The Filtered Files - Filters Fast

Will Fracking Affect Your Pizza?

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Fracking. This controversial topic has made it to the headlines of many news centers across the country. Whether you are for or against it, the debate surrounding this hot topic issue is sure to be important now, and for generations to come. For those of you who are new to the issue, fracking is the process of pumping water and sand underground in hopes of freeing natural gas from underneath the rocks where it is trapped.   Small fractures occur naturally underground, allowing some of this natural gas to be extracted; however, fracking accelerates this process. Opponents of fracking argue that it will contaminate groundwater as well public drinking water systems.

Most recently, the fracking debate has heated up in New York.  Surprisingly, executive chefs, bakers, and restaurant owners are jumping into the frontlines of the debate. Many are making it their mission to raise awareness about the negative effects fracking can have on New York’s cuisine (Farley, thirteen.org). The organization, called Chefs for the Marcellus, has drawn the attention of some big name chefs, including the Food Network’s, Mario Battali. Battali’s four star restaurant, Del Posto gets much of its produce and meats from the farms in upstate New York, where the Marcellus Shale lies, and where Governor Cuomo would like to introduce hydrofracking.

Hoping to appeal to peoples stomachs, Battali and his chef comrades are insisting that fracking will impact the quality of their food. Executive Chef Brooks Headly of Del Posto is also extremely concerned about the effect fracking can have on New York’s eateries,insisting, “NYC is the greatest city of pizza, and a lot of people say that’s because of the water. If we destroy the water supply, we destroy New York pizza” (Farley,thirteen.org).

So, what do you think of the fracking debate? Do you oppose it because you believe it will contaminant groundwater and isn’t environmentally friendly? Are you for it because you believe it will decrease the price of gas and create jobs? Or, like Mario Battali, do you oppose it because you believe it will negatively affect the world-class cuisine found in New York City? Here at Filters Fast, we want to know what you think, so post your thoughts to our comment section or Facebook Page!

Celebrities for Clean Water Spotlight

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Just like bottled water companies, clean water advocates in nonprofit efforts have caught on to the best advertising tool in the market: Celebrities. Many celebrities have given their fame and money to good causes. (Sadly, many celebrities endorse bottled water, also, but that’s a post for another day.) The latest trend among stars like Mark Ruffalo, Adam Lambert, Alyssa Milano and Matt Damon is clean water. We thought we’d take some time to highlight what these celebrities are doing to ensure access to clean water in the U.S. and beyond.

Mark Ruffalo – The Fight Against Natural Gas Fracking

The grassroots organization, Frack Action, was struggling to garner media attention for their opposition to natural gas drilling in New York State, until they brought Mark Ruffalo on board. Fracking is a process that involves injecting water and chemicals under high pressure into rock formations, in order to extract natural gas. Filmmaker, Josh Fox, recently portrayed the consequences of fracking in his documentary, Gasland, in which farmers across the U.S. can be seen to light their tap water on fire from natural gas contamination.  Ruffalo dedicates himself to the cause with full force, as an unpaid volunteer. He has attended meetings and hearings, lobbied with activists and visited colleges to raise awareness among students. His fame is helping to bring attention to an issue that, otherwise, may have received very little. In fact, it was rumored several months ago that his private screening of Fox’s film may have landed him on the government’s Terror Watch List. Whether or not the rumor is true doesn’t matter; Ruffalo is one celebrity who won’t sell out. He is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in.

Adam Lambert and Alyssa Milano – Happy Birthday to the Less Fortunate

2009 American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is donating his 29th birthday to charity: water – one of many water charities dedicated to bringing clean water to those in developing countries. The concept is simple: instead of asking for gifts for your birthday, ask your friends and family to make donations through your mycharity: water website (which is very easy to set up). All of the proceeds will go toward funding clean water projects in countries like Africa, Asia, Honduras and Haiti. With the mycharity: water website, everyone can follow in Adam Lambert’s footsteps. In fact, Lambert is not the first celebrity to donate his birthday to water charity. Alyssa Milano’s mycharity: water campaigns raised over $92,000 for her 37th birthday in 2009, and another $39,551 for her 38th birthday at the end of last year. Lambert’s goal, is $290,000 by the 29th, as he said in a recent tweet.

Matt Damon – Water.org

If you follow us on twitter, by now you probably know that we are big fans of Water.org. Like charity: water, this organization is dedicated to funding clean water, hygiene and sanitation projects in developing nations. Matt Damon co-founded Water.org with Gary White, and has since been heavily invested in its work. Recently, he accepted the Joel Siegel Award for his work with Water.org, at the Critic’s Choice Awards. We think you should follow them on twitter: @Water.