Written Assignment – Hydraulic Fracturing
Week 7 Written Assignment – Hydraulic FracturingFirst, view the documentary, Gasland, on Netflix. While viewing it, make note of the different chemicals identified in the documentary as well as take notes in order to answer the following questions(HotDocs, 2010, http://www.hotdocs.ca/film/title/gasland)Why is there a disconnect between what science is telling us and what the corporations and politicians are doing about gas drilling?The gas energy industry is very central to many aspects of America. Discuss the positive and negative economic and environmental features regarding the harnessing of gas power.How was the Environmental Protection Agency exposed in this film? Did it change how you felt about environmental organizations? Why or why not?The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) goal is “to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.” Is the practice of gas drilling on their lands fulfilling their mandate? Does it put sustainability into practice?Knowing the interconnectedness of the source of our drinking water, do you feel that our drinking source is safe here in Illinois? Explain. Please note that fracking is now allowed in Illinois. Read more about it here:http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20130617/fracking-bill-triggers-rift-among-illinois-green-groupsAlso after viewing, select one of the chemicals highlighted in the documentary to research for this week’s paper. Please select one that you have not already studied previously in the course. Answer the following questions in regard to your selected chemical:Describe the chemical from the documentary.Describe the intentional beneficial use of the chemicalDescribe the potential toxic exposures.What are the recommended exposure levels of the chemical, if any? Are the levels very low or very high? With what you learned in the Gasland documentary, should there be more concern from the public on the amount of chemicals used in fracking?Your paper should be uploaded electronically via a dropbox available in Engage. Your paper should be typed, up to five (5) pages in length, and follow the APA Style which includes using a cover page, one inch margins, double-spaced, 12 inch font (Times New Roman, Arial or Verdana) with a reference page. Include your answers to all the above questions in a narrative format.Recommended websites to use for your research:Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Hydraulic FracturingOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)ToxlineU.S. Department of Labor
