Free screening of ‘Gasland’ digs into fracking, Feb. 12 in Bernardsville
Posted by Kevin Coughlin on February 11, 2012 · Leave a Comment
By Wendy Robinson
Gasland, which can be viewed at 2 pm on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Bernardsville Public Library, is a pivotal film by Josh Fox that offers an earnest and compelling view of the human toll of the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing.
Having been approached by a gas drilling company offering him $100,000 to lease his family’s land in the Delaware River Basin of Pennsylvania, Josh begins to ask questions. Not satisfied with the answers he receives, Josh sets out on a journey that leads him across the country in his mission to uncover the truth about “fracking.”
With an uncomplicated style and lighthearted approach, Josh records his encounters with landowners in several states whose lives have been upended by the reckless practices he discovers are widespread in this destructive industry.
Ordinary folks, whose day-to-day existence has been threatened and whose dreams have been crushed, invite Josh to record their nightmares, as he hopes to expose the secrets hidden by an industry that secured exemptions from all of the major environmental regulations meant to protect us.
Not surprisingly, he does not receive a similar welcome from the industry representatives and captive government regulators he seeks to interview.
Nominated for an Academy Award and winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, Gasland has raised the country’s and the world’s awareness of the hazards posed by this insidious practice and turned “fracking” into a household word.
Millions have witnessed the homeowner lighting his tap water on fire, which has become the signature moment of the film. But it is filled with many such impactful scenes that can move even the hard-hearted to tears.
One of the most important films of our time, Gasland will not disappoint and is a “must-see” for anyone who recognizes the precarious state of our air and water, as well as the need to transition away from fossil fuels and toward a sustainable energy future.
Admission to the film is free. The Bernardsville Public Library is at 1 Anderson Hill Road. Call 908-766-0118 for more details.
