The Environment

Dear President Obama,

I am from  Michigan. I know you probably get thousands to millions of letters a day, so here is another. I have been studying the effects we humans have on the environment in my AP Environmental Science class and I have found my passion for the environment. We have studied different acts to protect the environment such as the Clean Water and Air Acts. But, in todays society it seems the large natural gas and oil companies are just bending the rules when it comes to these policies. Especially when it comes to natural gas fracking. I am sure you are familiar with the process, and how natural gas companies use hundreds of chemicals and thousands of gallons of water to obtain this gas. The problem with this process is that these chemicals are leaching into nearby water supplies and families are left with water that is unsafe to drink and you can even light on fire! There needs to be a change. This cannot keep happening, and it seems those who try to stand up against these large corporations are just shut down.

Just recently, the producer and writer of Gasland, Josh Fox, was arrested in a PUBLIC hearing. He, alongst many others, have inspired me to start to speak up about the injustices of our government. The environment is not meant to be used as a source of capital for these corporations, we share it will all living things and we need to learn to respect it. I know this letter probably won't even be read by the president himself but I want my opinion and voice to be heard. The environment needs to be a higher prority than making money, and until that happens we will continue to make excuses for these companies and in the end damage our fresh water supplies and kill innocent lives, those of humans and those of the wildlife that also calls this planet home. So, as the president of the United States, I am asking you to help jump start the era of environmental reform.