Fracking Is A Temporary Solution to A Growing Problem

The fracking industry is not an industry without its share of controversy. There are those who oppose the idea of fracking because of lenient regulations regarding the process, and due to the inaccurate details about what precise chemicals are used in the fracking procedure. Then there are those who say that fracking is the solution to our energy woes. My views on fracking are somewhere in the middle. As our population on this planet grows and our energy demands expand, we need to at least look at fracking as an option. I am well aware of the negative and positive aspects of fracking, but I am by no means an expert. All I could offer is my opinion on the subject. There is an estimated 7.5 billion people on the planet and that number is projected to grown within the next ten years. Resources are not infinite and therefore we need to look at other options for our energy needs. Although my first choice would be wind and solar power, it is not feasible as a solution to our problem at this moment. Fracking is also not a long-term solution, but it is a temporary one. I don’t agree with a lot of President Trump’s policies or agendas, but I do agree with his statement about the oil companies. As domestic gasoline prices surged to their highest level in three years, President Trump, railed against the OPEC oil cartel, declaring that the group was unjustifiably manipulating supplies for selfish gain. “Looks like OPEC is at it again,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter. “Oil prices are artificially Very High! No good and it will not be accepted!” President Trump has a point, in saying, oil prices are killing our economy. When crude oil goes up, the economy as a whole loses. Especially the blue-collar workers who struggle to support their families, and who can barely afford to fill their gas tanks to get to work. When people are spending most of their paychecks on gasoline, other businesses suffer. Poorer families cannot afford to buy the luxuries that many of us take for granted, such as: dining out, shopping and entertainment. I believe our country depends too much on other countries for our energy needs, and because of this, we as a nation lose. I have seen the technology of solar power, wind turbines, and cars running on cooking oil to fill the gaps of our energy needs. I am sure there are scientists and engineers working on the energy crisis as we speak, but is it fast enough? I believe fracking is a not a solution, but a temporary fix to a growing problem. I believe more regulations need to be addressed, as well as a full report about what chemicals are laced within the water and sand before being injected into our soil. Furthermore, I believe it should be communities right as a whole on whether or not fracking is done on one property that could affect ground water for hundreds of people. This should be done in a city council setting and every resident should have a right to vote, not just one person selling out for monetary gain, while others suffer the after effects of polluted water. Environmentalist might argue that fracking is killing the planet and we need to stop the process. But a realist knows that our energy problems are not going away. Unless everyone is willing to give up the cozy lives that they have become accustomed to, then we need to look at other solutions. We live in the most advanced technological era than we could have ever even imagined. Our phones, cars, power tools, and everything in between, make life easier for all of us, but how much are we willing to give up for the planet? Are we prepared to walk to school and work, or go back to writing letters instead of sending a text message? If you answered no to any of these questions, then you must at least try and have an open mind. For those who say that fracking is destroying the planet, I would argue, so is everything else. We can stand outside with signs, protesting for environmental causes, but unless we are willing to give up everything and go totally green, then we are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites, complaining about issues that we are all a part of. We pollute our ozone with hairspray, cars, grills, heating our houses, and everything in between. We have gotten to the point in our lives that we thrive for comfort, and we expect comfort, anything less would be unheard of. Until our society can figure out other ways that are financial feasible to address the energy problems, then we are stuck with what we have. We can complain all we want, but until something more cost effective comes along, then I am afraid we will have to make due with what we have.