The Friday Video: Going Dry: Drought and Fracking Chokes Texas Towns

Read the story on Grist: A Texan tragedy: Ample oil no water

Same story with picture of a cow

Queries:

Thinking of the many incarnations of petroleum (fuel, fertilizer for the agri-industry that stocks the shelves of all of our stores, plastics, fabrics for clothing and other things), what can each of us do to reduce the need for more oil?

Should there be restrictions on fracking including outright banning the practice?

Should there be restrictions put on private property for the public good or more land acquired to be public land with restrictions?

Should everyone have water rights?

Should the right of capture be stopped?

If you are a farmer, do you have the right to raise water-hungry crops in areas like West Texas with low rainfall?