Letter: End fracking to protect British Columbians from climate disaster
By Letters to the editor
To The Editor:
I am writing to express my total opposition to fracking in BC and anywhere in the world.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves drilling deep into the earth and directing a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals at a rock layer, to release the gas inside.
Fracking for gas in northeast BC produces methane, a greenhouse gas that traps 86 times as much heat as carbon dioxide, and is responsible for about a quarter of global warming.
Fracking can lead to methane leakage and groundwater pollution, as well as carbon emissions, and has been shown to be a danger to human health.
In recent years, British Columbians have experienced deadly heat waves, wildfires, storms and floods, and pollution from fracking have caused these climate disasters.
The number one job of governments is to keep people safe. That means we must end fracking as soon as possible. BC should stop issuing permits for new gas wells immediately and cancel all proposed LNG natural gas permits.
Electric appliances can replace gas with affordable renewable energy in our homes and workplaces and help keep our planet safe.
Gas is a fossil fuel that is just as bad as oil and coal for our environment. Let’s end fracking and protect British Columbians from more climate disasters.
We have everything we need to make the transition from fossil fuels except the political will.
Sincerely,
Sandra Hartline, Nelson, BC
