Managing Earth's Natural Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Earth's Natural Resources - Essay Example Being a farmer, and hardworking one at that, I strongly oppose any arrangements that would subject Callicoon to hydraulic fracturing. Jack, I know that leasing land over to extraction companies seems logical. The money is satisfactory, and one gets to retain ownership of the land. Lots of promises got made by these companies concerning how they intend to harness this resource that is the natural gas. However, the very process of fracking in itself is harmful to the natural ecosystem regardless of whatever means gets used in harvesting (Zelman 2012). Hydraulic fracturing refers to a process that creates fractures in the rocks due to the action of pressurized fluid. The process of fracking gets done after a well gets drilled and fitted with steel pipes targeting the areas that hold gas or oil. When the fracturing fluid gets injected in the well, it flows along the perforations into the target zones. The pressure created through injection of the liquid fractures the formation. Upon frac turing, fluid injection stops and the fracturing fluid flow back to the surface. Materials like ceramic beads and sand which got injected together with the fracture fluid mixture remains in the fracture space to keep the fracture open (Zelman 2012). Hydraulic fracturing uses enormous volumes of water. ... The harvesting of large volumes of water for hydraulic fracturing has negative ecological impacts in the water ecosystem. Fracking in Marcellus Shale used up 650 million gallons each year. Apart from drying up of water aquifers, water harvesting affects aquatic flora and fauna and leads to loss of biodiversity. The transportation of this water gets done by trucks that cause localized air quality and destroys the roads (Zelman 2012). A wide array of chemicals gets used together with water in hydraulic fracturing. The amount of chemicals used when millions of gallons of water gets used is enormous. In other words, the amount of chemicals per hydraulic fracturing is substantial. For instance, fracking that uses up four million gallons requires up to 330 tons of chemicals. The department of Environmental Conservation put up a list of additives and chemicals used for fracturing in Marcellus Shale. These chemicals are toxic to both wildlife and people, some of which cause cancer. These sub stances include petroleum distillates such as toluene, naphthalene and ethylbenzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, ethylene glycol, sodium hydroxide, formaldehyde, glycol ether and hydrochloric acid. The Environmental Working Group has stated that petroleum distillates like kerosene contain benzene, a well known carcinogen which gets toxic in water in quantities that exceed five parts per billion. Volatile organic compounds such as 1, 2- Dichloroethane that are found in fracturing fluid flow back exceed drinking water standards. Flow back samples obtained from Pennsylvania had 10 times the maximum amount of 1, 2- Dichloroethane that should be in drinking water (Zelman 2012). Jack, leasing land to these exploration companies will lead to the reduction of water and air quality.

How does joining the European Union affects a country's right to trade Essay

How does joining the European Union affects a country's right to trade - Essay Example Citizens of these countries are allowed to move freely hence able to provide there services in any of the member states without much restrictions. However, there are a number of legislations which impede trading between European Union members and non member states (Federation of American Scientists). There are requirements provided by EU which affects rights to trade for member states. For instance democracy should be upheld, stable institutions, respect for human rights and rule of law. The country must be able to cope with market forces and competition existing within the union. The union members are also to observe environmental issues before trading. Furthermore as a contribution to a sustainable environment, EU members have to observe certain guidelines before trading with other non member countries. If these countries do not meet the requirements then there will be no trading between the countries. In support of reduction in greenhouse gas emission EU ensures special tariff rates for countries that have ratified global environmental agreements (Europa). In addition there are a number of criteria which have to be observed by EU countries before issuing trading licenses to non member countries. These criteria to a greater extend impede trading. They include abiding by international commitments such as sanctions, respect for human rights and national security of nations etc. There have been efforts by the European Union to ensure that third countries develop democratic parliamentary institutions. Respect for fundamental rights and democratic principles are laid down as â€Å"essential element to all the agreements reached upon by the respective governments (European Commission). As much as these principles are essential in addressing pertinent issues in the society it hinders trade between nations. Member states from EU may shun from trading