FrackingBy Tuvia Reback

What is Fracking?

• Fracking

• Process that U.S. and other countries use to remove natural gas from shale rock pores deep underground

• A mixture of sand, water and different chemicals is pumped into the ground at high pressure

• Causes the rocks to crack, releasing the natural gas from pores

• Natural gas flows up the well into storage tanks

How else does the U.S. produce energy?

• Other than fracking, the U.S. uses a lot of different sources for fuel/energy such as

• Electric plants

• Coal reserves

• Nuclear reactors

• Crude oil

• Hydropower

• Wind power

• Solar power

• More fracking in U.S. = Great increase in our energy supply = Less reliant on other countries for energy

• In 2013, energy sources and percent share of total electricity generation were

• Coal 39%

• Natural Gas 27%

• Nuclear 19%

• Hydropower 7%

• Other Renewable 6%

• Biomass 1.48%

• Geothermal 0.41%

• Solar 0.23%

• Wind 4.13%

• Petroleum 1%

• Other Gases < 1%

Is Fracking Safe?

• Studies on fracking show potential risks:

• Contamination of groundwater

• Methane / Air pollution

• Exposure to toxic chemicals

• Waste disposal

• Fracking-induced earthquakes

• Workplace safety hazards

• People are still concerned about water contamination

• 2004 EPA study showed no evidence of water pollution to water supplies near certain fracking sites

• Since then, studies near other fracking sites have showed evidence of pollution

Media Perceptions• Fracking has been referenced many times

in the media

• The Simpsons

• Episode clearly against fracking

• Portrayed fracking the cause of flammable tap water (based on movie Gasland by Josh Fox)

• Fracking wrongly connected to flammable tap water shown in Gasland

• Scientists at the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission concluded: “There are no indications of any oil- and gas-related impacts to your water well … Methane gas is common in water wells in Colorado. It occurs naturally… as a gas in coal or black shale seams [and] as a byproduct of the decay of organic matter.”

Opposites Afrack

Jewish Opinions

• In Judaism there are opposing views

• Tikkun Olam: Jewish concept that everyone must help repair the world

• If fracking is truly bad then wouldn’t this be contradicting Tikkun Olam?

• G-d gave man a certain amount of dominance over the earth to use to our advantage

• How far can we go without damaging the earth to a point where we can’t use it?

Conclusion

• In conclusion, fracking could be the

• Answer to the U.S.’s energy dependence

Yet

• Could also be very dangerous to our environment

• My opinion:

• I think that fracking is not ideal, but necessary for the U.S. to continue practicing so that we can keep up in the on-going power race.

• I hope that eventually we don’t need fracking, because it’s obviously not good for the environment.

• What did you think before hearing this presentation compared to now after you’ve seen it?

• Has your opinion changed?