Inner earth 5 3
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Transcript of Inner earth 5 3
this issue
Exploring the Earth From the Inside
Special Edition
Community Night 2015
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Wenonah Elementary School
Class 5-3
ISSUE 2
March 2015
What do you think about when you hear the
words “geothermal energy”? Volcanoes? Power
plants? Here’s two words that probably don’t
come to mind: powering homes.
Governments may not know much about the
downside of geothermal energy, but this kind of
power is needed to make a change for our future.
A Giant Egg
Geothermal energy is the energy that powers our
homes, cities, and other buildings. Even though
some people might think that geothermal energy
is wrong, they don’t realize that it creates less
damage to the environment.
Geothermal energy comes from inside the Earth.
If the Earth were an egg, it would have a shell,
and other materials inside it. That’s what the
Earth is like. The shell is the Earth’s crust, and the
other materials are the core and magma. That’s
where geothermal energy comes from.
Energy Efficient
Geothermal energy is a
renewable resource. It is
also environment-
friendly and it gives us
energy. Some people also
use it for light and
heat. There is also
something called pow-
er plants. Power plants also help generate power.
The three types of power plants are called dry-
steam, flash, and binary.
Dangers All Around
Even though geothermal energy is useful, there are
some other negative issues that go along with it.
One of these issues is that it pours toxins into drinking
water. Therefore, drinking water is getting polluted.
Even when people are drilling the energy out of the
ground, it’s causing the effect of global warming. That’s
another one of these issues.
Even geysers and volcanoes are powered by this type of
energy. Geothermal energy causes geysers and volca-
noes to grow and explode. This way, people could lose
their homes, or their lives.
Old Faithful is a geyser at Yellowstone
National Park in Wyoming.
Energy Everywhere
by Allyson Bernardo
Power plants are a safe way
to generate energy.
Powerful Power Plants
Power plants are a safe way of getting and generating energy.
Dry-steam power plants are built by steam fields, which are very rare. This is how dry-steam power plants gener-
ate energy. First, it transforms magma heated water into steam. Then, the steam is piped up to the surface.
A flash power plant uses water from 360oF–700oF. The water keeps getting heated until it’s super heated. When
the water is super heated, it’s pumped to the surface and sprayed into a low-pressure flash tank. The water even-
tually turns into water vapor and then into steam.
In binary power plants, geothermal energy is transferred to a binary liquid, which is also called a secondary liq-
uid. Two examples of binary liquid are isobutene and isopentane. Binary power plants transfer warm water that
is eventually flashed (transformed) into steam. That steam is then cooled down and reused.
Now that you know a lot more about geothermal energy, it is up to you to decide if geothermal energy is helpful,
or harmful.
In a "dry steam" power plant the steam is
released from the pressure of a deep res-
ervoir, through a rock catcher, and then
past the power generator turbines.
Flash Steam Power Plants are the
most common form of geother-
mal power plant.
Binary plants, like dry-steam and flash-steam plants, make use of
naturally sourced hot steam generated by activity from within the
Earth's core.
How do you heat your home? Natural gas? Oil?
Wood burning fire place? Everyone needs some
kind of energy to heat their home. Natural gas may
seem like the best way, but fracking is causing a
problem. Some people say fracking is dangerous,
but some people say it has some advantages. Peo-
ple needs to know the facts about fracking to
make an informed decision.
WHAT IS FRACKING?
Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas
from underground from a rock called shale rock.
Do you know how people get the natural gas out
of the ground? They are have to drill down in the
ground about a half a mile down to get the natural
gas they
need. How
does the pro-
cess of frack-
ing create
fractures? It
extends from
wells into oil
and gas for-
mations. People do this by pumping highly - pres-
surized fluid, water, sand, ceramic beads, and a
mixture of chemicals into the oil or gas formation.
PROS OF FRACKING!
Fracking has many benefits. One benefit is that
North America has a lot of natural gas “locked” in
bedrock shale formations underground. This
means the United States can be energy independ-
ent, and also be able to export natural gas. Another benefit
is using natural gas to heat and power our car. The natural
gas that is produced from fracking releases far fewer car-
bon emissions than fossil fuels.
CONS OF FRACKING
Fracking has many cons! One downside to fracking is that
companies do not have to tell people which chemicals they
use, or the formula of the mixture in the process of frack-
ing. Another downside is fracking uses millions of gallons
of water to extract natural gas. For example, in Michigan,
more than 35 million gallons of pure fresh water were tak-
en from near by aquifers to use for fracking. This is the
highest in the nation. A third downside is water for fracking
is taken to well sites using heavy trucks. Fracking is done
day and night, so it creates noise and light pollution.
Fracking has its advantages and disadvantages. Some peo-
ple think it is bad, others think the opposite. Every person is
entitled to their opinion. Now it’s time for you to decide.
As you see that the drill is underground and hits
the shale rock. That is where natural gas comes
from!
Fracking Mania
by Aaron Poletski
Natural gas cracks from shale up
to the well.
Fracking has been going on for at least 15 years
and is still going on today. Fracking gets natural
gas out of the ground and can help us with oil. But
Fracking hurts the environment in the process, so
stop fracking because more bad is happening than
good!
What is Fracking
Fracking is a drilling
technique used for ex-
tracting oil or natural
gas from deep under-
ground. It also involves
using huge amounts of
water, sand, and
chemicals (slickwater) deep underground (which
we can’t get back) into rock formations to access
valuable oil and natural gas.
How Fracking Hurts The Environment
Fracking caused a rare earthquake in Ohio. Ac-
cording to researchers fracking may lead to more
man-made earthquakes. Fracking can also harm
animals and contaminate our ground water, which
is water we drink. Fracking can also contribute to
the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
Fracking is becoming popular. For example, In
2000, there were about 276,000 natural gas wells
in the United states. But by 2010, that number
had almost doubled to 510,000 according to the
U.S. Department of energy (DOE). According to a
2014 study, at least 15.3million Americans have
lived within a mile of a fracking well since 2000. Frack-
ing also destroys the ozone and hurts the atmosphere
which is how we end up like Mars.
How Fracking Helps Us
Fracking is a really good source of energy and when
natural gas is used in place of nuclear fuel to generate
electricity, it ends up saving water. It also makes it so
there is no mercury, sulfur dioxide, and ash in the air.
