Resource extraction is a dead-end street. How many towns have been built around an industry only to be depressed when there is no more resources left, leaving behind abandoned mills and factories – like half of America.

The only thing that revives these towns is if they have enough natural resources left to create tourism and if they can diversify their industries.

Even though this describes so many American towns, I’m thinking of Pennsylvania. You’d think Pennsylvanians would take one look at fracking and say – no thanks! It just leaves those pretty rolling hills a mess, and the waters become polluted. All for just a flash in the pan- maybe ten years of 1.6% job growth. It is hardly worth having your children not be able to drink water or swim in lakes for the rest of their lives. This isn’t even considering the global warming issue of methane release - the worst of greenhouse gasses.

When I see the Pennsylvanians cheering for fracking, I can’t help but feel like we are all doomed. Even when I look around my town, many people look unhealthy, damaged, and dumb. What kind of humanity have we cultivated? If we stopped manufacturing beer, chips, and soda - half the population would die.

Until then, we will continue to pollute this lovely world to smithereens with our short-term needs. On our human grave, it will say - Somewhat smart but not enough.