I found a peer reviewed article the Environmental Health Perspectives. I related the article to the one the class read about fracking in Wisconsin. This article discusses how 68 private drinking wells in Pennsylvania and New York have been found to be contaminated by methane. This occurred about natural gas drilling started to occur around those areas. The researchers were measuring for concentrations of certain isotopes that can be seen in methane and also other hydrocarbons. This was so the researchers could distinguish between the gases created from fracking and gases that were created from organic matter. They found that the wells closer to the drilling sights were more likely to contain methane that was themogenic. This means that the drilling sights are leaking into the soil and are contaminating well sights. If this is occurring in New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin then there should be enough evidence to support the stop of fracking.

Holzman, David C. "References." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National

 Library of Medicine, 01 July 2011. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222989/>.

EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination

In Central Wyoming, the EPA found a link between underwater ground pollution and oil drilling that was occurring. The EPA could become of importance in a national debating in discussing whether contamination of the environment from oil fracking is occurring. This national debate could potentially be the standard for how gas pumping is regulated in the United States. Residents have also complained of spoiled water as a result from the fracking. Their water has turned brown when oil drilling was occurring near them. To confirm everything that was being said the EPA drilled two water monitoring wells that where 1,000 feet deep and monitored that amount of carcinogenic chemicals near the wells. The EPA founds chemicals apparent that were known to be used in fracking, which meant the oil and fracking companies are destroying he environment. The EPA also found there to be a lack of disclosure by the companies. Many companies did not report exactly what chemicals had been used to frack. This also meant that EnCana has declined to tell federal officials the breakdown of every compound used in the ground. Fracking companies are polluting the environment and will not disclose which chemicals they are putting in the ground. This means that no one knows what is being put in the earth and soil that nearby residents depend on. Drinking supplies have been damaged and the fracking, if expanded, will continue to pollute more of America.

This article makes me think about what about other countries and the flip side of the argument. Americans do not want oil to be drilled form the U.S. but rather we are willing to pay higher prices for overseas drilling. Would it be most cost effective to drill here and just have that section of land be used for drilling oil if it would be cheaper for Americans? Is the EPA exaggerating and being too worries? Is the stuff reporting really happening because of the fracking or could the chemicals appearing in tests be produced otherwise?

Kahn Reading

I think that Kahn had some really great points in his article. As I read through it I noticed that I was clueless about some of the things he pointed out. Some things include that over 3 billion people live on less than a few dollars a day. I have heard this before but not to the same magnitude as he described. In his article he mentioned zoo school which was a school for high school juniors and seniors that took place on the actual grounds of a school. I thought that was a pretty cool idea but in actuality it wouldn't work. there aren't enough zoos for all students in America and what about other subjects? I do think that Americans need to be more educated on the environment and we should have environmental teachings in the curriculum. Way to many people do not know anything about the environment and in turn the environmental situation continues to worsen.

Extra Credit - Visual Rhetoric

I found this visual rhetoric especially interesting. Naturally after our hands we all instinctively reach for paper towels to dry them. I realized even I do not think about where the paper is coming form I just kind of expect it to be there. The added image of Africa on the paper towel box is especially capturing. As more towels leave, the user is forced to realize where the paper is coming from. The more paper towels we consume the greater amount of resources are depleted and wasted just to dry hands. In the past civilization did not expect paper towels when they finished washing their hands. In present day, technology has advanced what we expect and has influenced how we use the environment. No longer is it for necessities but we deplete the forests and environment for luxury.

Turtle Island Poems -3

O Waters: O Waters talks about water and its different variations and uses in the environment. This includes places that water is found such as a stream, in the soil, or on a plant. I believe the overall theme in O Water is talking about the purity of water and the necessity to conserve it in nature. Water is essential to all living plants and animals and also to the eco system they live in.

Tomorrow’s Song: This poem is unlike the other ones because it describes the USA in particular. The poems tells how I the twentieth century the US gave up on forest preservation and environmental care and they transitioned to a different state of mind. We are not all concerned with the future but not necessarily what is happening right now.

For the Children: This poem talks about the future and what we must do. It suggests that we need to meet in the middle with nature and not be destructive. The generation now needs to think about the future and conserve for the children.

Turtle Island Poems – 2

 Coyote Valley Spring – This poem was different than the others I have read. Instead of describing the negatives of the environmental destruction, the poem describes the things occurring in nature. This includes all of the animals, plants, and sounds. It also detailed the natural scenery including the boulders and mountains.

Front lines – I thought that Front Lines was an interesting poem. It talked about loggers and deforestation. I could relate to this poem more because I have seen television shows about logging companies and what they do. The poem talks about “drawing a line” which to me means that we should stop advancing on the natural forests for our needs, and should look more towards recycling and using what we have.

Control Burn- Control Burn relates to the history of America. Detailing about the Indians used to use our resources. Explaining how they used to burn the brush and make new trees. The theme is that we should follow our ancestors and learn to conserve how they conserved the environment for us.

Manzanita- Manzanita is the tips of fruit and will only open after a fire has passed. This poem describes the night and morning life in a forest talking about all of the animals that come out and all of the sounds that are heard. It also talks about a bow trying to strike an animal but it misses. The theme is that there is so much more to the forest than just trees, that there is life in the animals. 

Turtle Island Poems

The Dead by the Side of The Road: The poem details how manmade structures are polluting and killing off the animals, such as trucks on the interstate, or guns.

I went into the Maverick Bar: The overall theme is remembering what the World used to be. Remembering how people used to dance and when there weren’t as many problems. When he leaves the bar all of that ease disappears and he must answer the questions, “What is to be done?”

Night Herons: Night Herons describes the night life in San Francisco while detailing the smoke stacks and what harmful places around the city. Describing what was manmade and what is polluting the environment we live in. The theme is destruction of what our world once was

The Call of the Wild: This poem describes a man who is a native and has ranched and mined all his life. He then says that his kids will not that the same opportunities to live freely and to experience the environment as he did because of the government and things that have changed the way of life.