New U.S. Fracking Rules Earn Disdain from Both Sides

ENVIRONMENT No sooner had the Interior Department released new fracking rules for public lands than industry groups announced a lawsuit to halt what they called “a reaction to unsubstantiated concerns.” (Nat Geo Great Energy Challenge blog) Use our activity to understand hydraulic fracturing. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit. Discussion Ideas Read through our activity “Extracting Natural … Continue reading New U.S. Fracking Rules Earn Disdain from Both Sides

Ecuador OKs Oil Drilling in the Amazon

ENVIRONMENT Ecuador OKs Oil Drilling in the Amazon “The world has failed us,” says Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa. In 2007, Correa and the United Nations Development Program proposed a plan that would prevent oil drilling in Yasuni National Park. Yasuni is part of the vast rain forest ecosystem of the Amazon basin—the so-called “lungs of the world.” Correa’s plan was to attract donations of at … Continue reading Ecuador OKs Oil Drilling in the Amazon