Fracking reduces the use of fossil fuels, like oil and coal.
Fracking may be a good source of energy, but we’ll end
up like Mars because fracking destroys the ozone layer
and Mars has no ozone layer. If you think fracking is a
good thing then when the world blows up, you’ll be like
this guy.
How We End Up Like Mars
By Andrew Pawlak
It’s here! Imagine people are safe inside. Some stuck
at friends’ houses. The television is on. No one pan-
ic, its going to be alright.
Everyone still indoors, a few still outdoors, lots of
damage will be done. Earthquakes are extremely
dangerous.
What Can Happen During An Earthquake?
During an earthquake, lots of damage occurs. For
example, when two tectonic plates under earth’s
surface collide, it causes an under-
ground shaking. The shaking vi-
brates and everything on earth’s
surface, collapses or falls
down, and creates a lot of
damage.
During earthquakes, objects fall and break. Objects
crash down on the ground and papers float around
everywhere. Most objects blow around and don’t
stop. Keeping windows shut is the best way to pre-
vent papers from blowing around everywhere.
What Can We Do To Protect Ourselves?
To protect yourself during an earthquake, the best
thing to do is stay together under a sturdy object
like a table or desk. For example, if you are under
something sturdy, how is something going to fall on
you? It won’t! That’s the good thing about tables
and desks. They prevent objects from falling on top
of you.
Another thing to do is, to go in an area that doesn’t
have a lot of high up objects that can fall on you. For
example, people move high up objects down onto
the floor, so they don’t fall and break.
How Can We Prevent So Much Damage?
To prevent so much damage during an earthquake, you can
put as many fragile objects on the floor. Also, you can put
every kind of high up objects on the floor just in case. An-
other way is, put important objects on the floor, so they
don’t fall on top of you.
Where Do We Go During An Earthquake?
During an earthquake, the best place to go is under a sturdy
table or desk. Some people may ask why will this help us?
Others say that the table or desk will fall on top of you, but
it won’t. That’s the good thing about tables and desks, noth-
ing will fall on you.
What Can Experts Tell Me About Earthquakes?
Experts say that earthquakes are extremely dangerous. Ex-
perts say they are dangerous because think of everything
that can possibly happen during an earthquake. For exam-
ple, heavy objects will fall off shelf’s and break or even fall
on you and really hurt you.
What Does It Look Like After An Earthquake?
After an earthquake, some people think oh everything looks
the same as it did before, but it
doesn't. Earthquakes don’t just
cause a lot of damage, but they
also leave a big mess to clean up
after. The mess they make aren't
always easy to clean up.
Surviving an earthquake is easy
once you know what to do. Earthquakes may do a lot of
damage and destruction to our environment, but people
protect themselves from being harmed in many different
ways. All you need to do now is to see what it was like for
others to survive an earthquake to know what it will feel like
to lose many things.
o
Many people have lost
homes in and during an
earthquake.
Many buildings have
been destroyed and
knocked down.
This person has nowhere to go.
Willing to Survive
by Briana Edgar
Arctic rescue, animal shelter. Animals, plants,
land, and sea, who can’t speak for themselves are
dying because of us. If we don’t stop the Arctic
could be in danger, so can the animals and plant
life that live there. The Arctic Nation-
al Wildlife Refuge has about 1.2 mil-
lion acers of land. Let’s save all of
that for the animals not for drilling.
What is ANWR?
Have you ever heard of
ANWR? Well they need
help to save the animals that are living in the Arc-
tic. That is why it’s called the Arctic National Wild-
life Refuge. There are oil spills happening, and
there has been some drilling in sensitive habitats.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the
largest ecosystems in the world. Originally ANWR
was ANILCA also known as the Alaska National In-
terest Lands Conservation Act.
Oil Drills Are No Good
Drilling can have a
chance for oil spills. This
is fatal to all animals
and plant life, but
even more deadly in
sensitive habitats.
These animals are dying. Also they are in more
danger here because of the cold climate. Oil spills
can effect animals and plants that are living in the
Arctic. Although only 10 percent of the Arctic Ref-
uge is used for drilling, the coastal plain has been at the
center of an ongoing debate over oil and natural gas
drilling for more than 30 years.
Drills Are Worse Than Oil Spills
Drilling for oil is extremely dangerous for all animals.
Drilling may be dangerous to all animals, but drilling in
sensitive habitats is even worse and
even more dangerous. One major prob-
lem is ANWR could be disturbed by hu-
man interaction, and animals’ lives pos-
sibly could be changed in the
process.
To Wrap Up the Arctic
All of this put together why mankind is doing all of this,
we don’t care about these dying and sick animals. We
just drill where they live and destroy where they call
home for our benefit of oil and natural gas. Why would
you take a chance on killing any animal when there is
even more oil and natural gas in other places besides the
Arctic? Drilling for oil and gas may seem necessary but
you are killing animals in the process.
Did You Know?
In 1960 President Eisenhower put ANWR aside, and to
this day it remains the only National Wildlife Refuge
established “for the purpose of preserving unique wild-
life, wilderness, and recreational values.
This is one of the 37 land
mammals that are being
harmed due to oil drilling
in sensitive habitats.
This is part of the mil-
lions of acres of land that
belongs to ANWR.
This is the oil that
should not be getting
drilled for cars or any-
thing else.
What about the aquatic
animals in this water.
They are dying because
of drilling for oil and
natural gas . Is this what
we want to watch?
ANWR to the Max
by Bryanna Pero
Diamonds are made of carbon under the earth for
100s of years . Miners mine the carbon and it be-
comes a diamond.
How Are Diamonds Mined?
Here comes the most rariest gem in the world. The
diamond BOOM! In mining Kimberlike shafts are
sunk some distance from the blue ground pipe.
Tunnels are then driven from the mine shaft to the
pipe. Elevators take the Kimberlike above ground
where it is processed .
Cutting and Polishing a Diamond
When diamonds are mined they look like frag-
ments of glass. Two or more gems are usually cut
from a rough stone. Diamonds are first split or
sawed along the grain of the stone.
How Industry Uses Diamonds
Diamonds are used for a lot of things. They use
them for tools and jewerly. Engineers use diamond
tipped, hollow steel bits for
drilling. Did you know it
takes a diamond to cut a
diamond?
Diamonds may be white
or any of several colors.
