21 June 2015 — 38 Degrees

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when politicians cave in to dirty energy, here’s the answer:

Next week in Lancashire, councillors will vote on whether to let dirty energy giant Cuadrilla drill for gas. What Cuadrilla want to do is ‘frack’ – drill for gas under our countryside. It’s dirty, dangerous, a disaster for the climate, and it could happen just metres from people’s homes. [1]

This is a straight fight between ordinary people and dirty energy. The local community has fought tooth and nail to get the decision delayed again and again. Cuadrilla, panicking, has thrown huge amounts of money at getting councillors onside. [2] The decision is on a knife edge.

What happens in Lancashire will set the precedent for fracking decisions across England. Watch this video, and decide where you stand:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/fracked

38 Degrees members stand up for our countryside and our communities. We’ve stopped forest sell-offs and kept a nuclear dump out of the Lake District. Up and down the country, we’ve kept libraries open and saved hospitals. [3] The fight against fracking isn’t so different – it’s still a story of ordinary people defending what’s theirs against all the odds.

The hills, the farms, the coastline of Lancashire belong to our children and our grandchildren, not to politicians or big business. Local people have thrown everything at stopping fracking.

Will you stand with them? Watch this video, and decide for yourself:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/fracked

Thanks for being involved,

Susannah, Amy, Bex, Maddy, Rachel, Laura and the 38 Degrees team

PS: The video was funded by thousands of 38 Degrees members from all over the UK chipping in fivers and tenners. Everything we do together is funded by all of us, always. If you want to donate to make sure loads of people see it, click here:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/fracked

NOTES
[1] The Guardian: Cuadrilla wins partial backing for Lancashire fracking:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/15/cuadrilla-wins-partial-backing-for-lancashire-fracking
BBC: Fracking should be approved, Lancashire council officers say:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-33132569
Friends of the Earth: Unconventional, and unfounded: the myth of cheap and abundant shale gas in the US:
https://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/myth-cheap-abundant-shale-gas-us-45589.pdf
Business Green: Renewables not fracking is the best answer to energy security:
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/opinion/2336447/renewables-not-fracking-is-the-best-answer-to-energy-security
[2] 38 Degrees blog: 38 Degrees members and fracking in Lancashire:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2015/04/25/38-degrees-members-and-fracking-in-lancashire-2/
The Guardian: Fracking support falls as Tory government promises to deliver shale:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/19/public-opposition-to-fracking-rises-in-face-of-tory-push-for-shale-gas
38 Degrees: Community fracking campaigns:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/?s=fracking
[3] 38 Degrees blog: Save our forests – victory!:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2014/11/05/save-our-forests-victory/
38 Degrees blog: Victory! Government scraps plans to sell our forests:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2011/02/17/victory-government-to-scrap-plans-to-sell-our-forests/
38 Degrees blog: Lake District – good news:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2013/01/31/lake-district-good-news/
38 Degrees blog: Lewisham victory in the papers:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2013/08/01/lewisham-victory-38-degrees-in-the-papers/
Dorset Echo: UPDATE: Campaigners welcome ‘courageous’ decision by hospital bosses to keep pathology service:
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11522207.UPDATE__Campaigners_welcome__courageous__decision_by_hospital_bosses_to_keep_pathology_service/
38 Degrees blog: Great news – Friern Barnet library has been saved!:
https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2013/02/04/great-news-friern-barnet-library-has-been-saved/