[W]hile I’m more than happy to spotlight and debunk the enviros’ use of junk science, I’m also more than a little annoyed at the junk science that the shale gas industry itself is apparently quite happy to use against its brethren fossil fuels.
If you’ve followed the 21st century environmentalist war against fossil fuel, you’ve probably heard of the “Dirty Faces” anti-coal campaign: advertisements featuring coal-smudged faces, proclaiming that coal is “dirty” because its emits greenhouse gas carbon dioxide — ironically, a colorless and odorless gas.
The Dirty Faces campaign was unapologetically sponsored by shale gas company Chesapeake Energy. — Steve Milloy
Back in the early 1980s I worked as a copywriter at an advertising agency that was considering an anti-nuke campaign for a natural gas company. I pointed out the errors in their argument, but it made no difference to them. They would have gone through with it anyway, had I not sold them instead on a campaign to encourage deregulation of natural gas prices. The ignorance, dishonesty, and short-sightedness of all involved was truly amazing.
In the last year, I’ve ghostwritten dozens of pro-fracking op-eds and letters to the editor for a national trade organization — none of which denigrated alternate energy sources, but instead emphasized the need to develop all practical and affordable options.