Amidst our plight for finding alternative fuel sources, scientists have discovered some not so environmentally friendly substitutes which wean us off of conventional fossil fuels, but still cause our ecosystems massive stress and can be categorized as unsustainable. These practices include ethanol use, exploiting tar sands, and hydraulic fracturing, known as “fracking.”
Fracking is the high-pressure injection of chemical compounds and wet sand into the ground below in an effort to fracture the underlying shale, thus releasing petroleum oil and natural gas for containment. In order to clearly demonstrate the dangers of fracking, I have attached a YouTube video that animates the procedure.
The topic of fracking has made headlines in Southwest Florida with a handful of bills pertaining to the acceptance of fracking in the Everglades being shot down, as well as Hughes Co. illegally performing acid fracking in the fragile, protected ecosystem. Senator Darren Soto also made a comment regarding fracking in the Everglades stating that “the effects of an oil spill far outweigh any particular minuscule economic benefit from drilling in comparison” (Phillips, 2008).
So while an undetermined amount of oil and natural gas may lie underneath the Everglades and Gulf of Mexico, the majority of voters and scientists alike agree that the potential to irreparably damage such a fragile ecosystem and major source of freshwater far overtakes the presence of more fossil fuels.