A very clever song featured on a YouTube video posted about a month ago is bringing more attention to "fracking," a controversial means of extracting natural gas that has raised environmental concerns across the country.
"My Water's On Fire Tonight," which not only includes catchy lyrics but skillful animation, has already gotten more than 130,000 views in two separate posts, as well as positive and negative comments, some of which offer well-reasoned commentary on the issue.
Fracking shoots millions of gallons of water and a concoction of chemicals through wells sunk deep into the ground to crack shale so that natural gas is released. A major criticism of the practice is that the chemicals may threaten drinking water, and many gas companies won't even reveal what chemicals they are using.
Many investors groups have been pushing gas companies to become more open about their processes while some states have put limits on fracking. At the same time, other investors see opportunities for cheap energy from the massive gas reserves in the Marcellus Shale, a rock formation that stretches through New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Jeff Schlegel's article, "It's A Gas," is a comprehensive article on natural gas and fracking that's worth reading for those who want to find out more.
And to see "My Water's On Fire Tonight," click here.