Add Quakes to Rumblings Over Gas Rush

By: Henry Fountain

Published: New York Edition (December 12, 2011)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/science/some-blame-hydraulic-fracturing-for-earthquake-epidemic.html?_r=1&ref=science

Rust Belt City in Youngstown, Ohio has not experienced an earthquake since the 18th century. The city has a title of seismically inactive area. The Ohioans have experienced 9 quakes in the past 8 months. Seismologists have came to a conclusion that the epicenter of these quakes happens to be a 9,000 feet well in the industrial lot of the Mahoning River.At the well, a local company has been disposing of brine and other liquids from natural gas wells across the border in Pennsylvania in a process known as hydraulic fracturing. The process takes out gas from shale rock. "Fracking" is a developing process that is being disputed by many environmentalists for the fact that it is responsible for air and water pollution in the area. Scientists and government officials are not convinced that fracking is the only trigger for the incline in earthquakes but the opinion varies. Not much action has been taken place but a potential link caused Arkansas to shutdown a disposal well and create a 1,100 square mile boundary around the area of where disposal wells are forbidden.

Fracking is not a quite a global topic at the mean time and with new problems occurring, fracking might be a failed attempt at a better and healthier solution for obtaining fossil fuels. Government officials have been searching for a transition into a healthier solution of obtaining fossil fuels but also keep in mind financial deficit. As we learned from evidence of others in the documentary about fracking we are currently watching in class, fracking is not the alternative most Americans are looking for. Personally I do not have an opinion on the topic because I do not know all the facts, but I do think that fracking will not become the US's scape code to global concerns amongst the go-green effort.

Is fracking ultimately a healthier solution to obtaining fossil fuels?

Does fracking have a predominant future?

What are PA's specific laws in dealing with fracking?

Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination

http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/partners/10.htm
-This picture shows what a typical drilling site looks like.
- Federal environmental officials have found a link to underground water to hydraulic fracturing. This concludes that most of the contaminants in the local underground water came from drilling for natural gas. The EPA was then called in to have their input on the situation. They came out with a statement stating that the contamination "had most likely seeped up from gas wells and contained at least 10 compounds known to be used in frack fluids."  Before this was discovered, most people said that it wasn't true, now that it is known that fracking can contaminate underground water, this issue could change a lot of different states' opinions on whether they should frack or not.
-Even though fracking can contaminate our underground water, we need to do it since we are running low on fossil fuels. My dad is in this hunting club upstate and there is going to be drilling on that property. A lot of people might not like it, but once the drillers come to them and ask to drill their land, they're not going to say no since people are getting a lot of money to have them drill on their property. Besides, there are tests that can be done to get contaminates out.

-Is there a way to prevent the underground water from seeping into the gas wells?
-Could the drillers be more careful when fracking?
-Would this ultimately change the states' opinions on fracking?

Solar Energy Panels Facts Created by John Tarantino http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2011/11/solar-energy-panels-facts/

- To the right is a picture of solar panels absorbing the
sun.
-The solar energy industry is growing rapidly. It is allowing people to have energy in places where power lines don't exist. A report by the US Department of Energy stated that the number of jobs in the field of solar energy is on the rise. In fact already over 10,000 people have jobs and the demand has been rising by 6.8% annually in the U.S. A company by the name of Martifer Solar is doing really well even in the economic unstability. The company is located in 11 different countries including Spain which is one of the largest solar panel manufacturing companies in the world. It has accomplished their goal of using alternative energy for 12% of of all the energy in Spain and is way ahead of most countries in the renewable energy industry.



-I think its great that the solar industry is on the rise. Its a great way to get energy with out polluting the earth. I think that all countries should follow Spains lead and begin to set goals for ourselves. If we start using alternative energy we could really help our planet and maybe even stop using fossil fuels altogether. That is what we should strive for. At my house we have solar panels on our roof and they give us energy throughout the whole day and don't cause any pollution.



-Will we ever be able to stop using fossil fuels altogether?



-Will solar energy become the most common source of energy ever?



-Are poor countries able to get solar panels? If so will it help them become more efficient?

