Tag Archives: natural gas drilling

The Arctic is Opening Up: Offshore Drilling and Melting Sea Ice

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By Roberta Attanasio, IEAM Blog Editor

The heat is on in the Arctic. This region is now warming at a rate faster than twice the global average—known as Arctic amplification. Consequently, the ice that covers the North Pole and surrounding areas, and melts to its lowest extent each September, has been disappearing at an alarming rate. Continue reading →

Fracking and Groundwater Contamination: The Known and the Unknowns

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By Roberta Attanasio, IEAM Blog Editor

Peak oil, or peak water? Peak water might be the (unfortunate) answer. Alternative sources of energy may become more widely available, but there are no alternatives to water. The ongoing depletion of groundwater contained in aquifers—one of the most important sources of water on our planet—is a significant threat to our future. Many countries are already near or beyond peak water, and results from recent studies show that significant segments of Earth’s population are consuming groundwater all too quickly, without knowing when it might run out. Continue reading →

The Environmental and Health Impacts of Fracking: Time to Close the Knowledge Gap?

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By Roberta Attanasio, IEAM Blog Editor

Diagram of a fracking operation, courtesy of Plazak, CC-PD-Mark.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking – the process of extracting natural gas by injecting wells with mixtures of water, sand, and even toxic chemicals at an extremely high pressure – may contaminate drinking water and affect human health, among other unwanted consequences. Continue reading →