![]() ![]() Starting in the 1940s, oil and gas drilling companies began fracking rock by pumping pressurized water into it. Early drillers sometimes detonated small explosions in the wells to increase flow. To increase the flow of released gas, the rocks can be broken apart, or fractured. This gas is released, and can be captured at the surface for our use, when the rocks in which it is trapped are drilled. Many sandstones, limestones and shales far below ground contain natural gas, which was formed as dead organisms in the rock decomposed. What exactly is fracking, or more formally hydraulic fracturing? And because fracking allows us to put a previously inaccessible reservoir of carbon from beneath our feet into the atmosphere, it also contributes to global climate change.īut as we assess the pros and cons, decisions should be based on existing empirical evidence and fracking should be evaluated relative to other available energy sources. There is no doubt that natural gas extraction does sometimes have negative consequences for the local environment in which it takes place, as does all fossil fuel extraction. ![]() Even the Rolling Stones have weighed in with a reference to fracking in their new single, “Doom and Gloom.”ĭo the facts on fracking support this opposition? Opposition to fracking has entered popular culture with the release of “The Promised Land,” starring Matt Damon. Protesters are blocking potential drilling sites in Poland and England. France and Bulgaria, countries with the largest shale-gas reserves in Europe, have already banned fracking. The AGA recommends that only licensed professionals do maintenance on gas lines and appliances.OPPOSITION to fracking has been considerable, if not unanimous, in the global green community, and in Europe in particular. "Pull the stove out from the wall and tighten the connectors to the stove and to the nearby pipes," he says. But Jackson says there's still something you can do and all it takes is a wrench. Replacing a gas stove with an electric one is not an option for people who can't afford it or for renters. There's an easy way to limit methane leaks That requires further investigation," Maisano said. "Certainly, it is new to hear that emissions occur on stoves that are off. One defender of natural gas utilities, Frank Maisano, with the energy law and lobbying firm Bracewell, said the methane leakage issue had not emerged in previous testing, which generally focused on indoor air quality. Such bans have become a trend in places like Seattle, Berkeley, Calif., and New York City, as local governments try to meet their increasingly aggressive climate targets. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 20 states now have laws on the books that prevent cities from banning gas hookups in new buildings. Utilities also are getting laws passed to preserve their business. "Natural gas distribution system emissions have declined 69% since 1990," says Karen Harbert, the AGA's president and CEO. Still, the trade group says its members are working to reduce emissions across their networks by doing things like replacing older pipes that leak. The AGA says it has not had time to fully review the Stanford study. Investigations As Cities Grapple With Climate Change, Gas Utilities Fight To Stay In Business And as communities around the country already face climate change impacts from more severe storms, droughts and wildfires, every emission source is coming under scrutiny. has a goal of zeroing out emissions by 2050 to comply with the Paris climate agreement. There's a battle over gas stoves in the push to rein in climate change But Jackson says if you add up the more than 40 million gas stoves in the U.S., the amount of leaked methane every year has about the same climate change effect as the carbon dioxide from 500,000 gasoline-powered cars. ![]() Individually, that's a tiny climate impact compared with things like coal-fired power plants. Researchers estimate that up to 1.3% of the gas used in a stove leaks into the atmosphere. ![]() Stoves using a pilot light instead of an electronic sparker leaked more. There were 18 brands of stoves and cooktops in the study, and they ranged from three to 30 years old. Lebel's research shows it didn't matter if the stove was old or new or what brand it was - the presence of leaks was consistent. Environment Fighting Climate Change, One Building At A Time ![]()
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