As is seen in these three famous gems the blue
hope, the white great mogul, and the yellow tiffany dia-
mond.
Colorful stories surround many of
the world’s greatest diamonds. The
Regant, or Pitt Diamond was discov-
ered in India in 1701. It was later
worn by Napoleon who had it set
into the hilt of his sword. The Or-
lov, also of Indian in 1701, was
later worn by an admirer to the Russian empress Cathe-
rine II, who had it mounted onto the Romanov imperial
scepter . The star of the south, one of the largest stones
ever found in brazil, was discovered in 1853 by a slave
named Gavin . They only gave her freedom if she gave
them the stone.
Many Famous Diamonds
Many diamonds are state owned to crown jewelers. On
the other hand, the other diamonds are transferred to
museums or privately owned.
These are ways that diamonds are mined, their popular-
ity, how industries use them, and cutting and polishing
them.
Yellow Tiffany, The
White Great and The
Red Diamond
This is a white dia-
mond oval cut.
Diamonds
by Christian Lanuto
The United States alone consumes about 7 bil-
lion barrels of oil per year. Combined with other
countries, we consume a lot of oil. In fact oil/gas
company, B.P., estimates that we only have some-
where between 50 and 250 years left of oil! If we
don’t stop offshore drilling, we may never see oil
again!
What Is Offshore Drilling ?
Offshore Drilling is a process which oil is drilled
from about 7,000 or more feet down below by a
huge lumbering oil rig
above the ocean surface.
First, the oil rig drills
down until it finds a large
amount of oil. Then they
send a tube down from
the oil rig and take the oil.
It may not seem like drill-
ing oil out of the ground
is dangerous, but the
slightest mistake can be
devastating to nature.
The Pros of Offshore
Drilling
There are some pros of offshore drilling starting
with the fact that if the U.S.A continues offshore
drilling, we would get oil independently and not
from other countries. Another way we would be
benefitted by encouraging offshore drilling is that
we will have lower gas prices and the drilling will
be unseen and unheard. So honestly, its not all
bad.
The Black, the Sticky and the Ugly of Offshore Drilling.
Instead of searching for more efficient and safe ways to
use alternative energy sources, we are continuing to use
up all of our oil in dangerous and risky ways. Maybe you
are changing your mind about offshore drilling, but there
is still more you need to know. If you think oil is the only
thing that comes up when offshore drilling takes place,
you’re wrong. Deadly chemicals such as mercury, lead
and arsenic come up and go into our waters and can
harm sea life. We need to protect our waters and put a
stop to offshore drilling.
How Humans Are Affected
Wildlife isn't the only thing in danger when we offshore
drill, humans are affected to. Here’s why. Offshore drill-
ing doesn't only bring up these deadly chemicals, it also
produces a waste product and harmful smoke. Also, in
rare cases a huge oil spill can cost millions or billions in
cleanup damage and loss of oil. Now let’s put a stop to
offshore drilling.
Offshore drilling may seem good in some ways on the
economic side, but the disadvantages far outweigh the
advantages.
What Can You do About it?
Unless you’re the president or in charge of the whole
world, there’s not too much you can do. A first easy step
could be something like telling people about the dangers
of offshore drilling.
Oil Aboard!
by Christopher Caputo
Offshore Drilling is the
reason why eleven
workers died on an oil
rig in the Gulf of Mexico
when the oil rig explod-
ed. It’s also to blame for
spreading harmful oil
for more than 45,000
square miles in the Gulf
of Mexico.
To the right there is a pic-
ture of an oil rig that would
be used in offshore drilling.
This is the area of
water where an oil
spill has happened
causing black and
sticky water.
There is more then one reason the earth is
heating up that you might not know about. The
Earth is heating up from geothermal energy. It is a
energy that can heat homes, but beware it’s dan-
gerous and hopefully you will chose what you
think is good for the world.
How Geothermal Energy Will Doom Us All
Geothermal energy starts as steam and after-
wards becomes energy at a factory that takes the
steam and hot water from the ground and com-
presses it into en-
ergy. Geothermal
energy has some
downsides. One
thing is it can get in
the atmosphere.
Since the steam is
still inside the gas
when it gets in the atmosphere, it heats up caus-
ing global warming and destroys the ozone layer,
which will allow solar flares to destroy earth. So
lets stop geothermal energy!!!
How Geothermal Energy Is Helping Us
There are some things that make geothermal en-
ergy negative, but it’s not all negative. Here’s two
things that make it positive. One thing is it heats
our homes, so we don’t freeze and another thing
is it gives us light so we can see, so it’s not as bad
sometimes.
Places With Geothermal Energy and How It’s Formed
There are very little amounts of places that have geo-
thermal energy, but it’s steam spreads. Here are the
places it has been used. It’s been used in western united
states, new Zealand, Iceland, and Italy. How geothermal
energy’s resources were created was some people have
no idea, but you will find out now so listen up! Some
geothermal energy was left behind from when the
world was forming or some of it was a result of decay of
radioactive elements like uranium.
You chose what you think is right about geothermal en-
ergy. Is it bad or is it good? Chose a decision your com-
fortable with the out come of. If you chose that it’s bad,
then you probably know what’s going to happen. If it
doesn’t stop, the earth will heat up too much to the
point we could dehydrate in minutes. If you chose good,
then let’s just hope that all the people that chose bad
are wrong in the future and the world doesn’t heat up
to that point or worse.
This is a diagram of the cycle
of geothermal energy.
Should We Stop Geothermal Energy?
by Colin Herr
Behold the Expensive Gold
by Daniel Ilardo
In the earth people do things that are not good
to do. For example gold mining. Gold mining is a
terrible thing to do because it destroys the
earth. Come explore and find out how!
What Is Gold Mining?
Gold mining is when you destroy mountains,
habitats and the whole earth just to find a min-
eral. The worst thing about that is the destroy-
ing the whole earth
thing. If they keep
mining for gold, good
luck surviving.
How Does Gold Min-
ing Effect the Earth?
Gold mining effects the
earth by destroying
habitats of endangered
species. If gold miners keep mining for gold,
those animals will be extinct. Additionally when
the gold miners mine, toxic substances are re-
leased into the earth due to gold mining.
What Is Dirty Gold?
