Long Term Impacts of Fracking
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As America moves toward natural gas extraction over coal and oil extraction, drilling sites are appearing all over the country, and all of these sites release numerous greenhouse gases. It was long perceived that natural gas drilling released fewer greenhouse gases than coal and oil drilling, but recent studies by the EPA show that both processes release equal amounts of greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming Gas in the atmosphere that traps and contain heat for a long period of time, resulting in rising the temperature of the Earth, are called Greenhouse gases. This refers to the trapping of sunlight in the atmosphere instead of it escaping back out into space. The term “greenhouse” refers to a greenhouse that traps sunlight and heat for gardening. These chemicals that have the ability to trap large amounts of heat are released in all kinds of gas drilling and extraction processes. Global Warming is a term used to describe the warming of the planet by an excess amount of UV rays/heat in the atmosphere and oceans. If the atmosphere is warmer than normal, this can have adverse effects of the climate and the environment. The Earth naturally warms up over time, but the release greenhouse gases, in this case from fracking, will certainly increase the temperature, unnaturally. On top of the mining process releasing emissions, construction and destruction of mining facilities can also contribute to Greenhouse Gas emissions. Methane Methane is a major greenhouse gas that is released into the atmosphere from the drilling process. Methane can trap more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, making it the most harmful gas for global warming. Methane has a 12 year lifespan in the atmosphere before it dissipates. “Recent data from two Cornell scientists and others indicate that within the next 20 years, methane will contribute 44 percent of the greenhouse gas load produced by the U.S. Of that portion, 17 percent will come from all natural gas operations.” (EPA) Citations:
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