| VOLUME XXXVI No. 26 | Narrowsburg, NY | July 1 - 7, 2010 |
| Business carbon impact worksheet Household carbon impact worksheet |
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America the beautiful One theme that seems to come up repeatedly in public forums discussing natural gas drilling is love of home and country. One argument goes that, in the name of America, we need gas drilling to preserve energy independence, keeping dollars at home and maintaining our national security. On a more local level, the argument is that we need natural gas drilling to create jobs so that our children can remain here, in our home territory, rather than having to move away. It’s possible to pick some bones with the argument that national gas drilling is necessarily the solution to energy independence—as we have pointed out in previous editorials, many of the companies benefiting from the activity and even owning the leases on our land are in fact multinational corporations. But that is not the point we wish to reflect on for this Independence Day editorial. It is, after all, true that natural gas, unlike oil, is difficult to transport overseas and therefore much more likely to be used here rather than sold oversees, no matter what the nationality of the producing company. It is also true that it’s desirable to have a source of energy that does not have to be extracted from politically unstable foreign territories. Thus at least as compared to oil, natural gas does have an advantage with regard to energy dependence and national security. But there are many ways in which patriotism can express itself, not limited to concerns about physical security or finances. America is a big land with room for many dreams. Our forefathers had a big dream when they signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and the dreams have become more numerous and larger with every one of the millions of people who have come here or been born here since. One of the many strands that is woven into the history of our country is the view that the physical magnificence and abundance of the land itself, America the beautiful, “the purple mountain majesties/above the fruited plain,” is an essential part of our treasure, our patriotism and our national pride. One of the leading proponents of this perspective was Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service and one of the most instrumental in the development of the National Park System—of which, coincidentally, the Upper Delaware river corridor, currently threatened by industrial development as so many other parts of the system were back in Mather’s day, is a part. Mather wrote, “Who will gainsay that the parks contain the highest potentialities of national pride, national contentment, and national health? A visit inspires love of country; begets contentment; engenders pride of possession; contains the antidote for national restlessness.... He is a better citizen with a keener appreciation of the privilege of living here who has toured the national parks.” If what we love in America is, to some extent, the greatness of the land, then preserving America means, in part, preserving the land. And as noted in our April 22 editorial, “Natural Capital,” land is not just a matter of square miles, but of the services the land provides to us, including breathable air, drinkable water, crops, fish habitat and yes, even the magnificent landscapes that heal our hearts. It is this value that many opponents of natural gas drilling see threatened. National security and energy independence are worthy goals, as is the goal of providing good jobs for our children so that they can stay here with us. But we must take care that in trying to attain those goals, we do not destroy the very thing we are trying to nurture. America is a land of abundance. We would like to think it’s big enough to accommodate both those who hope to create economic opportunities for our children to stay in our home communities, and those who wish to see to it that this home remains a privilege and a joy for them—or anybody—to stay in. Maybe our birthday, Independence Day, is a good time to start building some dreams that are big enough to hold both these ideas of what makes America, and the Upper Delaware, great.
Also in this issue:
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Dr. Punnybone  Hot and Bothered |
Letters to the Editor
Collateral damage To the editor: In Dimock, PA approximately 70 wells have been fracked. According to Dimock resident Craig Sautner, there are up to 32 families who cannot drink their well water. Collateral damage: in war—civilians caught in the line of fire; on the highway—raised speed limits with risks deemed worth it to get there sooner; in the Gulf—well, BP can afford it. For those who want fracking now, without waiting for the Environmental Protection Agency study, there is an implicit acceptance of possible—probable—collateral damage. I asked a lessor a hypothetical question: if there were 700 wells and five families’ lives were damaged by fouled air or water, would that be acceptable? He said, “Yes.” I didn’t ask about Dimock. Soldiers know what they are in for. On the highways we are all going somewhere and insured by law. But those of us in harm’s way from fracking are civilians, and we’re on the road with uninsured drivers behind 18 wheelers. |
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