Dirty gold is used to buy weapons from people
with illegal weapons to start mini wars. If people
start mini wars, then it will turn into a ginor-
mous war.
How To Mine For Gold
There are many different ways to mine for gold.
One way is to pan. Panning is when you put a
bucket with holes in the water and you look for gold.
Another way is surface mining. Surface mining is when
you use large equipment to mine such as draglines or
shovels. Another method is long wall mining. It is sec-
ond to the underground coal mining system. It formed
in Europe, but now is popular in the U.S. because of it’s
greater safety. The last method is pillar mining. In pillar
mining interconnected tunnels are formed. Gold is
loaded onto a mechanized loading machine.
How Is Gold Mining Dangerous?
Gold mining is dangerous by releasing a toxic sub-
stance into the earth. Gold mining has destroyed land-
scapes and contributed to destruction of important
ecosystems. To limit the environmental damage, min-
ers often contract dams and place toxic waste inside
the dams. Gold mining also caused a global health cri-
sis using mercury. 15 million gold miners release about
10,000 tons of mercury each year. Mercury is it is a liq-
uid metal used to extract gold from the other rocks.
Go Green And Stop Gold Mining
If you want to make a change in the world, start here
and stop gold mining . Mining for gold is causing major
destruction to the environment
If miners keep mining for gold they will destroy the
earth. The earth is important to all people and if min-
ers keep going banana's looking for gold, good luck
surviving!!!
This picture is a tool that
gold miners use. This is also
an example of how they
also take away the earth
and destroy it.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Boom! The
sound awoken me in the middle of the night. I
looked out the window. I saw a huge hole in the
ground. I started to panic. Then I woke up my
mom and dad. They saw the hole. The hole was
even bigger now. We all were panicking now.
Then all of us ran to my brother’s room and woke
him up. We rushed outside to see what was go-
ing on. It was a deep hole. A sinkhole! Sinkholes
can cause injury or death. They can be really dan-
gerous.
What Are Sinkholes?
Sinkholes are a deep hole in
the ground that appear out of
nowhere. Roads and buildings
can hide sinkholes. As the
hole is forming, the cement
keeps it covered up. Once a
bus car or truck drives near the hole, the road
weakens. The weight of the vehicle cracks the
road. Suddenly, the ground opens into a sink-
hole. If the whole is big enough, a hole car might
fall in!
Types of Sinkholes
Sinkholes form two
different ways. One
happens more quickly
than the other. A col-
lapse sinkhole moves
quickly, but a subsidence sinkhole moves a lot
more slowly. Collapse sinkholes are much rarer
than subsidence sinkholes. Even though collapse
sinkholes are much rarer than subsidence sink-
holes, collapse sinkholes are far more dangerous. The
wreck of the Summer Bay Resort is an example of a col-
lapse sinkhole.
Watch Where You Build
Sinkholes can happen almost anywhere in the world. In
the U.S., sinkholes form most often in Alabama, Florida,
Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Tex-
as. Mostly, sinkholes form in Florida. If you look at a
map of Orlando, Florida, where Disney World is, you’ll
see lots of circular lakes surrounding the city. Those
lakes were formed by sinkholes. Disney World has to be
careful about where they place the rides and buildings.
You wouldn't want to be on a ride and end up at the
bottom of a sinkhole!
An example of a dangerous sinkhole happened on Feb-
ruary 3, 2014 at the Summer Bay Resort in Clermont,
Florida, near Disney. The hotel guests heard cracking
noises. The windows in their rooms began to shatter.
The guests felt shaking, and heard glass breaking. Next
thing, people are yelling, “Get out of the building! Get
out of the building!” The security evacuated all the
rooms. A sinkhole 100 feet wide had opened up in the
ground and the building col-
lapsed.
How Does a Sinkhole Form?
We already know that a collapse
sinkhole forms quickly. Below is
a step by step on how a sinkhole
forms.
1. Erosion carves out cavities in the bedrock beneath
the soil. Sediment flows down into a cavity through
cracks in the bedrock.
This is how a sink-
hole forms.
This is an example of
a Sinkhole.
Some sinkholes even happen
in the water.
The Ground Is Sinking!
by Daniel Story
2. Sediment keeps flowing into the cavity, but some of the soil particles catch against each other and forms
an arch over the hole.
3. The cavity grows larger over time but remains undetectable from the surface.
4. Eventually, the roof over the cavity collapses, creating a sudden and dramatic sinkhole.
The charming lakes in Disney were formed by sinkholes, however, sinkholes can be extremely dangerous. Sink-
holes can swallow up cars roads buildings and people. They begin to form deep in the ground, and when they
reach the surface, the ground starts to explode.
What’s the first thing to come to you’re mind,
when you think of the word “Fracking”?
Using Fracking
Fracking is a solution to squeezing more fossil
fuels through shale. Sound’s simple, but when
you hear the outcome you will think differently.
Fracking is harmful
to the environ-
ment. Some people
think fracking is
good, but the some people think fracking is
bad. A good thing is shale has natural gas in
the rock (shale). Fracking gives off less carbon-
dioxide. The gas recourses make Reservoirs.
That helps The U.S.A reduce independence on
foreign oil supplies.
Fracking also has nega-
tive outcomes. Serious
leaks of methane is
one downside to frack-
ing. Fracking can even
cause small earth-
quakes. Fracking also
needs many different
chemicals which
aren't good for the
Earth. Fracking causes
environmental chang-
es which aren't good
for the Earth or any-
where. Even President
Obama got involved.
It ruins our but also, animal’s.
WOW! Obama went to the place
where fracking originally started.
Here is a interesting factoid, the word “Fracking”
comes from Hydraulic Fracturing.
Harmful Outcome
Shale formations are typically fractured in many
places to extract fossil fuels. This requires multi-
ple routes for trucks, adding more pollution to the
air and more disturb-
ance of wildlife’s habi-
tats. Fish die when
“fracking” fluid con-
taminates streams and
rivers. Studies have
shown that leakage rates of more than about 3%
have happened in the past year.
Fracking also uses a lot of water. It uses as much
as 5 million gallons of water per well. It also uses
many toxic chemicals including methane and
naphthalene. About 25 % of “fracking” chemicals
could cause cancer, according to scientists. Evi-
dence is showing throughout the country that
these chemicals are making their way into aqui-
fers and drinking water. These chemicals can give
you cancer.
