By Eve Mitchell
It’s not just me. People all over Europe are getting really fed up with fracking. We know, because we asked you what you think, and boy did the message come back loud and clear.
Teofan from Romania is worried about families forced to try to live near fracking wells. “I feel sorry for them, as their most basic of human rights has been infringed upon.” Jonathan from the UK says, “I feel great sympathy with families who have fracking forced upon them.” Lionel, Leslie and Diana, all from the UK, feel sorry for families facing fracking, too, and they’re joined by Helena from Germany and Sérgio from Portugal.
People have a lot to tell us, but mostly they feel bad for those caught up in the fracking whirlwind. Angela from Germany even says, “If I could, I would take them to a safe land, without fracking neighbours.”
That’s what’s so amazing about this movement – we’re in it to help each other.
We’re also getting pretty mad when communities are put at risk like this.
In the UK, Benita feels frustration, Gill is appalled and Vanessa says, “They should have the right to decide.” People know it’s about money, too. Cass from Ireland reminds us, “Money can’t be eaten, and we should devote all our intelligence to preserve our planet for future generations. We are not separable from nature.””Ignacio from Spain thinks affected communities are “dirty business victims”. Liesbeth from the Netherlands hits the nail right on the head: “Don’t destroy the earth for greed!”
Given what’s happening in the UK right now, I guess it’s not surprising people here have a lot to say. Fisun gets right down to it and wants to tell our leaders to “”rack off and leave us and our environment in peace”. Matthew says, “I am extremely worried about the local area and large amount of traffic the fracking lorries will bring to the town.” Mark knows our food supplies are threatened, saying, “It’s not needed, not wanted, not democratic, not green.” Mary says, “Don’t believe that the firms concerned are reliable enough to put safety before profit.”
Michael, Robert, Vanessa and Heather from the UK all say their biggest concern is about the impacts on our water, and their concern is shared by Andreas from Germany, Line from Denmark and Pierreni from France. Helena from Germany makes a really good point, saying she “worries who really is accountable for the consequences in the soil and in the diminishing drinking water reservoirs from fracking in 50 years”.
Wherever they live, young and young at heart, I know people get it. Lesley from the UK is worried about what fracking will do to her local economy and the tourism it relies on. Martin from Malta says, “I am convinced by the scientific case that has been made against it.” Michael from the UK makes a very good point, too: “They don’t need to live near it to be affected by it, it can spread out for several miles.”
They are all absolutely right.
The Global Frackdown in Paris will tell our world leaders enough is enough. We need to stop fracking now and move on to renewable energy as swiftly as we can.
Wherever you are, you can help. You can tell the European Commissioner for Climate Action that we need him to toughen up before the Paris meeting, and remind him that 1,250 organisations from around the world want a ban on fracking now.
Then you can follow all the news here and at #GlobalFrackdown. Together we can do it.