Fracking the World for Natural Gas

Water pollution from natural gas mining (fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing) destroying rural deep well water sources, thanks to our legislators and large oil and gas companies. But it doesn't affect those of us in urban environments directly, yet.

I still don't think the EPA is much more than an ineffective lapdog for those companies with enough resources to staff the agency with their own former employees. Who with any sense really thinks that the EPA, and other similar government agencies, have the best interests of the People in mind before the profits of companies like Halliburton.

The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown.

http://gaslandthemovie.com/

Since everyone wants to keep consuming energy at a massive rate (your recycling bin on the curb doesn't make up for this), we have to hope our country can create new legislation to make a difference. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 let large natural gas mining companies off the hook from polluting the air and water.

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-environmental-news/environmental-problems-and-policies/dish-mayor-states-air-monitor-gives-false-readings/

Natural gas mining companies like Encana are raping the land and destroying the ability to drink well water to such a devastating point that the water will never be drinkable in the lifetime of current or future residents. The industry lobbies heavily against any legislation that keeps them in check. Do your part, contact your representative and voice your opposition to this continued destruction. If allowed to continue, larger cities may be the next to fail to meet their water needs. Imagine the New York metro unable to provide drinkable water to it's residents...

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/04/fracking.html

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fracking

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104565793

Foodie: Will Hunt for Food - Texas Parks and Wildlife

Marshall Wright on eating locally.

An Austin foodie explores hunting for the first time as the ultimate way to eat local food. For more on hunting in Texas, see http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/. Follow Marshall's blog at http://www.eatthislens.com/

Potential Rise in Sea Level from Melting Ice Caps

I had a challenging equation I needed to sort out in a recent math class. I was tasked with estimating how much the sea level might rise if either the Arctic or Antarctic ice caps were to completely melt. I started to do the math, not thinking about the end result immediately. Once I had finished, the numbers were startling. I then realized that I live in a location that would be about only half as close to sea level if such an event occurred.


I should also add that I am not sold on the idea of global warming at it's face value, only certain aspects of it.

Let's do the math.

The average radius of the earth is 3,960 miles. We find the surface area of Earth using the formula 4πr2. The result is ~197,054,985 sq. mi.

Since 71% of Earth's surface is water, that would be ~139,909,039 sq. mi.

To approximate the potential rise in sea level, we divide the total volume of ice cap (~680,000 cu. mi.) by the surface area of the oceans (~ 139,909,039 sq. mi.), which gives us a potential rise of ~28.29 ft. in sea level.

The impact of this rise in sea level would overtake all existing coastline and create new coasts where the land currently resides around 25 ft. above sea level. Looking at topographical maps of Boston, New Orleans and San Diego, I am certain that these cities would be forever changed by an event such as this. In places like Florida where much of the land is relatively close to sea level, the impact could be massive. In other locations like the American West coast, the less land might be claimed by the sea.

If the Antarctic ice cap were to melt as well, it could have a much greater impact. To approximate the potential rise in sea level, we divide the total volume of ice cap (~6,300,000 cu. mi.) by the surface area of the oceans (~ 139,909,039 sq. mi.), which gives us a potential rise of ~237.75 ft. in sea level.