“Fracking” is bad for humans and for our environ-
ment. Make the right decision and help make the
earth Fracking Free and a better place. Fracking
pollution is going to harm the earth.
Please stop it in the process of hurting our homes
or anywhere else. It all depends on you and your
decision to make the world a better place.
“Fracking” for the Regular Person by Elizabeth Augelli
Gold, Gold, Gold Mining!
by Emily Ciulla
In 1848 a man named James Marshall saw
some shiny bits of gold in the American
River in Columba, California. Gold mining
is one way to get gold. A lot of people like
gold because it is shiny and pretty, so they
wear it on their necks, fingers and wrists
as jewelry called necklaces, rings and
bracelets. What you may not know is that
gold mining can be dangerous.
What Is Gold Mining?
There is many ways to get
gold. Gold mining is one
way. It’s one way to get
gold and a lot of people
have tried. By 1849 Califor-
nia’s population exploded
with people looking for gold. Some people
don’t like the thought of gold mining. For
example, it is one of the most environ-
mentally destructive forms of getting gold.
Is Gold Mining Dangerous?
Gold mining can be dangerous. Gold min-
ing is dirty, backbreaking and sometimes
violent. Some gold miners work by hand.
They use shovels, picks and pans to sift the
gold and gravel from streams and rivers.
Gold mining requires high-pressure hoses
and water to CRUSH and move huge rocks and
deep holes were made in valuable farmland.
Why Is Gold Valuable?
We all know that gold is
valuable, but why is gold
valuable? It’s shiny, use-
ful and it’s rare! Also,
gold is not always the col-
or gold. Gold can be
made into a different shapes, polished, carved,
rolled and can be made thinner by being ham-
mered down. Most importantly lots and lots of
people all over the world think it has value. Kids
like the crayon color and gold miners like it so
they get money.
You can get money from gold and
getting gold to get money means
gold mining. Also, gold mining can
be dangerous. Some people
don’t think its dangerous, but
you might think differently.
Gold jewel-
ry that
comes from
real gold.
Gold can be made
into a different
shapes.
Some tools miners used
for gold mining.
Gold mining can be very destructive to our envi-
ronment. Gold mining is difficult and dangerous
work to do. Gold mining is one of the most envi-
ronmentally destructive forms of mining.
Is Gold Mining Destructive?
Gold mining is destructive because gold mining
ruins landscapes, pollutes rivers with sulfuric acid,
and contributes to the destruction of the Ama-
zon. For example, the environmental damage left
by mining can last generations. First gold mining
often leads to a long lasting problem know as acid
mine drainage. The problem results when under-
ground rock is moved by mining. The gold is then
exposed to air and water. Once acid mine drain-
age starts, it is difficult to stop. Gold mining to-
day is still extremely harmful to our environment.
To limit the environment damage, mines often
construct dams and place the toxic waste inside.
In the last 500 years about 80,000 tons of gold
have been taken from the Earth.
What Is Gold Mining?
Gold mining is digging underneath the ground to
find expensive
and valuable
gold. Gold is very
hard to find and
mining it is very
dangerous work.
Digging deep in
the ground can
cause health prob-
lems and also physical conditions. Gold mining is
the process of mining gold or gold ores from the
ground. There are several tech-
niques and processes by which
gold can be extracted from the
Earth. Gold mining from alluvi-
um ores was once achieved by
techniques associated with
placer mining such as simple
gold planning and sluicing,
resulting in direct recovery of
small nuggets and flakes.
Placer mining techniques since the mid late 20 century
have generally only been the practice of artisan miners.
Hydraulic mining was used widely in the California Gold
Rush, and involved breaking alluvial deposits with high
pressure jets of water. Hard rock gold mining extracts
gold encased in rock, rather than fragments in loose sed-
iments, and produces most of the world’s gold.
Gold In Decoration
A great use of gold has been jewelry! You can’t use gold
for clothing because its to hard, but you can use it for
jewelry around your neck and wrist called necklaces and
bracelets and fine watches and rings. Many different ob-
jects are made out of gold! Alloys of the rare metal are
used as settings for the precious jewels in rings and
necklaces. Gold in smaller amounts also has a variety of
decorative uses. Many other metals are often coated
with thin layers of gold. Gold is commonly deposited
from a chloric or cyanide solution. Metals that are cov-
ered with gold are often used jewelry . Those covered
with gold by mechanical means, are termed rolled gold
(also rolled gold plates) or gold filled. An article de-
scribed as “130 10kt rolled gold plate” consist of base
metals covered with 10-karat gold, which makes up 120
or more of the article.
Gold mining is very dangerous work and very dangerous
to mine. Gold mining is one of the most environmental
destructive forms of mining!!!!
This is a pan of gold! A man
went to a river and found little
pieces of gold.
GOLD MINING! GOLD MINING! GOLD MINING!
by Emma Trippeda
Gold mines can contain much
gold or very little gold.
What’s a pipeline that travels crude oil from Cana-
dian ground to Oklahoma to Illinois right through
a major drinking source? Have you guessed it yet?
If you guessed Canadian tar sands you are right!
What Are Canadian Tar Sands?
Canadian tar sands are a source to get oil. It’s a
pipeline that travels crude oil. Some people say
it’s a fantastic idea, but on the other hand some
people say that it’s a horrible idea. But which
one?
Say Yes To Canadian Tar Sands!
Canadian tar sands can be a great idea in some
ways. One reason is we will get oil which is a non
renewable resource, so we need to take care of it
so we don’t run out. Meanwhile there is so much
oil in Canadian’s soil that will meet America and
Canada's needs and all of the oil is not being used
and we need it! Another reason is it will create
more jobs. The last reason why the Canadian tar
sands can be good is the place America is getting
there oil from is a not so friendly place.
Oh No! Don’t Say Yes!
On the other hand there are a lot more serious
issues and threats that are not worth a shot! One
reason is that in 2011 a
pipeline broke and
about 800,000 gallons
of oil spilled into a riv-
er which then polluted
the area and got into a
factory. Another reason is
when it got in the water it
killed the fish and turned the
water poisonous. The last rea-
son is that there was a major
increase in cancer cased by
the major destruction.
Get Up And Help!
