Video on Fracking and the Release of Toxic Chemicals Makes a Broader Point

I recommend the piece on VOCs (toxic volatile organic compounds: acetone, benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, etc.) not to suggest that fracking represents net damage to humankind, but to point out a few things that everyone should know.  In particular:

• The oil and gas industry routinely lies about this subject, denying that these chemicals are released into our skies and waterways, and that they are being absorbed into our bodies.  And, speaking of lies,

• Here’s lie #2: the continued reliance on oil and gas is the only path to a healthy economy.

The industry can use its vast wealth to pound these falsehoods into our minds, and they’re all to happy to do exactly that.  But people all over the world are beginning to see through this.  First, they note with interest that currently there are 6.5 million jobs in the clean energy space, and that this number is skyrocketing; it grew by over a million in the last year alone. That’s not the number of jobs that are promised; it’s 6.5 million weekly paychecks.

Further, people are flocking to EnergyFactCheck.Org for the truth about job growth, as well as the numerous health and environmental benefits of a clean energy future. What’s perhaps the most important ingredient in all this is the falling price of renewable energy; wind power is already rivaling coal in a great many locations in the U.S., and that set of locations is expanding with each passing day.

The very least we can do for ourselves is have an informed and truthful discussion on the subject. Here’s a pithy quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln when he was asked about the imperative for honesty in speech-making:  How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?  Four.  A tail is not a leg, regardless of what you call it.