America is at an energy crossroads. The fracking-enabled shale revolution is rapidly transforming the nation’s energy landscape, lowering prices for consumers and dramatically reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
As we will detail further in the coming weeks, this transformation has been undeniably positive for American jobs and the economy. But a radical and growing movement aims to block the shale revolution and all of its benefits dead in its tracks. The “keep it in the ground” movement wants not only to ban fracking, but stop all fossil fuel production, transport, use, and exports through any means necessary. In short, they will stop at nothing to stop everything.
This is not just bad news for families and businesses. It is naïve, irresponsible, hypocritical, and even dangerous. As you’ll see on this page, fracking has many benefits that we take advantage of every day.
Energy is everywhere, and if you stop for a moment to look around you, chances are you will see countless goods and services that are “Brought To You By Fracking.” We’re not just talking about gasoline for your car and electricity for your house—everything from health care and housing to hamburgers and hula hoops are impacted by the price and availability of energy, and oil and natural gas in particular. As a result, the practical impact if the “keep it in the ground” movement succeeds would hurt every American’s quality of life.
So whether you are filling up the tank to head to the beach this summer, or avoiding the heat with a staycation in your air-conditioned house, be thankful the many benefits of abundant and affordable American energy.
LOW FUEL PRICES
They said it couldn’t be done. In the summer of 2008, average U.S. gasoline prices topped $4 per gallon, angering drivers and weighing heavy on the U.S. economy. But thanks to a pioneering technology known as hydraulic fracturing, America has safely unlocked vast amounts of previously inaccessible energy resources, driving down gas prices and saving the average American driver $540 at the pump last year.
So next time you fill up, be thankful for fracking, and be glad that the U.S. has not given in to costly and extreme “keep it in the ground” rhetoric that aims to ban it.
AIR TRAVEL
Wanna get away? Well thanks to fracking, you can now do so for a lot less money. Jet fuel comprises about 30% of airline operating costs, so it’s no surprise that ticket prices generally fluctuate with the price of oil. With the U.S. boom in oil production, air travel this summer is forecast to hit a seven-year low, and be 20% cheaper than in 2014.
So when you book those bargain basement airfares to the destination of your choice, remember that they were Brought To You By Fracking.
AFFORDABLE ELECTRICITY
Nobody likes getting energy bills in their mailbox. But thanks to fracking, millions of Americans that use natural gas to cook and heat their homes are benefiting from low electricity prices made possible by safe and responsible development of this clean burning fuel. In fact, without the fracking-enabled shale revolution, electricity prices would be significantly higher than they are today. That means more money in your pocketbook to have other things sent to your mailbox.
So when you pay your power bills this summer, know that they would be much higher if the extreme and growing movement to ban fracking and “Keep it in the Ground” were to succeed.
AIR CONDITIONING
We tend to take our thermostats for granted. We crank the AC in the sweltering heat and don’t think twice about making the house warm and cozy during the dead of winter. But heating and cooling account for almost half of the energy use in the average American household, and place enormous demand on the electricity grid during periods of extreme weather. In 2016, for the first year ever, natural gas will supply more electricity in the U.S. than any other fuel source. And thanks to fracking, we have an abundance of affordable and reliable natural gas to keep everyone warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
So regardless of which way you are dialing your thermostat, keep in mind that your ideal temperature is Brought To You By Fracking.