There are many ways you
can help. One way is by
helping international stop
the tar sands by spreading
the word. Please
tell your family,
friends, neigh-
bors and anyone
else that you could tell. It would really help! Tell
the world! Another way that you can help is by
sending emails and putting up posters. Lastly you
can organize an event in your community to
spread awareness. This is a big way to spread your
word.
To those people who
think the Canadian tar
sands are a great idea
think again! A NASA sci-
entist named James
Hansen said “if
we fully devel-
op this field,
it’s essentially game-over for the clement”. I hope
you changed your mind about this deadly pipeline!
Tar Sand Attack
by Gabrielle Williams
The Karzoo River was
totally ruined because of
the oil.
The pipeline goes to Candida to the middle
of United States to the Gulf of Mexico.
Some people make signs and tell
their government how they feel.
People have got can-
cer and died because
the Canadian tar
sands.
What is fracking? Is it dangerous? What does it
do? Those are some questions you probably have
when you hear the word fracking. One question
that probably doesn't come to mind is, how can
we stop fracking?
Fracking is dangerous. It is harmful to the environ-
ment. Fracking may be beneficial, but the disad-
vantages far outweigh the benefits. You just need
the full scoop.
What Is Hydraulic Fracturing?
Hydraulic fracturing [better known as fracking] is a
way of extracting natural gas out of the ground.
The process of fracking starts with a tube drilled by
Petroleum Engineers 8,000 feet deep! That's long-
er than 1,000 pick up trucks lined up next to each
other. Then the fracking starts at a rock called
shale. The tube is horizontal inside the rock. Mil-
lions of gallons of water mixed with toxic chemi-
cals come
shooting through
the tube, and
those chemicals
can get into our
drinking water
making it toxic.
Then the rock is
fractured. The natural gas is released and caught
by the petroleum engineers like they’re playing a
game of catch. This process can be harmful to the
environment and make many people very sick.
Beneficial Energy
You may not know it, but fracking has a good side too.
The natural gases we collect from fracking are much
cleaner than coal or oil because it doesn't cause as much
pollution. We have lots of natural gases in the United
States, and we won’t run out for years, so even though
fracking may seem dangerous, it has some benefits too.
Danger, Danger!
Many people are excit-
ed about fracking, but is
fracking really good? To
be honest fracking caus-
es more pollution than
burning coal or oil when
the fracking process is
not done properly.
Fracking is also a cause
of global warming, and that’s a problem most people
want to stop. It is a cause to global warming because of
all the pollution fracking makes. Fracking has also
caused problems in the United States too.
There are dangerous chemicals used in the fracking pro-
cess. Those chemicals get into the air, and can poison tp
seep into our drinking water. Those chemicals are toxic
and can make someone very sick if they drink them.
Fracking also creates a large amount of waste water and
uses a lot of water. Millions of gallons of water mixed
with toxic chemicals are put into the ground, and that’s
enough water for a whole community to drink for about
a year. That water is then wasted.
Freaky Fracking! by Gianna Ferraro
The natural gas being pumped
up from this fracking station
has gone on fire and has made
the fracking well explode.
A well used to pump up
natural gas.
Fracking has also caused some major earthquakes
around the globe. This happens when the petrole-
um engineers take the tube out of the ground
when they’re finished and that leaves empty holes
in the ground. Petroleum engineers know about
the downside of fracking, but refuse to put a stop
to it.
Why Do We Need Natural Gases?
We need natural gases for almost everything we
use. Turning on the stove to cook food and heating
our homes to stay warm are examples of ways we
use natural gases. You would not be able to drive
your car to your local supermarket without natural
gas, however you could possibly have to walk or
ride a bike. Having a warm winter would be diffi-
cult without natural gases heating your home. If
we wanted to change back to coal energy there
would be twice as much pollution in the air, that
would mean more toxic gases that we’re breathing
in. Natural gas is more efficient than burning coal
or oil, and is used to run our daily lives, but we
need to find a more efficient way of getting natural
gases out of the ground.
People in Virginia protest to stop
fracking.
Stop The Fracking Fight!
Stop all the fracking madness! Many people don’t
know breathing the air near a fracking station can
make you very sick. Fracking can put your safety at
risk. We need to take charge and make a change,.
If we don’t stop the fracking fight now, we might
never be able to. If we stop fracking, it will cut the
level of toxic materials in the air in half. If more
people know about the downside of fracking it will
be possible to stop the fracking fight.
The fracking process.
No Drilling, No Spilling! by Grace Nolan
Imagine the ANWR habitat, which is home to many
animals like the Snowy Owl and the Caribou, filled
with millions of miles of pumping station and oil
drills. Would you like to live there and how would
you survive? If we don’t stop the government from
drilling oil, soon all the animals that live there will
die and may become endangered, or even worse
extinct.
What Is ANWR?
ANWR is the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. This 19
– million acre piece of land in Alaska, tis federally
protected by the government and they want to drill
oil there. If you
where in the gov-
ernment and you
got to decide
whether or not
you should
drill oil
there,
would you want to take that risk and drill oil there?
Oil Attack
Even though the land is
federally protected, oil
drilling might happen there
eventually. If they drill, the
government will be de-
stroying one of the last
unspoiled habitats in the
United States.
Since the oil may be
drilled, the United States will be closer to becoming
independent from foreign oil countries. But our
animal populations will go down, because if the
government puts in miles of pipe lines,
pumping stations, roads, and electric
plants that can cause oil spills.
The Debate
Many people have been debating
about whether to allow oil drilling
in the Artic or not. Even President
George Bush wanted to drill oil there, so it could create jobs for
people. Also he said, “It will take pressure off gas prices over
time.” But to allow the drilling, both congress and the administra-
tion office have to lift their bands.
Pros and Cons
There are many pros about drilling oil in ANWR habitat. One pro
is that if the government drills oil, we can use it to heat our
homes, so we can stay warm. Another pro is if they get the oil, we
could also use it as fuel for our cars. Also it will create jobs for
many people, so they can make some money.
There are also many cons about drilling oil in the Artic National
Wildlife Refuge. For example, one con is the drilling will spoil and
destroy one of the last unspoiled habitats in the U.S. Also the oil
could take years or even decades before it could be used for any-
thing. One last con is that the oil drilling involves processes that
can cause explosions deep down in the Earth. So if the govern-
ment drills oil, the inside of the Earth could go KABOOM!
