(copying my post to another board where I learned about the movie, slightly out of context)

I saw the movie Gasland about fracking last night at Cooper Union and heard Josh Fox, the guy who created it, speak.

I don’t recommend many movies, but I recommend this one. If you can talk to Josh Fox, all the better. I’ve since watched and read other web pages and videos. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I believe I’ve learned enough to draw reasonable conclusions. I’m open to finding out I’m missing important points.

Debates over Cheney’s specific role or if showing the movie is the best way to influence policy are nearly negligible side issues to the issue that fracking is dangerous to huge swaths of populations, the risks are inherent, the harm irreversible on reasonable human time scales, the process to implement it  anti-democratic… I could go on.

The issue is not complicated for people who breathe air or drink water (unless, perhaps, if they are paid by Halliburton and related companies). To claim gas company’s voices were not heard is disingenuous — they were invited and their refusal to speak was nearly the loudest voice in the movie.

I’ve heard people say we need more evidence to understand the situation. Anyone who says there isn’t enough evidence seems to me either to be ignorant or dishonest. Like I said, I’m open to being shown I’m missing something. Gas industry sources supporting fracking offer counter-arguments and perspectives — what appears to be largely astroturfing — several of which have been repeated here. I found them at best far less credible than the sources describing the dangers of fracking. To the extent they seemed credible, refutations like this one diminished that credibility.

I recommend seeing the movie and learning about fracking.

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