Many of us have a tendency to pretend that what we don’t see can’t hurt us.
This is unfortunately not the case with methane leaks coming from natural gas and oil refineries. This harmful, invisible gas is flowing freely into our atmosphere.
The New York Times published a study last week by two investigators who used new infrared technology to detect methane leaks from six refineries. The results are visually stunning. This investigation revealed “a major release of methane, the main component of natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas that is helping to warm the planet at an alarming rate.”
These refineries were chosen at random, so it is presumed that because of lax regulations, refineries all over the U.S. are releasing methane as well.
Even worse, the Trump administration, at the urging of oil and gas industry owners, is planning on loosening the already lax regulations on methane leakage.
What can each of us do about this depressing news? If you are using natural gas, or are considering hooking up to natural gas in the future, I urge you to read the New York Times article from the Dec. 13 edition called “It’s a Vast, Invisible Climate Menace. We Made It Visible.” Consider fully weatherizing your home or business and heating it with a solar-powered heat pump instead of natural gas or oil.
In addition, you can write to the White House and our members of Congress to urge them to get rid of natural gas and oil entirely. Time is truly running out to transition to renewable energy and save our planet from the ravages of climate change.
Fran Putnam
Weybridge