Analysis of Gasland and “Exposing Fracking to Sunlight” in scientific, political, social, public and individual contexts.
Scientific: To science, this is incredible. Engineers, geologists, and chemists have thought of a way to extract natural gas, in cheaper, faster and more efficient ways. It’s also incredible because with some precautions, the process has a low risk of failure and a high valued outcome. Scientifically, we, as humans, are now capable of extracting material from miles beneath us and convert it into the fastest growing energy resource in the USA, which heats 56 million residences and work-spaces, and still holds the potential for massive usage-increase. It’s a huge step forward for human exploration of geology and energy.
Political: The lack of regulation and democracy in the natural gas business creates great tension in local, and national politics. More ideas come up of cheaper, faster, and more efficient ways to acquire this energy, and more issues in the public arise, creating tension and distrust between the industry, government, and the people. The national level has set up guidelines that decrease failure risks of natural gas extraction to a minimum, with minimal costs in maintaining the regulation. However, the local, smaller governments lack the resources of fully implementing these regulations, while find it profitable to continue extraction, allowing more room for failure in the process.
Social: The fracking industry is very disruptive of the social norms in the community. From polluted air and water, to dying crops and livestock, fracking is killing off farming and environmental stability anywhere they dig. Gasland interviewed some farmers, and asked about their concerns with fracking, showing how disruptive it really can be to drill for gas. Frakcing also has the potential to disrupt communities with huge pollution, traffic and construction. It’s important to address the social consequences of farcking when making a decision.
Public: The public is mainly concerned with the pollution and normal lifestyle disruption. Gasland showed how many adjustments people have to make when fallen victim to fracking pollution, like hauling water weekly from a nearby town. The public is also concerned with regulations and governance, when not being able to speak out or heard. It is a concern that industries have exemptions in regulations and standards approved by the government.
Individual: The individual is the main victim with fracking failures and consequences. It is hard for one person to defend against the influence and power of a multi national drilling firm heavily involved in lobbying and politics. People get coerced into signing deals with the company with minimal payout, and make it impossible to resist the deals by exercising different tactics into coercing the person to comply. The individual seems to be defenseless against the industry, when the government doesn’t intervene, or looks the other way.
