Fracking is a process of drilling into the Earth and injecting liquid, such as water, at high pressure to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas.
Natural Gas accounts for 25% of all the energy used in the U.S. By 2035, it is estimated that 46% of all natural gas will come from fracking.
The average fracking well requires 50,000 gallons of water to operate over its lifetime.
Water (90%) is combined with sand (9.5%) and a cocktail of chemicals (0.5%) to help in the fracking process and then injected into the well. Many of these chemicals range from food and common household cleaners to known carcinogens.
20%-40% of this fluid flows back to the surface, polluted with dissolved solids and toxic chemicals.
If drilled too shallow, or not inspected properly, wells can leak natural gas into the air and water. The process also causes small earthquakes (1-4 on the Riechter scale).
Even though fracking has the potential to provide more oil and gas resources to consumers, the process of extraction has long-lasting negative impacts on the surrounding environment:
Slickwater, which is water and chemicals from fracking mixed together, seeps into the ground and contaminates groundwater and the soil. Ecosystems and habitats are being destroyed through pollution that fracking emits. Fracking releases tons of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that traps more than 4x the heat that carbon dioxide does.
Fracking requires the use of large volumes of water each time a well is fracked. This will lead to water shortages, especially in areas where water is already scarce. The chemicals that fracking uses also has a high potential to eventually reach our bodies (either through our water, food or air), thus increasing our health costs.