Location research
In my synopsis I’ve given a couple of locations that that
I’m interested in photographing. These locations are my first thoughts for
areas to photograph and they’ll provide me with a base to progress from once
I’m able to get out and photograph.
While I’m unable to get around it will be a good idea to
research the different areas that I want to photograph which will better inform
my images.
Fracking: Lancashire and Kirby Misperton (North Yorkshire)
What is Fracking?
Fracking is the process of drilling down
into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to
release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at
high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.
Why is Fracking controversial?
·
Requires a lot of water at the expense of the
environment
·
Contamination the water table due to the
chemicals used
·
Can cause small earthquakes
·
Considered by some as a distraction to the real
solution to the UK’s energy problems
Advantages of
Fracking:
·
Allows access to hard to reach places
·
Produces half the CO2 emissions of coal in the
production of electricity
·
Will greatly benefit the UK’s future Gas
supplies as it has done in America and Canada
How has Fracking been
received by the public?
The simple answer is overwhelmingly bad as the following
quote from Friends of the Earth Scotland shows:
Commenting on the news that the UK Government plan to go
ahead with legislation to remove people's rights to stop fracking underneath
their homes, Friends of the Earth Scotland Head of Campaigns Mary Church said:
"It is absolutely outrageous that the UK Government has
ignored over 99% of responses to this consultation, and the stated objection of
the Scottish Government, that the removal of people's rights to object to
fracking underneath their homes is simply unacceptable. This is literally
legislating for the 1%.
"Cameron and Osborne's blinkered dash for gas risks
putting the UK on course for climate catastrophe and endangers the health and
wellbeing of communities across central and southern Scotland.
This
level of resistance is also seen in the online forums and web sites like the
following link:
This
site displays all the known groups that oppose the idea of fracking across the
UK. It also plots all the energy resource extraction points throughout the
British Isles as well as the locations of groups that oppose the various
different methods of extraction.
Map of UK Fracking sites:
Map of local groups that are opposed to fracking:
From the two maps above it’s clear to see the correlation
between the two. The people in the areas of proposed Fracking are very active
in their protests.
The bellow map shows the current licenced areas of fracking
and the areas under consideration
The above link shows the visual effects of fracking on the
land
The report is titled: ‘Visual Impacts of Natural Gas
Drilling in the Marcellus Shale Region’
As it says in the title, it looks at the visual effects of
fracking in Pennsylvania, by viewing them from various distances and also from
a bird’s eye view. This report gives
great insight into the process of fracking and the wider effects it has on the
land, i.e. the increased amount of traffic, creation of roads, potential
deforestation and the lasting damage to the drill site.
From reading the report it seems when the site is active,
it’s at is most disruptive which is mainly seen through the increase of
vehicles, but once the site is inactive there’s very little evidence of any
major industrial presence. So long term there’s very little visual surface
damage, but underground is a different story. Even when the appropriate clean
up protocols are conducted there is still lasting damage to fertility of the
area as well as damage to the water table which effects every ecosystem in the
area.
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