Popped up to Balcombe last week, site of a demo about “fracking”: the road sign at the entrance welcomes visitors “Balcombe: twinned with Wissous in France” . ( Now defunct, 1990 - 2011, though new one now up and running) -- apparently, distant politicos are frightening the locals with tales of Armageddon (eg trains crashing on near-by viaducts and tunnels ect. ) ---

 

The Weald has been a source for much geological material in the past and now: the roof of Horsham slabs in the listed building of Kemp's Farmhouse next door to the Cuadrilla site is a good example. Further afield, there are coal mines, ironstone, sandstone, flint, clay, Chalk Marl, Kentish ragstone, glass sand, Fuller’s earth, small seepages of natural gas in Cuckfield and traces of oil near Three Bridges ect.

Fracking has been used safely in the UK for 25 years and full production at Balcombe is unlikely. Any company would be doing all it can to continue exploration work "in a safe, responsible, and timely manner" which is different to the random acts of madness the demonstraters are undertaking..

There is much mileage in the theory that Gaia would be happy to yield up what small shale oil what might be found in her terrestrial crust without even needing to exchange for reductions in extractions of coal ect. And no need to upset the residents with doom-scaring tactics. . . .