May You All Have A Prosperous New Year!

How Fracking Can Destroy Your Well

First of all, just what is fracking? It is commonly referred to as “horizontal hydrofracking” or just “fracking,” deep-shale natural gas drilling uses high-pressure injection of water, sand, and chemicals to release the trapped gas. Now we all know that natural gas is environmentally friendly. But at what cost?

Chemicals used in the process are kept secret from the public, medical professionals, and even regulators, because fracking is exempt from key provision of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Every time a gas well is fracked, 4 to 9 million gallons of water are injected into the ground.

When the fractures creating by fracking intersect with existing cracks in the ground, chemicals and gas can “catch a ride” on underground streams, and wind up contaminating drinking water sources. In places affected by fracking, many residents have become sick from dangerous levels of volatile organic compounds, chemicals, and methane gas in their water. Methane gas is also responsible for the phenomenon of flammable tap water, and has even caused houses and water wells to explode.

Since this combination is really not good for the shortage of potable water across the world, there should be some other way to extract natural gas. Think about it. If you pump all of the above into the underground, then whatever damage has occurred, it is forever.

I know that in Texas, this is widespread. Just around where I live, there are approximately 15 natural gas wells that are monitored daily. Many water wells that current residents close to have been fractured due to this process. The drilling companies have had to hire water drillers to either fix the well or drill another one. Hmmmm, makes you think whether or not the water is good or not after that.

In the 121-page draft report released by the EPA said that the contamination near the town of Pavillion, Wyo., had most likely seeped up from gas wells and contained at least 10 compounds known to be used in frack fluids.

Some of the findings in the report also directly contradict longstanding arguments by the drilling industry for why the fracking process is safe: that hydrologic pressure would naturally force fluids down, not up; that deep geologic layers provide a watertight barrier preventing the movement of chemicals towards the surface; and that the problems with the cement and steel barriers around gas wells aren’t connected to fracking.

Finally, the EPA is doing what it is supposed to do. Exposing the drilling industry nasty little secret.

What can you do? Take action today by signing the petition to tell President Obama to ban this now.

Fracking … as the green future unfolds.

May Your Home Be Filled With Laughter And Joy!

Texas Is Still In Drought Conditions Despite Rain Falling

agnewsarchive.tamu.edu

All around Texas, there continues to be dangerous water conditions – even with the recent rain. According to experts, Texas would need 6 more months of rain like they’ve had in the past few weeks to just get out of the current drought.

This isn’t a surprise to the residents of Groesbeck, a small central Texas town that could run out of water by Christmas. Or in Austin, where it is expected to hit stage 3 restrictions by April, resulting in an outdoor water ban. And at least a dozen other cities have already told state officials they don’t have enough water to make it till spring.  (more…)

The Tianjin Eco-City: The New Wave of Green Living

As a culture we have become obsessed green living, and rightfully so. The amount of waste we have produced through our industrialization has greatly impacted our world’s natural balance and is literally sucking the life out of the resources that we have at our disposal. Decisions such as paper or plastic are becoming more crucial and simply switching your light bulbs to incandescents isn’t enough anymore. (more…)

Want your own Segway for under a 100 dollars?

This is an electric scooter made with a used car battery (junk yard $20) and two electric car heater fan motors (junk yard $10). Wheels, brakes and steering components were taken from kids bikes bought at Salvation Army for $5 each. Throttle response is a PWM from ebay ($50). Yep, entire project was under $100.

Then there is the drill bike!  Pretty nice looking and unique bike. (more…)

Tsunami Was More Powerful Than Originally Thought.

This animation shows a model simulation of the major tsunami generated by the March 11, 2011 Tōhoku-Oki earthquake off the coast of northeastern Japan. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/Ohio State University.

Data from NASA and European radar satellites captured at least two wave fronts that day. The fronts merged to form a single, double-high wave far out at sea. This wave was capable of traveling long distances without losing power. Ocean ridges and undersea mountain chains pushed the waves together along certain directions from the tsunami’s origin. (more…)