This is bizarre as the Government are supposed to have a long-term commitment to reducing green house gases and yet fracking significantly increases them. It is unbelievable the lengths that the government will go to for financial gain (or so they believe). The trouble is it doesn’t matter how much cash you have if you can’t breathe in clean air and drink safe water! The damage caused by fracking is irreversible. I wonder if people really understand just what we stand to lose here? I know many people are not informed as the whole fracking business has been kept quiet up until now and the first stages are actually happening before most people understand it. What is the rush? I heard the chairperson of the Balcombe Council say on the radio that they hadn’t realised the scale of the things to come and if they had they wouldn’t have let it go through. Also, I understand that the government is taking these decisions away from the local councils now and making them at government level. So apparently we can decide if we have a wind turbine but won’t be consulted about fracking sites. Where is the sense in that? Wind turbines won’t cause us harm unlike fracking sites. It is our lives they are playing with here and they are not interested in the opinions of the people. They call this a democracy! If fracking goes ahead it will disturb the wildlife and frighten away birds, animals and insects with all the noise. By drilling 2 km down and then going sideways, throwing in tons of water, most certainly this will cause instability underground. I telephoned my insurance company through whom I arranged our buildings insurance cover to see if they would pay out on a claim that occurred as a result of fracking and, as you would expect, it is not covered. So where will Cuadrilla be a few years down the line when they’ve made their fortune and my house starts to crack! Probably miles away from here in a frack-free country lying on a beach, relaxing and enjoying their cash while we are getting sick! Fracking has been carried out in other countries in recent years (Australia (Queensland), U.S.A. (Pennyslyvania, Dakota), Poland etc.) and it is not difficult to find out information about the hazardous health effects. Real people tell their stories of bitter sadness. The evidence is there that fracking is unsafe but why aren’t the government taking a step back and investigating these cases before rushing to dig these dangerous wells. I really don’t understand it. They are dogmatic about it and keep saying it is safe. With so much opposition any intelligent person would at least take a step back and look into the evidence before rushing ahead wouldn’t they? If you were about to invest a large sum of money into the shares of a company and you heard something negative about them would you surely not delay your investment and check into it before it is too late? I worry for the health of my kids and all living things on this planet. Maybe the film ’Wall E’ isn’t so very far from the truth of what is to come? I am so grateful to all the caring people who are trying to stop the fracking and protect our planet. We are our Protectors. This crisis has brought not only the people from the local villages together but others from across Europe and the Globe with one common cause in mind - TO SAVE US AND OUR PLANET from those who are so shortsighted that they are happy to see its destruction for short term financial gain. Let’s open our eyes here and see what is really going on. Let’s put a stop to fracking and redirect these monies into renewable energy now before it is too late. This will create jobs and should be financially beneficial and sustainable for the future. We also need to look at ways of reducing the energy we waste! We have two years to get things sorted out so let’s leave this fracking behind and make a positive step forward for the benefit of us all. My life has been turned upside-down Since that drill started drilling deep in the ground My heart is saddened because of the frack Someone is surely in-line for the sack Renewable energy is what we need So things can keep growing from the seed So let’s put a stop to this fracking now Before life on earth turns into hell. Julie McDonald Cuckfield