Ways To Help
You can help ANWR in many different ways. One way to help is to
ask a U.S. representative to support the Udall- Eisenhower
Arctic Wilderness Act. Another way to help is to send a letter to
President Obama to show your support. You can also join the
Audubon Action Alert Network. Also you can donate money
online to Audubon Alaska to show your support. You can
show your support by doing any of these things and if we
act fast we can stop the oil from being drilled and the ani-
mals will be safe and their homes won’t be destroyed.
This is the ANWR habi-
tat that might be filled
with oil drills soon.
If we don’t stop the oil drill-
ing the animals in the habi-
tat will become covered in
oil just like this bird.
This is a map of Alaska that shows the
ANWR habitat where lots of animals live like
the wolverine and arctic fox.
What do you think when you hear the word
earthquake? Don t you think of the ground, shak-
ing, destruction of homes, buildings, restaurants
and homes of animals. That s what many people
think of when they hear earthquakes.
What s An Earthquake ?
An earthquake is two tectonic plates pushing
against each other and making a big scrape in the
ground. Then the ground starts to shake and
makes everything break, and it all falls down and
every thing will get destroyed.
Destruction Caused By Earthquakes
The diagram shows what a earthquake could do.
The top shows the before picture and the bottom
shows the after picture. Earthquakes can be very
destructive.
Resources Needed for an Earthquake
Buzzzz! Buzzzz! Do I hear the drilling alarm? Yep,
that s it. In that case Attention ladies and gentle-
men, get ready! For offshore drilling is going to
blow...your...mind!
Offshore drilling may seem dangerous and life-risking,
but the benefits will outweigh the dangers. You just
need a full pump
What Is An Oil Rig?
An oil rig is a pla orm where drillers extract oil from
deep below the ocean surface. What s inside is de-
pending on how big an oil pla orm is. It has space for
all the tools for drilling pumps and drills. That takes
up most of the space.
The rest is for the workers. If it s small, it could fit
small living areas places for visitors to stay, a kitchen,
and a cafeteria. However, if it s big, it can fit all of the
above, including a restaurant, a coffeehouse, a gym
or even a movie theater! So kick back and relax [for a
while. Then get back to work!]
How Did Offshore Drilling Start?
Offshore drilling started in 1869. In that same time, a
man named T.F. Rowland got a patent a writing from
the government recognizing as a property or idea of
an answer] for the first offshore drilling
pla orm. It was made to work in very shal-
low water but looked similar to many cur-
rant models. The whole structure was sup-
ported by 4 legs. In 1947, the first offshore rig was so
far out, it couldn t be seen from the tip of the Gulf of
Mexico! Oil rigs have been working offshore ever
since.
Isn t Offshore Drilling Dangerous?
Sometimes it s a bad thing. For example, many drilling tools
are sharp, powerful, and could hurt a driller if it s not used
carefully. Also, an oil well can have a blowout. Consequently,
it can make things quickly catch on fire or explode. Finally,
only one part of the deck is called a floor gate, which only
keep drillers from falling into the water and drowning or hit
ting their head at the end of the deck. It can be dangerous
on an oil rig.
So, How Is Offshore Drilling A Good Thing?
Sure it s dangerous, but it is a great thing to do, too. To sup-
port it, the Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said, The
President s decision will mean thousands of new jobs.
McDonnell also added, It will also help our nation take a
further step towards energy independence. Also, it could
provide America with substantial economic and geopolitical
gains. America imports approximately 60% of its oil, making
it vulnerable to leaders of oil-producing countries. Another
reason is that the O.C.S s [ Outer Continental Shelf s] oil re-
serves could sustain America for decades. So, our oil prices
would go down, not up. Plus it would cut down on air pollu-
tion. When oil is transported to America, it gives off more air
pollution. When we start drilling our own oil, it will divide all
of the air pollution in the world by a half. It really is better.
Good old oil. This time, American oil. Offshore drilling is way
better than getting it from other countries. No flex on
this one EIA [Energy Informational Association]. Offshore
drilling is a great thing. Should it stop? Or continue? It s
up to you to decide.
Offshore Drilling Oil A Perfect Patent by ulianne Amanatidis
Imagine you re on a cruise ship and you see men drill-
ing oil into a piece of ice and there s a polar bear
watching her home being destroyed. How would you
feel? Would you feel angry, upset, uncomfortable? You
would probably feel really guilty if you had to watch
that. Meanwhile, animals are dying and losing there
homes because of this stinky, gross, thick, hot oil. How
would you feel if you were that polar bear? With no
home or food, knowing you are going to die soon. Drill-
ing oil into the arctic habitats are harmful to the ani-
mals that are living there.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
What is ANWR? The Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge was established in
1960, and is 19 million acres of pro-
tected land in Alaska. ANWR pro-
tects the animals that live in the
area. Nature groups are working
together with ANWR to try and
stop people from drilling oil into
animals homes. They are living creatures too. Animals
have homes, food, and some have babies to take care
of. They don t need people drilling oil into their homes,
and ANWR is trying to prevent that.
How Oil Affects The Animals
I bet your wondering how the oil affects the animals?
Well oil can kill animals such as endan-
gered animals. If the oil kills the rest of
that animal population, then that animal
will never be seen again! The oilcan also
destroy animal habitats, and they
would be forced to move some-
where else. How would you like it if
someone drilled oil into you your
home and destroyed it? You would be forced to live
somewhere else also. Drilling oil into animals homes is wrong,
they deserve homes too.
Not ust The Animals
The drilling doesn t just affect the
animals it can affect us. Oil is toxic
and when we drill, gasses are re-
leased into the air. Drilling oil can also create oil spills that are
dangerous for the land which are not uncommon. We would
have drilling pads, factories, and huge pipe lines all over the
arctic! Close your eyes and think about it. You re driving by
beautiful icy land and right in the middle of it is a huge, smelly
factory with oil all over the ground, and right under it in the
soil are oil filled pipes. There are houses next to it and around
it! Would you want to live next to a smelly, dirty, disgusting
factory? I don t think you would.
How You Can Help
I hope you are wondering how you can help. Well, there are
many different ways. One way you can help is to send a letter
to the president. You can also support ANWR, which will help
a lot. You can also join a nature group that is working together
with ANWR. Animals are losing there homes and dying be-
cause of this matter. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is do-
ing everything they can to try and prevent the drilling. Please
support ANWR. The animals need your help.
