The consequences of fracking revealed in a simple kitchen test. Holy smokes.
Let's be real, fracking isn't exactly breaking news these days. For those of us who're passionate about environmental issues, we know that fracking is terrible and has serious consequences for our planet. But it wasn't until I heard how residents directly affected by these fracking sites have been treated by the oil companies that I really understood just how deep the problem goes.
What in the world is fracking?
Before we can dive into why fracking is so harmful to the planet, let's make sure we understand how it works.
Now of course this is a more condensed (and animated) explanation of how fracking works, but you get the idea. The thing is, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to see why there might be serious consequences to pumping the ground full of chemicals in order to make *more* chemicals.
"The oil and gas service companies used hydraulic fracturing products containing 29chemicals that are (1) known or possible human carcinogens, (2) regulated under the SafeDrinking Water Act for their risks to human health, or (3) listed as hazardous air pollutants underthe Clean Air Act.
...
Between 2005 and 2009, the hydraulic fracturing companies used 95 products containing13 different carcinogens.20 These included naphthalene (a possible human carcinogen), benzene(a known human carcinogen), and acrylamide (a probable human carcinogen). Overall, thesecompanies injected 10.2 million gallons of fracturing products containing at least onecarcinogen."
— U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce minority staff, "Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracking, 2011"
Where do all those toxins go?
Fracking has been known to contribute to earthquakes, climate change, droughts, and, worst of all, extreme water contamination. While harmful toxins have serious long-term consequences for everyone, those who live closest to drilling sites suffer them firsthand.
"Residents began complaining of fouled water near Pavillion in the mid-1990s, and the problems appeared to get worse around 2004. Several residents complained that their well water turned brown shortly after gas wells were fracked nearby, and, for a time, gas companies operating in the area supplied replacement drinking water to residents.
Beginning in 2008, the EPA took water samples from resident's drinking water wells, finding hydrocarbons and traces of contaminants that seemed like they could be related to fracking. In 2010, another round of sampling confirmed the contamination, and the EPA, along with federal health officials, cautioned residents not to drink their water and to ventilate their homes when they bathed because the methane in the water could cause an explosion."
— Abrahm Lustgarten and Nicholas Kusnetz of ProPublica, "Feds Link Water Contamination to Fracking for the First Time"
What's it like living next to a fracking site?
In the aptly titled "Fracking Nightmare," Pennsylvania resident Sherry Vargson shares what life has been like since selling part of her property to the Chesapeake Energy Corp.
And if bubbling and steaming water weren't enough to convince you, Sherry demonstrated just how toxic her tap water is by lighting a match next to her running faucet.
Umm ... I'm not a scientist or anything, but I'm pretty sure water is NOT supposed to be flammable. Sherry thought this was pretty suspect too, so she contacted the state Department of Environmental Protection, which found excessive levels of methane in her home, measuring over 56.3 milligrams per liter. That's when they shared that typically anything over 3 milligrams should be controlled with monitors and a proper ventilation system. Yikes. And while Chesapeake Energy did eventually bring Sherry a ventilation system, they acted as if flammable water was perfectly normal, saying, "There's natural occurring methane in the wells already."
In addition to bubbly water, gassy showers, and flaming sinks, Sherry has had to relocate her farm animals and order drinking water from a local company — all because her water's "fracked." I don't know about you, but to me, this is some seriously scary stuff.
How can we stand up to oil companies and stop fracking?
As of January 2015, fracking is taking place in 22 states. And while plenty of states aren't currently affected, those in rural areas could be next. But the good news is that plenty of communities are winning the fight against drilling in their neighborhoods.
Dryden, New York, is just one small town that was successful in banning fracking, along with 105 others since 2011.
And while environmentalists and small towns across the country are working hard to put a stop to fracking, they need all the help they can get. Whether you live in a community that's been affected by fracking or just want a healthier planet, Environment America has a list of resources, petitions, and legislation you can support based on where you live.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
A poster for the musical Les Miserables on a tall building. Photo by 
Lin Manuel Miranda at the Tony Awards. 
Curvature of the earth.
The earth is in our hands. Canva Photos. 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."