Fracking is a dirty word: The Global Frackdown with Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Local groups in England, Wales and Northern Ireland call on councils to keep their communities ‘frack-free’.
Saturday, October 19, residents joined forces with people in more than 60 areas of the UK, to ask their council to swear not to allow fracking locally.
Friends of the Earth local groups set up an oversized swear box in their town centres. They invited passers-by to drop in signed postcards to the Leader of the local council. The postcards ask them to swear not to allow the ‘dirty F-word’ in their local area.
The dirty F-word
The Government is running rough-shod over local communities and plans to puncture holes across huge swathes of the country. This is in search of controversial new fossil fuels: shale gas and coal bed methane.
Burning these fossil fuels will contribute to climate change and risks polluting local water supplies. It is highly unlikely to lower fuel bills.
Recent polling shows that 52% of people would support wind turbines within 10 miles of their house compared to just 18% who would support shale wells.
Global Frackdown Day
October 19 was ‘Global Frackdown Day’, with hundreds of actions taking place in communities in over twenty countries, as part of a month of international action on energy.
“People all over the world are making a bold stand against fracking. If the UK Government is serious about tackling climate change and providing energy we can all afford, the solutions are renewables and energy saving.” said Tony Bosworth, Senior Energy Campaigner.
Image: Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
