In the Red

The University Center ballroom at the University of Northern Colorado was packed with locals and students on Nov. 15 who waited to hear a presentation about an issue relative to Greeley and Weld County.

                The room erupted with applause after the event’s speaker, Josh Fox, took his position on the stage.

                “How many of you are actually stoned right now?” Fox asked to get the crowd energetic by referencing the state’s recent passing of Amendment 64.

                With a projector mapping out Greeley and Colorado to his left, Fox began to discuss the cons of hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking”, a topic he documented in his Academy Award nominated film, Gasland.

                The term refers to the extraction of natural gas from shale rock underneath the Earth’s surface. The drilling involves sending down toxic fluids to release the gas by breaking the rock. Two to four million gallons of water is used for a single drilling, but up 60,000 gallons of chemicals are used as well. But what Fox says is most important is that these fluids can leak onto the surface and even in groundwater.

                 “No way would I want oil and gas drilling near me,” he said.

                Fox directed the audience’s attention over to the red blotches scattered across the map of Colorado.

                “All of these red areas are where these drillings take place,” he said.

                The area surrounding Greeley was covered in red.

                “I had no idea that so many drillings took place around us,” said Allison Quelch, a senior psychology major. “It’s very interesting to listen to, but at the same time it is shocking to know that the people within the community might all be affected by it.”

                The fluids involved in “fracking” are known to contaminant water as well as the air according to Fox.

             “'Frack' gas is worse gas for climate change, coal is better,” Fox said.

                That is because large amounts of methane, leak out from the ground and into the air. But the chemicals also contaminate the drinking water.

                Fox said that in his documentary, there is a famous scene where a man turns on his kitchen faucet and lights the water on fire.

                And what Fox says that he wants, is for people to be aware about an issue that is not widely discussed or even known. He says that he is concerned for the country’s public health.

                “You are in a position now where you can stand up and use your voice,” he said.

                Ali Horton, a sophomore criminal justice majors, says that she thinks Fox’s presentation could possibly be innovative.

                “You didn’t hear much talk about this during the election,” she said. “I think that if he continues to spread the word, the issue might become more political than it already is.”

                Fox is currently working on a follow-up to his documentary titled, Gasland 2.