EcoWatch
The fracking debate has officially taken a strange and morbid turn.
According to the Associated Press, township trustees of Poland, Ohio—a small, eastern Ohio enclave—have received a proposal to lease the mineral rights underneath the 122-year-old Lowellville Cemetery for $140,000 and a 16 percent share of royalties. Similar offers have been reported at other nearby cemeteries.
It seems that, in addition to friends, family and loved ones, there's a lot more beneath the surface. Rich deposits of natural gas locked into shale formations thousands of feet beneath the ground have invigorated a bizarre and polarizing debate around how to proceed.
Fracking in cemeteries is the latest in an expanding list of places that any sane person would think inconceivable to undermine, such as residential properties, playgrounds, schools and parks. In areas where fracking operations have moved forward, air quality is degraded, noise pollution skyrockets and water quality is dangerously compromised.
At this point, disrupting the final resting place of the dead seems a perfectly illogical extension of an ongoing debate that defies good sense.
"I think it's a dumb idea because I wouldn't want anyone up there disturbing the dead, number one, and, number two, I don't like the aspect of drilling," said Marilee Pilkington of Poland, Ohio, according to the Associated Press. Pilkington's father, brother and nephew are all buried in Lowellville.
John Campbell, an agent for Campbell Development LLC based in Fort Worth, Texas, declined a request for more information on his proposal. He said only that the offer was not accepted, according to the Associated Press.
Nearby residents of Youngstown, Ohio are fired up about the proposal in Poland after experiencing an equally bizarre string of earthquakes that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources linked to wastewater injection wells virtually pinpointed to the earthquakes' epicenters. Youngstown is now battling for a citywide drilling ban.
"You know what it is, it's emotional," said Poland Township Administrator Jim Scharville, according to the Associated Press. "A lot of people don't want any type of drilling. There's something about disturbing the sanctuary of a cemetery. We're not talking about dinosaurs now and creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago. We're talking about loved ones who have died, people we knew."
Unfortunately, the case in Poland isn't unique. Cemeteries in Pennsylvania and Texas have already been drilled.
Visit EcoWatch's FRACKING page for more related news on this topic.
Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!