and right off the bat said he would be there for me. I started with just turning to him with small things. He gave me comfort and made me laugh away the pain. He brought the hope back into my eyes. Days began to look brighter and my confidence began to build. He convinced me that anything was possible if I worked for it. I began striving to increase my grades, which had been slipping during the divorce and my downhill spiral.  I got more lively and always had a smile on my face. He would make up small competitions, like who could draw a better picture and who could get more blog views. He pushed me to become the best I could be; I couldn’t be more thankful. Over the years, I have been through a lot. It has been a whirlwind of emotions with lots of tears and pain, but it also has been a lot of laughs and good memories. I know my life hasn’t been perfect; however, I wouldn’t change it for the world. What I have been through has made me who I am today, and I wouldn’t ever want to change who I have become.