A few years ago it seemed the U.S. was past its peak of natural gas production. Until the fossil fuel industry developed what they're calling "Hydraulic Fracturing" or Frakking. Which just gets us Battlestar Galactica fans giggling. But let's not go there and stay focused on the story. A recent movie, Gasland, has come out really slamming the "Hydraulic Fracturing" process, showing the poisoning of the environment, showing people who can set their tap water on fire, etc. Yup, able to set their tap water on fire. What's in that water for it to be flammable, and how can the tap water possibly be safe? Why wouldn't the EPA be leaning on the municipal water systems in question?
In any case an interview by RFK Jr of Gasland's director, Josh Fox, is claiming that the fossil fuel industry is working the system to keep his movie from being aired, and in every way keeping it out of the public eye. The implication is the fossil fuel industry wants to keep us as sheep, thinking that natural gas is cleaner, that every thing is fine, nothing to worry about, and they don't want this movie disturbing the serenity of current state of affairs.
As an incumbent industry the fossil fuel providers have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure they are free to sell their product to the population. There's laws saying that business leaders are responsible to share-holders to maintain the health of the business, keep it growing, keep the share price in upward motion, and so on. That may well mean that the fossil fuel industry is using their money to create clout to preserve the status quo where we continue using their product. Even though that product is demonstrably poisonous in all ways.
No comments:
Post a Comment