New York organic dairy farmer, Neil Vitale, discusses FrackNation and the state of energy globally, offering some very perceptive points on the value of the film in educating the public.

FrackNation is an excellent documentary for both novices of the energy industry and energy professionals, as it clearly addresses the energy policies in America and in the world. Phelim McAleer transcends most journalistic attempts to deal truthfully and realistically on the energy controversy of the twenty-first century and actually gets the job done.

The most polemic energy concern addressed in the documentary relates to the controversy of “green energy” versus fossil fuels. Mr. McAleer highlights the human cost if policy makers don’t resolve this controversy. It is paramount that individuals on both sides of the oil and gas shale development debate view this documentary. If so, a more educated and unbiased discussion can be achieved.

A personal note on the documentary: As a dairy farmer in Steuben County for forty-five years, I was personally affected by the farmer depicted in the documentary. The naiveté that low-information citizens possess on what is required to have an abundance of affordable food and energy in America is quite alarming. To me, it is nearly criminal that a few misguided anti fossil fuel extremists are able to jeopardize a harmonious relation that these two industries have had for over one-hundred years while bringing economic strength to our nation.

The most inspiring part of the documentary was a proposal to bring third world countries into the modern economy. With the abundance of inexpensive energy due directly to oil and shale play development around the world with the American technology of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, many impoverished nations may have the opportunity to modernize their agriculture, schools, roads, utilities, and hospitals. Inexpensive energy is what build nations. With it, the decades-old humanitarian disaster will finally start to be solved.

NASA image similar to map shown in FrackNation of the world’s energy use.