Global Frackdown: Fractivists demand an end to ... guess what?

Fracking as a word is a gift to headline writers and this blog will not shy away from milking it for all it is worth.  Frackdown and fractivists were too good to miss.

Russia Today (RT) is becoming a force in global media and have an interesting perspective on many global issues.  Highly recommended.

Whilst the US basks in low energy prices that are helping to drag them out of recession the rest of the world appears to have little idea what fracking is except that is sounds bad.  All these protesters cannot be wrong, can they?  

My bold.

Global Frackdown: World protests shale gas production [RT today]

Thousands of people worldwide are expected to join the Global Frackdown protest on October 19. ‘Fracktivists’ from over 20 countries will gather to demand an end to fracking and “dangerous” shale gas drillings.


Numerous events are scheduled to take place mainly across the US and Europe with some rallies already having kicked off in the UK, Romania, France and Spain.
The global movement will be also joined by activists from Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and Indonesia. So far, a total 26 countries are listed to be taking part in the protest.

“Climate scientists warn that continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels will lead to catastrophic climate change,” the Global Frackdown protest organizers said in press release.

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the extraction of oil and gas by injecting water to break rock formations deep underground.

Fracking a single well can require between two and nine million gallons of water combined with sand and chemicals. Much of the used water returns to the earth’s surface, but contains radium and bromides - cancer-causing, radioactive substances. The toxic chemicals can then float into lakes and rivers or contaminate the ground.

On Saturday, Fracktivists in all participating countries will call on elected officials to open their eyes to the consequences of fracking, which they say is a risky technique. They will demand action to protect the public.

“It is critical that our elected officials hear the truth from their constituents,” the organizers said.

  Following the recent post on "green misinformation" it is worth reading the RT take on events in the US.

 In one of its latest reports Environment America revealed that bromide, when mixed with chlorine, produces chemicals that cause cancer and increase the risk of reproductive or developmental health problems.

According to scientists, fracking generated 280 billion gallons of toxic waste during 2012 alone.

Despite warnings, the method has increased rapidly in the US in recent years, making it the worldwide leader in fracking.

The report also estimated that over 80,000 wells have been drilled or endorsed across 17 US states since 2005.