Exploiting the Earth: The Impacts of Fracking

What is Fracking? You may have never heard the term before, so in short, it is a modern-day technique to extract natural gas and oil from deep within the Earth's Crust. However, there are some potentially harmful effects that this method can have (and already has had) on ecosystems. In today's article, the benefits of Fracking will be weighed against its drawbacks, and a conclusion as to whether it is a safe form of natural resource extraction will drawn.

To understand the pros and cons of Fracking, one must first understand what it is and how it works. Fracking is a method through which natural resources can be drawn up out of the ground. First, high-pressure water is used to drill into the earth to release the gas inside. Once that is done, water, sand, and various chemicals are injected into the rock, which allows for the gas to flow out to be collected at the surface. Simple, isn't it?

Now that you have a general idea of what Fracking is, lets talk about the pros and cons. Fracking is an efficient, cost-effective methods of gas/ oil extraction. However, it uses harmful chemicals to make sure the rocks in the earth's Crust do not contaminate the natural gas. Additionally, it has great benefits for the economy, lowering gas prices and increasing energy security. But, all this prosperity for humans comes with a price. Fracking disrupts surrounding environments and pollutes ground water.

Living in a bustling city often means that we are disconnected from nature. With cars, sirens, people, and tall buildings, we as humans have for the most part, separated ourselves from animals. In many ways, this is a good thing. A thing that has allowed us to achieve great innovation (including Fracking). However, this also means that we hardly care about anyone other that ourselves, especially when it comes to wild animals and the environment. Fracking leaves behind a plethora of chemicals and biproducts in the caverns it creates underground. In many cases, these "leftovers" have been proven to be harmful to surrounding environments. For example, endangered species like condors, kit foxes, and leopard lizards live in areas where Fracking is going to expand. With all the research that has been collected on the harmful nature of this process, there animals face immanent danger from direct and indirect harm. The chemicals used seep into the surround environment, affecting plants and animals alike. And for already endangered species, survival becomes all the more difficult. This is a common occurrence. Humans interfere with a stable, booming ecosystem and drain it of all its resources, leaving behind a waste land for all who continue to inhabit it. However, the chemicals that Fracking leaves behind to disrupt environments, is only half the problem. The chemicals are a slow, gradually increasing issue to affected environments, meaning they take a long time to reach full effect and cripple an environment. Fracking uses billions of dollars in industrial development, including multi-well pads and lots of truck traffic. While Fracking may say it reduces air pollution and carbon emissions, the infrastructure needed to uphold these claims offsets all benefits, leaving only the harmful effects to be seen.

Not only does Fracking disrupt and destabilize ecosystems, it affects ground water, which further endangers wildlife, but also harms humans as well. The chemical residue that is left by Fracking can seep into the ground water, which can eventually make its way into water at the surface. Yes, the same water you and I drink. The same water animals consume from rivers, lakes, ponds, etc. While the effects of Fracking affect our drinking water less because of how far away from civilization it happens, the same is not true for wildlife and those types of environments. Out in the wild, there are no water treatment plants, no sanitization. The water they consume is untreated. In normal conditions, this is not a problem, but when humans come along with methods like Fracking that release harmful chemicals into that water, it has adverse effects on the surrounding environments, creating an additional, foreign pressure that wildlife cannot adapt to quickly. Water, in many aspects, is a big problem. From water conservation to water contamination, it is a worsening issue that needs to be solved. Fracking only adds to this problem, making it harder to find an viable solution to make sure we have a brighter future.

At the end of the day, while Fracking does have its benefits, the cons greatly outweigh the pros. Like most big business, the oil and natural gas industries are too powerful to be adequately regulated and scrutinized by third-party organizations. The environmental impacts Fracking is an ever growing issue, one that threatens biodiversity and water conservation. If nothing is done soon to regulate these industries, there will be drastic impacts on both wildlife and humans. However, there is some hope, some light at the end of the tunnel if you will. With the growing push for renewable energy sources, methods like Fracking will soon become obsolete due to greater consumer interest in renewable energy forms like solar power and electric cars. Furthermore, it is much more likely that oil and natural gas will be completely used up by the time the world goes fully renewable. Fracking is a major problem that is making billions by exploiting environments around the world, and while it may not have a tangible effect on local communities, it is something to be aware of, so that you may make better decisions later to ensure the continuity of our world.