I watched Gasland last weekend and wow, was it eye-opening. The documentary, which is currently airing on HBO and On Demand (as well as at private screenings across the country), is about a natural gas drilling process called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking."
Even if you don't know much about Gasland or the topic that it covers, you may have seen a clip from it, circulating on the web, where a guy lights his water on fire. Yes, drinking water. From his faucet.
Natural gas, hailed as the cleanest-burning of all fossil fuels, once seemed to be our country's answer to oil dependence and the obvious dangers of offshore drilling. But, as Gasland so visibly points out, the process of extracting this natural gas from its underground shales (using high-pressure water, sand, and a mixture of chemicals) may not be as safe and fool-proof as energy companies and even government regulators have stated.
The drilling companies in the movie are quick to point out there's no proof that the water and air pollution problems -- as suggested by sick farm animals losing their hair, contaminated water wells, dead animals and fish in local waterways, and cases of mysterious illnesses and cancers in people who live near drilling sites around the country -- are related to their work in these towns. But, say the citizens who have been affected, there's no proof that they're not, either.
This is a big deal right now in New York City right now, because the area upstate where our drinking water comes from is under consideration for natural gas drilling, and lots of it. Some in the State Assembly and Senate are fighting for a moratorium that would delay drilling until the process -- and its consequences -- can be studied more closely.
New Technology, Same Old Problems
A friend of mine who runs a non-profit theater group recently joined the fight by producing and directing a play about this topic. The play, which opened last night, was adapted from an old Norwegian play called "An Enemy of the People."
My friend's play, called "Fracturing," is set in present-day upstate New York. The main character, a scientist, discovers fracking-related pollution of the city's well water, and warns about the potential contamination of the nearby reservoir that provides drinking water for all of New York City. The local government tries to suppress her. Scary stuff.
The original, written in 1882, was about a scientist who discovers that waste products from a local tannery are polluting the prized hot springs. Instead of being lauded for his findings, he is pitted against the local government and landowners who depend financially on the tannery, and is ostracized for trying to bring down the business.
I was really fascinated (after reading "Enemy's" Wikipedia entry) by how the basic themes of the original play still rang true today. Because today's energy companies lease private land for their natural gas drills, some officials, and citizens, are undoubtedly in support of the practice -- and the money it puts in their pockets.
Similar debates are going on in the Gulf today, with a recently overturned moratorium on offshore drilling that could offer protection against further accidents but would hurt the region economically. And now these types of questions are plaguing New York ... and its drinking water.
A National Issue - and What You Can Do
This is not just a New York issue, however. Natural gas drilling is going on all over the country, and so is the fight to stop it -- or at least to put a hold on it until we know more about it. On Gasland's website you can read more about movements all around the country and find out how you can get involved, whether it's writing a senator, hosting screenings in your area, or sharing your own stories.
(To be fair, you can also read the other side's argument on this site created by America's gas and oil companies.)
Yes, we need energy, and yes, it has to come from somewhere. (Solar? Hydro? Wind?!?) But the more we learn about natural gas drilling, the less it seems like a solution ... and the more it seems like another potential crisis waiting to happen.
Watch the movie for yourself, read up on the issue, and tell us what you think!
Amanda MacMillan is Whole Living's web editor. The play "Fracturing" runs through July 18 in New York City. The performance on Tuesday, July 13th will feature a post-show sustainability performance by the Lower East Side Ecology Center's Tara DePorte.