If I were you I would definitely do something about this.
Please, help ANWR stop people from
drilling oil into animals homes. They
are dying because of this. Would you
want to die from smelly oil? I don t
think you would. Animals need our
help. We are the only ones who can do
something about it, we are the
only ones who can help them.
Animals are living creatures too.
That s why we need to stop drill-
ing oil into their homes that they need to survive.
Stop The Drilling
by Mia Mattera
The glory of the rich, expensive diamond. For years
people have been drilling and cutting into the
ground for fortunes. Diamonds are more than just
jewelry.
What Makes Diamonds So Valuable?
Diamonds are some of the world s most expensive
gems. Diamonds are expensive
because of their popularity. Not
many diamonds are perfect. It
depends on it s weight, color,
clarity, and how well it is cut.
Also diamonds are so valuable
because diamonds are sparkly.
The most expensive diamond
in the world is the KOR-I-NOOR diamond. It is
priceless.
When Were Diamonds Formed?
Diamonds were formed
millions of years ago in
molten lava in volcanos.
As the lava flowed
through the pipes, it
cooled. When a volcano
erupts, diamonds are
thrown out of the top in
the lava or they are left
in the pipe. People go to extinct volcanoes and
they have to dig about 3,500 feet down through
the kimberlite pipe to find the diamonds. Dia-
monds are also found in rivers, streams, or rock
around extinct volcanoes.
Where Are Diamonds Found?
Diamonds are found in alluvial soils, or sediment that
have been deposited by running water. Diamonds were
for the first time taken from the ocean floor, near Na-
mibia. Diamonds are also found about 3,500 feet under
the earth.
What Are Diamonds Used For?
Diamonds are used for drilling for oil. Diamonds are
used for drilling because diamonds are the hardest sub-
stance found in nature. Often steel and tungsten car-
bides do not work to drill into the ground and the drill
wears down. They add diamonds to make sure the
hardest rocks get drilled. They add diamonds to the drill
because it is times harder than steel, 10 times more
resistant than tungsten carbide, and has 20 times the
compressive strength of granite. On the other hand,
oil is bad for the environment, so they should not do
it .
You can find diamonds in alluvial soils, or soils of sedi-
ment rock. Also you know that diamonds are the most
expensive gems. For example the most expensive dia-
mond in the world is the KOH-I-NOOR diamond and it is
priceless. They use diamonds for drilling into the
ground for oil.
Priceless Diamonds
by Peter Ferrizz
named the Big Hole. It is
located in Kimberley, South
Africa.
- -
The glory of the rich expensive gold! After years
of mining and searching for gold, miners have
found their fortune, but the environment has
suffered.
Panning For Gold
One way to mine gold is to pan for gold. It is less
expensive. Also it is harmless to the environment.
It is harder to find gold. Panning for gold is also
very good for the environment. This would be a
good way to mine gold.
Strip Mining
The second way to gold mine is strip mining. This
way of mining cost a lot of money! You must have
a lot of money because you have to buy a lot of
equipment and supplies. You don't need as much
money as Bill Gates, but you might want to bar-
row some money for the equipment and the E.P.A
bill. This way of mining is bad for the environ-
ment.
Underground Mining
Another way to gold mine is underground mining.
This way of mining is a disadvantage to the envi-
ronment. It costs a lot of money for drilling the
holes and the electric and fuel for the machines.
Many miners get killed. Experts say about 12,000
miners die each year on the job." Also this way of
mining puts many harmful toxins into the earth.
The Best Way To Gold Mine
Some ways of mining are harmful, but some aren't. The
type that isn't harmful is panning. It is non harmful be-
cause there is no digging, use of trucks and heavy equip-
ment is not needed . The only thing you need is a gold
mining pan and a river .
What Gold Is Worth
Gold is worth different amounts,
objects and powers. Gold is
worth a lot of money because of
it s value and weight. It is also
power because the more gold,
the more money, the more pow-
er a person may have.
The Worst Way To Mine and How You Can Help
Strip mining for gold is bad for
earth. It takes away many lay-
ers of earth. This way of mining
also puts harmful toxins into
the earth. You can help stop
gold mining by just following
these steps:
Step 1. Call your city, town or
state.
Step 2. Tell them what the local gold mine is doing to
the environment.
You should help stop gold mining. You could help stop
gold mining. You have the power. Gold mining is terrible
and eventually the earth will be too.
Have you ever heard of fracking? Do you know all
the damage it does? Did you ever think of dying
because of fracking? Or maybe you never even
heard of the word.
What is Fracking?
Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas
from a underground rock called shale. Until re-
cently there was no way to get this natural gas to
the surface, but the fracking process has allowed
energy companies to get to it.
Steps for Extracting Natural Gas
First, workers drill very deep wells in the ground.
Some are as deep as 8,000 feet or up to a half mile
into the ground. Secondly, millions of gallons of
water, sand and different chemicals blast into
these wells at a very high rate of speed. This also
creates a lot of
pressure under
the ground. This
causes fractures,
or little cracks, in
the shale rock. It
then releases nat-
ural gas from the
rock. Finally, the natural gas travels up the wells
with the water and the workers then have to sep-
arate the two forms.
The Positive Aspects
Many people are excited about fracking because
the United States has a lot of natural gas under-
ground in shale rock that is unused. Scientists say it s
better to use our own gas and not other countries.
Fracking also creates more jobs and the United States
needs jobs. Another fact is it lowers fuel costs.
The Negative Effects
Some people are disappointed about fracking because of
poisoning water supplies. Supporters of fracking point
out that burning natural gas doesn t cause as much pol-
lution as oil or coal. People who are against fracking say
this can be misleading. They say this because the pro-
cess itself causes a lot of pollution and other environ-
mental damage. Fracking already harmed the water sup-
ply in communities in at least five states. Another prob-
lem is some areas of the country have water shortages,
and fracking creates huge amounts of leftover water
called waste water. This water is full of chemicals.
Fracking has disadvantages and advantages. The disad-
vantages are poisoning the water supplies, wasting fresh
water and pollution. The advantages are adding jobs,
lower fuel costs, and it allows us to access large natural
gas reserves. Which side are you on?
The Frack Attack!
By Tyler Davide