Time for a frackdown

PROTESTERS GATHERED in more than 250 cities in 20 countries and at least half of the states across the U.S. to take part in the "Global Frackdown" on October 19--an international day of protest against hydraulic shale oil fracturing or "fracking."

In New York City, some 1,000 people gathered in Manhattan, carrying signs that read "Food, not Fracking" as they called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to ban fracking in the state.

In Baltimore, a smaller group of activists projected an anti-fracking light show on a building and invited passersby to spin a "Wheel of Misfortune" highlighting some of the impacts of fracking, including "poisoned drinking water" and "escalation of climate change."

In Oakland, Calif., a rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza (known as Oscar Grant Plaza as it was renamed by the Occupy movement) was followed by a march of 200 to the state building, with protesters setting up an oil fracking rig art demonstration and calling on Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown to ban the practice.

The global day of action came on the heels of the passage of California Senate Bill 4, which legalizes and permits fracking. Demonstrators understand that regulations cannot protect California's lush agriculture and freshwater aquifers that have been put in harm's way by the fracking industry for decades.

Monterey sits on a vast shale oil reserve currently being fracked as a result of the oil industry's desire to profit from California's natural resources. This threatens ecosystems with fracking¹s inevitable chemical and methane leaks in local water, air and on land.

Communities are coming together to pass ordinances to keep fracking from polluting their local environments. At the rally, Corey Hill spoke about his efforts at a local level to stop fracking.

Hill and Tia Lebherz with Food and Water Watch are among members of a grassroots movement in California to ban fracking. Lebherz led the October 19 Oakland demonstration. As Lebherz chanted, "When Governor Brown loves to frack, what do we do?" the crowd roared back, "Stand up, fight back!"

Demonstrators dressed in Hazmat suits carried large banners, including a large one listing fracking fluid chemicals, to the state building. Artists dipped their hands in molasses, symbolizing oil, and left handprints and a chalked message in front of the building. Lebherz proceeded to call the governor and leave him a message, in which the crowd said, "Governor Brown, ban fracking now!"

At the Oakland rally, Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey spoke about the fracking moratorium in Marin. Another activist gave credit to the documentary Gasland by Josh Fox, which shows the realities residents face living near fracking wells. Today, millions of people around the world are informed and standing up to fracking, he said.

The demonstration ended with a group photo and chant in a beautiful display of color, creativity and passion to put an end to fracking in California, across the nation and world.