Over the summer, HBO began airing its 2010 Summer Series of documentaries; one that I found particularly interesting was Gasland, a film by Josh Fox. This was right around the Deepwaters Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the public eye was focused down south; however, this documentary was centered in the Midwest. Josh Fox traveled the United States and dissected the practice and effects of drilling in the Midwest through interviews and information. I've seen the images of oil pumps in the blazing flat-lands of Texas and others states, such as the one at the top of this page; but I had never even heard of the spread of Big Oil Company drilling in the Midwest, the destruction and contamination they cause to the land and water, or the loopholes in government policies that allow this to happen.
My blog will focus on the who, what, where, when, why, and hows of this debate. Who is doing this and who is getting affected? What is small oil drilling and where is it happening? When did it start and why hasn't it stopped? How is the government knowingly allowing these companies to destroy the great American Frontier? I will examine these questions and both sides of the argument: the environmentalists that condemn this act and the corporate businessmen who control and instigate it. Through research, video and news postings, and examples I will dissect the practices of the Big Oil Companies and attempt to determine the correct stance on the issue. I aim to give my readers enough knowledge on the topic to have thier own opinions.
I hope you enjoy reading,
HB
