This is a Warning
Fox begins his story by going to a neighboring town, Dimock Township, a small community that has sanctioned gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. Here Fox begins his investigation into the impacts fracking has had on the community. From Dimock, Fox heads west, researching and interviewing communities in over 34 states spanning the US.
Fox follows the natural gas companies such as Halliburton, Cabot Oil & Gas, Encana, and Williams documenting the communities they affect while fracking for natural gas in shale deep under the surface of the earth. Fox discovers that fracking pumps millions of gallons of water and 596 different chemicals deep into the shale to extract the gas. This brands the water undrinkable, the land unusable, and pollutes ecosystems near the drill sights.
Shortly after interviewing some residents of Dimock, Fox hears some deeply disturbing reports of family’s ability to light their water on fire. Needless to say this catches Fox’s interest. “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink,” a poignant quote flashes across the screen as images of homeowners turning on the tap, placing a lighter next to it and watching the water erupt in flames becomes a steady occurrence. As are rivers so contaminated that they literally bubble like “soda pop” with methane, ethanol, and numerous other chemicals killing everything that comes in contact with it.
Fox follows the natural gas companies such as Halliburton, Cabot Oil & Gas, Encana, and Williams documenting the communities they affect while fracking for natural gas in shale deep under the surface of the earth. Fox discovers that fracking pumps millions of gallons of water and 596 different chemicals deep into the shale to extract the gas. This brands the water undrinkable, the land unusable, and pollutes ecosystems near the drill sights.
Shortly after interviewing some residents of Dimock, Fox hears some deeply disturbing reports of family’s ability to light their water on fire. Needless to say this catches Fox’s interest. “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink,” a poignant quote flashes across the screen as images of homeowners turning on the tap, placing a lighter next to it and watching the water erupt in flames becomes a steady occurrence. As are rivers so contaminated that they literally bubble like “soda pop” with methane, ethanol, and numerous other chemicals killing everything that comes in contact with it.
GasLand’s goal of spreading awareness about gas drilling, the hazards to human health and the environmental impact fracking has on its communities is well worth the hour and 47 minutes of run-time. This is a film not only entertaining and thought provoking, but it is the start of a movement, a spectacle of rebellion and resistance against the major corporations involved. The government, too, is implicated by allowing this deplorable deregulation of human and environmental rights to continue with inadequate environmental regulation and substantial loopholes in standing environmental laws. This film is particularly relevant for Ireland with the news of the Government recently granting exploration license’s for fracking over 1453 sq. km in the Lough Allen Basin and 495 sq. km in the Clare Basin, including parts of Kerry and Cork.
Crumbs and Confections
A new look at Irish cuisine and artisanal food
Cornucopia is a charming mix of traditional restauranteering and cafeteria chic. As you walk in the door to a long rectangular space you are flanked by large storefront window opposite a buffet style line of casserole dishes overflowing with main courses, followed by a salad bar and desert tables. There are two huge chalkboards behind the cash register filled with the colorfully drawn daily specials and menu descriptions.
As I stood in line I hastily picked my meal off the board: a leek, cauliflower, and lentil polenta cake on a bed of brown rice topped with tomato, red bell pepper and garlic puree (€ 11.95). This dish comes with two salads, which you can pick out of the ten or so options. I decided on a pasta salad with spaghetti, sundried tomato’s, and kalamata olives as well as a potato salad with pickled onions and rocket. I topped off the meal with a glass of the house organic red wine (€ 5.25) and a dark chocolate and hazelnut brownie sprinkled with white chocolate for desert (€ 4.25). As I carefully carried my overladen tray to the table, I picked up a glass of water and my utensils from the self-service table.
Most of the fare was enjoyable, hearty and well accented; the polenta cake was sweet, savory and flavorful, although I found the stringy texture to be a bit unpleasant. The salads, though not traditional, were robust and filling. The potato salad was a bit too reliant on the flavor of the pickled onions, while I enjoyed the taste I felt the other aspects lacking. As for desert the brownie was dark, rich and delightfully accented with homemade whipped cream, but overall a bit dry.
Cornucopia’s menu generally consists of any combination of two soups, five main courses, and ten salads with a selection of deserts that all change daily. Cornucopia also offers vegan, and gluten free dishes for those on a restricted diet, as well as a broad base of vegetarian items. Cornucopias use of interesting, multicultural, and innovative recipes as well as wholesome food highlights their use of ingredients and flavors with a contemporary vegetarian twist.
Cornucopia also offers catering and take-out, but they do not accept reservations and can get quite busy, so seating can be problematic. MasterCard, Visa, and Laser are accepted, and student discounts are available, but watch out they do run out of certain items throughout the night. Cornucopia is located at 19 Wicklow Street, Dublin, and is open Monday through Friday 8:30-9:00pm ; Saturday 8:30-8:00pm; Sunday noon-7:00pm.
