The Council of Canadians Comox Valley Chapter (CoC) invites the public to a meeting to learn about 鈥渇racking,鈥� a word coined to refer to hydraulic fracturing, a relatively new technology being used to extract natural gas by deep well drilling.Once the well is drilled, millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are injected, under high pressure, into the wells.The film Gasland, produced by Josh Fox, will be shown this Thursday at 7 p.m. at the BCGEU building at Eighth and Fitzgerald in Courtenay. Discussion will follow.The oil and gas industry creates fractures in rocks by injecting fluid into cracks to force them further open. The larger fissures allow more oil and gas to flow out and then be extracted. The fluids used include tons of water plus huge amounts of chemicals, which researchers say are hazardous to human health.Linda Safford, representing Comox Valley Water Watch, explains that 鈥淔racking fluid requires three million gallons of water per well, and 80,000 pounds of chemicals are injected into the earth鈥檚 crust to frack each well. Upwards of 70 per cent of the fracking fluids remain in the ground and are not biodegradable.鈥滷or more information, call 250-336-8429 or 250-338-6265.鈥� Council of Canadians Comox Valley Chapter