Deep Ecology Hydraulic Fracture

Deep Ecology
Hydraulic fracturing is one of the major techniques employed to extract oil and gases. Hydraulic
fracturing, also known as fracking, is a technique that involves resource extraction through
vertical and horizontal wells drilled from the surface to the bedrock where the desired resource is
found. The drilled wells are used to inject liquids (water and chemicals) under high pressure to
open fissures for extraction (Meng, & Ashby, 2014). Fracking has been more often practically
used in Scotland in the mining of unconventional gases such as shale though the technique does
well on various rock types. It is an undeniable fact that resource extraction promotes economic
growth as well as the provision of more secure energy sources, and getting rid of carbon-
intensive and coal-based electricity sources.
Although fracking has been in use in most countries over the past years, upheavals have arisen
recently concerning the effects of the process. There have been debates on whether the process
should continue in use. In Scotland, there is a controversy about fracking; those who argue in
favor of the process explain its economic importance while the opponents are establishing
potential risks of the process ((Briggle, 2013). The debates have attracted public attention, and
no consensus has been reached so far in the sense that the fracking is an economic tool. This
controversy is stimulated by the fact that the scientists have not yet established a fine report
about fracking. The public perception stands on the benefits of the process; hence the arguments
against it are taken as just politics. In his argument, Naess attributed the importance of equal
consideration on the health of a community and the environment and termed it as deep ecology.
Deep ecology is an important aspect that should be embraced in every undertaking to safeguard
the wellbeing of the environment and environmental ethics (Devall & Sessions, 2015). This
philosophy recognizes the existence of interdependence and the importance of living organisms
in the ecosystem. From the meaning of the word ‘deep’ as may be defined in the dictionary, deep
ecology is a detailed explanation of the importance of the living environment. In effect, the
existence of one part of the ecosystem depends majorly on the survival of another or the whole
part. To establish significant proves of these claims about deep ecology, some principles have
been used.
• There are intrinsic values on the interrelationships between human and non-human lives. This
can be explained through the importance of the environment to living organisms, not necessarily
considering the importance of the non-human world.
• Diversity of lives and richness of forms is another principle that explains in detail the inter-
dependence the living organisms on the environment.
• Equality of the living organisms should be respected within the biosphere and beyond.
• All people should have an in-depth ecological perspective in ensuring the health of the
environment is safeguarded by preventing exhausting of resources and pollution.