I fear that a systemic disease has infected us. We seem to be thinking more about ourselves and less about our neighbors these days. Every form of life on this planet is linked to every other form. So when we make a decision it affects not only our own lives and homes but the lives and homes of our nearest neighbors and ultimately all life on the globe.
I think that those who are selling their oil and gas rights in our precious Arlington Heights neighborhood are making a serious mistake. Many are selling their oil and gas rights for money. But have we really taken a look at the price of that money?
The oil and gas companies are oriented toward profit. They are not oriented toward a safer, healthier environment. Nor are they oriented toward alternative forms of energy. So drill, drill, drill so that we can feed the beast. Only this time, the beast is too large. The population is too large. And our precious globe is too small, eventually spinning toward destruction if we don?’t think globally and act locally.
There is not enough gas and oil in the belly of the earth to sustain both the greediness of our population and our collective unwillingness to think of survival in new ways. Rather than giving up our rights to protect the earth, why not say NO! and keep them from further ravishing our community and ultimately our planet?
Here?’s what drilling does: The very act of drilling releases nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides and VOC?’s?—volatile organic chemicals. When they are released into the atmosphere VOC?’s react with sunshine to form ozone. The destruction of the ozone layer is being blamed for global warming. But that ozone is high above us in space. It is supposed to act as a barrier between living organisms and our sun so that nature remains balanced. Ozone is not designed to be breathed.
From a website in Colorado I researched, they claim that oil and gas facilities are the single largest source of formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylenes released into the atmosphere. The National Cancer Institute identified formaldehyde as a known carcinogen.
From a Michigan website I learned that routine drilling creates wastes such as drilling muds, cuttings and produced waters that contain profuse and varied toxic chemicals that pose significant risks to the environment. The risks to wildlife include developmental defects, shortened life spans and physiological changes. And this will include humans as we continue to destroy our living space.
Many of the toxic chemicals associated with oil and gas drilling can accumulate and magnify in the food chain. That means that both food and water are polluted by drilling. Drilling also emits an unpleasant odor.
If we give these people our support by taking their money, we have de-facto endorsed the pollution of our neighborhood and ultimately our planet.
Tell them to keep their money. We are more interested in the survival of our community and our planet than we are in a few thousand paltry dollars.
We are told that there will be no oil and gas rigs in our neighborhood. Apparently the oil and gas companies think that they can slant drill. But once we have given up our rights who knows where they will end up drilling? I can envision a scenario where a gas company buys a residence, knocks down the house and gets City approval to drill on that site.
The Native Americans had a rule. When the leaders convened, they would look at a problem and their decision was based on what effect their decision would have on the next seven generations. I subscribe to their viewpoint. Why would I take a few thousand dollars if it meant the possible extinction of either my neighborhood or humanity? If you add it all up, one day it could mean extinction.
It?’s just a little here and a little there but if we allow this to continue eventually there will come a day when there are no more days.
By Diana Wiley
I think that those who are selling their oil and gas rights in our precious Arlington Heights neighborhood are making a serious mistake. Many are selling their oil and gas rights for money. But have we really taken a look at the price of that money?
The oil and gas companies are oriented toward profit. They are not oriented toward a safer, healthier environment. Nor are they oriented toward alternative forms of energy. So drill, drill, drill so that we can feed the beast. Only this time, the beast is too large. The population is too large. And our precious globe is too small, eventually spinning toward destruction if we don?’t think globally and act locally.
There is not enough gas and oil in the belly of the earth to sustain both the greediness of our population and our collective unwillingness to think of survival in new ways. Rather than giving up our rights to protect the earth, why not say NO! and keep them from further ravishing our community and ultimately our planet?
Here?’s what drilling does: The very act of drilling releases nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides and VOC?’s?—volatile organic chemicals. When they are released into the atmosphere VOC?’s react with sunshine to form ozone. The destruction of the ozone layer is being blamed for global warming. But that ozone is high above us in space. It is supposed to act as a barrier between living organisms and our sun so that nature remains balanced. Ozone is not designed to be breathed.
From a website in Colorado I researched, they claim that oil and gas facilities are the single largest source of formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylenes released into the atmosphere. The National Cancer Institute identified formaldehyde as a known carcinogen.
From a Michigan website I learned that routine drilling creates wastes such as drilling muds, cuttings and produced waters that contain profuse and varied toxic chemicals that pose significant risks to the environment. The risks to wildlife include developmental defects, shortened life spans and physiological changes. And this will include humans as we continue to destroy our living space.
Many of the toxic chemicals associated with oil and gas drilling can accumulate and magnify in the food chain. That means that both food and water are polluted by drilling. Drilling also emits an unpleasant odor.
If we give these people our support by taking their money, we have de-facto endorsed the pollution of our neighborhood and ultimately our planet.
Tell them to keep their money. We are more interested in the survival of our community and our planet than we are in a few thousand paltry dollars.
We are told that there will be no oil and gas rigs in our neighborhood. Apparently the oil and gas companies think that they can slant drill. But once we have given up our rights who knows where they will end up drilling? I can envision a scenario where a gas company buys a residence, knocks down the house and gets City approval to drill on that site.
The Native Americans had a rule. When the leaders convened, they would look at a problem and their decision was based on what effect their decision would have on the next seven generations. I subscribe to their viewpoint. Why would I take a few thousand dollars if it meant the possible extinction of either my neighborhood or humanity? If you add it all up, one day it could mean extinction.
It?’s just a little here and a little there but if we allow this to continue eventually there will come a day when there are no more days.
By Diana Wiley
