Gasland: Stop fracking with our lives

In the build up to Earth Hour on Saturday night, the campus organisation SEACC SF screened the Oscar-nominated documentary, Gasland. The South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum bought the rights to the movie, which highlights the true nature of hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’. This technique is used to mine natural gases and the documentary uncovers the disastrous effects this process has had on the lives of American citizens living near the drilling stations.
The documentary, written and directed by Josh Fox, is shot in a poetic and experimental way and contains a montage of people whose health, water and livestock have suffered from the chemicals used in the process and the natural gas released into the air and water.
The crowd in Eden Grove Red, gasped as footage was shown of drinking water which had so much gas in it that it ignited in the presence of a flame. There are shocking revelations of the way companies are bulldozing their way into communities without being monitored by any state or environmental organisations.
The documentary is pertinent to South Africa, as a number of international oil companies are planning to prospect the Karoo for natural gas.
If they are successful, they will use the fracking process to obtain the natural gas, at great risk to the environment and the lives of people and animals.
SEACC SF sent a petition around after the screening, which they plan to present to Parliament next month. There it will be taken forward by DA shadow environmental minister, Gareth Morgan. They hope not only to gain the support of Grahamstown residents, but to raise a national opposition to hydraulic fracturing.
SEACC SF bought the rights to Gasland for $75, which converts to around R509, at current exchange rates. Anyone interested in getting involved, or making a donation, can contact Patrick Curran on g06c0565@campus.ru.ac.za or Alex Lenferna on seaccsf@gmail.com.

Published in Grocott's Mail on 1 April 2011.

Go beyond the hour

Switch off all your lights. Huddle around a table with a candle and play scrabble, monopoly or snakes and ladders. Tell ghost stories. Make your own lanterns. Lie on a blanket in the garden and watch the stars or run around with sparklers. These are all things that you can do when you switch your lights off on Saturday night, from 8.30 to 9.30pm for Earth Hour.
Earth Hour is an international event organised by the WWF to support our planet by creating awareness about climate change. This event has been happening annually since 2007, with 128 countries participating last year. To participate, switch off all your lights and electrical appliances for the hour. This year, people are encouraged to go beyond the hour by making lifestyle changes and limiting electricity usage.
SEACC SF, GRASS and Astro Soc will feature performances by Drum Soc, BUA poetry society and Voices of Glory in the Botanical Gardens. The evening will kick off at 6pm with a screening of the documentary, 'Gasland', at Eden Grove Red, followed by a short presentation on the proposed hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo. Moving across to the Botanical Gardens, Earth Hour celebrations will continue from 8:30pm until late. Entrance is free and everyone is welcome. Bring your own drinks and a picnic.

SEACCing a healthier climate

The South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum is building an electric bicycle to display at Scifest this year. Photo by Gabi Falanga

A new society on campus will be lobbying for climate change and have residences competing to cut down on electricity usage.
SEACC SF (South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum) held its first function of the year on Monday night. The society, which was launched a year ago, aims to bring other universities and NGO’s together to tackle issues of climate change and sustainability.
Dr Tony Ribbink, CEO of Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) and founder of SEACC SF, welcomed the small group of people to the presentation at Eden Grove Red lecture theatre and said: “It is this generation who need to make a huge difference and make the difference quickly. The world is in your hands, so use your hands well.”
The SEACC SF committee has big plans for this year. They are planning to attend The United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) in Durban at the end of the year. As part of this they will be encouraging as many people as possible to sign a sea pledge, in order to help save the sea, one of the world’s lungs.
The society also has various other projects. Wild Reach aims to empower communities in the Eastern Cape by promoting conservation through knowledge. Students will accompany underprivileged school children to game farms to help create interest in the environment and to demonstrate the benefits of conservation.
As part of SEACC SF’s campus initiatives, they will be running an Eskom energy challenge between residences. The residence with the lowest energy consumption will win a prize. Recycling, water saving and food awareness are also on their to-do list, to name only a few.

Alex Lenferna, Chairperson of The South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum welcomes students to the society on Monday night. He encourages sustainability through knowledge.
Photo by Gabi Falanga

Dr Tony Ribbink speaks at a South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum function on Monday night. Ribbink urged students to tackle climate change and issues of sustainability.
Photo by Gabi Falanga

Published in Grocott's Mail on 18 March 2011