This blog post was written by Michael Greenberg who is one of CCAN’s summer interns. He’s been working hard to get the word out about the Stop the Frack Attack rally happening on the 28th!
“If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren’t pessimistic, you don’t understand data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren’t optimistic, you haven’t got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world.”
― Paul Hawken
Author and activist Paul Hawken, who was speaking about the world’s future in general, could well have been describing the corrupt and dangerous practice of fracking and the movement that has arisen in order to protect our civilization from its dangers.
The problem is, in fact, quite terrifying. Our world’s fossil fuel binge has caused severe ocean acidification, imperiling ecosystems that are crucial to many people’s survival. It has caused deserts to expand and coastlines to recede, displacing some populations and threatening to do the same to more. It has polluted water in all corners of the globe, from the rivers of Nigeria to the icy ocean waters of the Arctic. It has even corrupted our democracy, enriching corporations that go on to donate untold (literally, thanks to Citizens United) millions of dollars to politicians. But worst of all, this fossil fuel addiction threatens to push the planet past its tipping point, creating a climate that is provoked to such an incredible extent that increasing dystrophy happens regardless of future emissions levels.
Fracking for natural gas is not a solution to this problem—it is, in many respects, a significant part of it. Natural gas is described as a bridge fuel, a source of energy that would replace coal and oil and pave the way for non-CO2-emitting technologies. But the truth is, natural gas has begun to flood the energy market with such vigor that it is now more difficult for green technologies like wind power to compete. Additionally natural gas from fracking is not better than traditional conventional energy sources, as studies have linked fracking to the leakage of methane, a greenhouse gas much stronger than carbon dioxide.
Despite all the forces that are working against us, there is, as Paul Hawken noted, more left to the world’s story than just despair. For one thing, there is you, sitting at your computer, thinking about how you would like to protect our planet from fracking and from global warming. And there is me, an intern working on the anti-fracking campaign at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, inspired by all the work being done and all the ways to make an impact. And then there is everyone else in the environmental movement: people from all around the country who have started to notice what is happening to the planet, and who have decided to get involved.. There are millions of them, and more who join every day.
Thousands of these concerned citizens will be coming to the Capitol on July 28th, joining together to call on the government to protect our health and our environment and oppose fracking. There will also be many amazing speakers at the event, including environmental leader Bill McKibben, Gasland producer Josh Fox, and CCAN’s own Mike Tidwell.
Right before the protest, at 1:00 p.m., CCAN is hosting a meet-up where we will kick off our fracking campaign. Mike will speak, and then we’ll hand out posters and march to the rally together!
I hope you will come to the Capitol on the 28th for this exciting day of action!
