IPCC Graph

Fracking involves the high-pressure injection of ‘fracking fluid’ (water, sand and a cocktail of chemicals) into the ground to create cracks in deep rock formations with the goal of extracting fossil fuels that may lie there, in the Lancashire case natural gas. It’s bad enough that fossil fuels lead to climate change and the associated disasters for humanity and the planet, but this special type of extraction can also involve the risk of earthquakes, toxic chemicals, water pollution and poor air quality[3]. 

source: Friends of the Earth

On the BBC’s Today programme the Chief Executive of this life affirming operation, Francis Egan, was asked whether he would be quite happy to have a house on the site with his children breathing the air there and he replies “yes of course” (podcast here about 5m 55s in). What a great idea!

Surely this should be a mandatory condition of the granting of any fracking licence? Namely that the chief executive, indeed why not all senior executives of such a company, commit to raise their families beside fracking sites so that they too can benefit from the clean air abounding, discover new unusual chemicals and marvel at the array of visiting industrial vehicles, as well as anticipate the excitement of a potentially rumbling landscape plus aftershocks. I’m all for it but I wonder if Mr Egan and his ilk really would be?!  Methinks not, it is others who must take such risks for the sake of their profits.  But maybe I’m too cynical.  What’s your fracking opinion?

Resources: 
1. More on fracking from the Guardian
2. Anti-fracking with Frack Off 
3. Fracking facts from Friends of the Earth & Greenpeace. 
4. In America meanwhile you can even light your own methane laced water