Unfair Fight for Renewable Energy

In this article it talks about money spending on renewable energy resources. It talks about how they are making cuts to our spending on renewable resources that are benefiting our environment such as nuclear, solar and, wind energy. The sun puts more energy on the earth in an hour than we use from getting energy from the earth in a whole year. It says that in the next presidential campaign that they should focus primarily on energy spending. It says we shouldnt get rid of fossil fuels but we should even out the spending of fossil fuels and other renewable energy resources. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/an-unfair-fight-for-renewable-energies/2011/12/02/gIQA9lWrTO_story.html?tid=pm_pop

Opinion

I agree with this 100%. We should be spending the same because the resources other then fossil fuels are good for our environment and we need to keep our environment healthy. We should keep what were doing just level out the spending. We barely spend any money on the other renewable resources and so much on fossil fuels i heard my parents talking about this one time after it was on the news

-are we going to change spending

-how would we change it

-would it be evened out

State Seeks Stricter Water-Quality Standards

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016699447_cleanwater06.html

By: Phuong Lee

Published By: The Associated Press

Summary
Washington state's standards assume consumers can safely eat less than 8 ounces of fish per month. Regulators want to higher this amount so it could be sanitary to eat about 24 times this amount. The harmful toxins involved in the consumption of fish are mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls. If fish consumption shall indeed become higher, fewer toxic pollutants would be allowed in state waters. This process would ensure tighter restrictions for the Washington residents. State officials want a fish consumption rate to allow races including the Native Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and local fishermen to continue to consume their normal amount. A lot of tribes already have water quality standards that reflect on local tribal waters. A handful of township directors believe this rate is still too low to represent certain areas so they almost "ignore" the rate and believe that it should better account for the people who eat fish the most. The main goal for the Washington people is to seek a reasonable and cost efficient solution.

Opinion/Reflection
The problem that has arisen in Washington is a problem that is faced by most states. The water quality in most states vary, but the common goal is to have less contaminates in our bodies of water. The article touches upon the aspect of consuming marine life but there is also the other facet of consuming water. The water quality affects both of these things which deals with the amount contaminates and pollutants in the water. Law restrictions is the next step needed to be taken in the state of Washington and every other 49 state. With many creeks and ponds in our area, we can see how pollutants such as pesticides end up into our water. In a suburban area, most home owners use some type of fertilizer to help their grass grow. I know for instance my family uses grass seed grower when our grass is burnt out in certain areas. The side people including myself do not see, is the affects it has on our water quality.

Questions
Why is public use of pesticides not warranted to limit contaminates in our water?
What is the U.S.'s water quality in comparison to other countries?
Whose jurisdiction covers the reviewing of townships' water quality?
What are the steps in testing a body of water's water quality?

Thailand closes dive sites to halt damage of reefs

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/20/us-thailand-reefs-idUSTRE70J1R120110120
-In Thailand, a large amount of dive sites are being closed from tourists due to the magnitude of coral damaged by the rising temperatures in the Andaman Sea which is one of the top diving and beach resort regions in the world. Most of the coral reefs' are undergoing bleaching, or the shedding of their color, caused by rising sea temperatures over time. The coral would turn white instead of their bright colors since the heat takes out the algae living in the coral tissues. Bleaching was first spotted in May of last year. Between May and August more than 80 percent of species died. Conservationists blame tourists since they could walk on them and could contaminate the water, but the big claim is that it's from global warming. When the temperature rose, it went up 34 degrees Celsius which is over the average. So, instead of people going into the dive sites where workers are doing their best to help restore the reefs, they can look at the beautiful forests and mountains of Thailand.
-I think it's terrible that coral reefs are being destroyed. Once they're destroyed, other organisms can go extinct since these reefs are their homes. I watch "The Amazing Race" and one of the challenges when they went to Thailand was to help restore coral reefs, so I already knew a little bit about what's going on.
-Will there be a point where most/all coral reefs will be bleached?
-Can conservationists come up with any plans to prevent bleaching of the coral?
-Is it only in the Asia/Indonesian ocean area that the bleaching is occurring?
--This picture demonstrates what is happening to the coral when the algae is leaving the cells of the coral.

On Tree Hugger, I found the website http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/10/paper-coupons-destroy-13-million-trees-every-year-99-never-even-get-used.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader. It's tells you about the amount of paper coupons that don't get used but, continue to destroy numerous trees every year. That statistics show that 13.62 million trees are cut down for the 99% of the coupons that go into newspapers but never get used. That amount being produced has increased more than 300 million since 2009. The pictures above expresses all the points i have made and shows just how out of hand that problem has become.
I can't believe that that many people throw the Sunday paper out without using the coupons with the economy doing so poorly. Food bills continue to increase for families, so why not use the coupons that the newspaper gives you? The amount of trees being knocked down is an environmental issue, its a waste of natural material that need to be preserved. Not only does this effect the environment but, it effects the ecosystems living there. With the trees being cut down it is destroying their habitat and a possible food source. In my household, my family trashes the coupons received along with the Sunday paper. After knowing all of this i will ask my parents to use them so that there is a benefit out of this mass amount of waste.
~How can this be stopped?
~What is keeping this from stopping?
~How would the the trees not being cut down benefit the environment?
~Why do people continue to increase the amount of coupons in the Sunday paper if they know how much is wasted?