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Audrey, 33, art dealer
Audrey: I guess I'd have to think about the next best place I want to live before deciding on a price.So you'd take the money and move?
Yeah. I guess that's a bit selfish of me to think.According to Theresa May's plans, people in areas affected by fracking might get from £5,000 to £20,000. Is that enough?
No! I was thinking, like, a million pounds, minimum. You have to factor in the feeling that you're possibly going to have to leave your home behind. That hurts. Also, the compensation should allow you to go somewhere better, because to me it seems fracking would just destroy what you have in your backyard. It'd have to be a really attractive offer. One that allows you to get a new house anywhere you want in the world.
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Siham, 20, uni student (who "could not handle a photo right now")
Siham: Sure! I'm not very knowledgeable about it. But I have a friend who goes to all the protests about it and stuff.Cool. Theresa May implemented a plan that would potentially give £5,000 to £20,000 in compensation to people in areas due to be fracked. Is that enough money for you to let her do it?
No amount of money would be enough for me, really. It's so detrimental to the environment, I don't get how the money would help in any way… especially if it's around your home as well. It doesn't sound good at all.
Carl, 47, works for a bank
Carl: Probably considerably more than what she's offering. I overlook a park and I've got a young 5-year-old daughter, so I'd consider the future environmental implications for her as well. Also, I've worked really hard to own a property, so to have that potentially damaged by what I regard as a not fully developed way to look at gas, and the danger that goes with it, would be an extreme concern of mine.I don't know if there'd be enough compensation to make me be comfortable with it, to be honest with you. I'd constantly be wondering what damage it'd do, not only to me and my property but also to my community and the earth. I mean should we be looking at developing fossil fuels further? Or should we be trying to develop sustainable alternative energy sources?
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I think if you'd have asked me that question 13 years ago I'd probably have answered "up the money and go ahead," but now the future isn't just me, so it's bigger than that.
Tennille, 19, art student
Tennille: Nothing, because I wouldn't let them do it at all.What about £5,000 to £20,000? Does that sway you?
No. I don't think it should be happening in the first place, because you can't put a price on environmental damage. Even though Theresa May might be paying that much, nothing she offers to the families can outweigh the cost of the damage fracking does.Why do you think she's offering it?
It's easier to compensate because there's no way of dealing with the real cost. It's got to do with the way society is structured. I was reading somewhere that if we use hemp as car fuel it'd be more sustainable than using diesel and petrol—people have said over and over, "this is more sustainable," but you have these big energy and gas companies who wouldn't see a profit in it, so we end up not doing it. I think with Western capitalism we put profit over everything.Nobody gives a shit about the environment and healthcare and education if no one's making money from it. In this country especially—we don't plan for the future! The housing crisis is happening because no one planned to expand. How is it that we managed to live on this planet for hundreds and thousands of years without fucking up the environment majorly and now it's like "oh let's fuck it up cause we're bored today and everything has to be bigger"?
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Alicia, 25, works with oil and gas; Richard, 26, works at Aberdeen city council
Richard: Nothing. I wouldn't want it to happen. I don't feel comfortable with it—from what I've heard, it's been linked to earthquakes in America. I don't want that in my backyard or my park. My park should be an earthquake-free zone.
Alicia: Yeah, I agree.I have to say it's interesting that you happen to work at a gas company. What's your opinion on fracking in general?
Alicia: I'm not really involved in fracking or know much about that area, but I know that it's affecting the environment. The government just passed something in Lancashire—that was a completely different proposal originally. They were going to go to the sites where the ground had already been opened up for gas, but now they've okay-ed opening completely new sites.That's why we're asking around. Where should that money go instead?
Richard: Schools, hospitals.
Alicia: Renewable energy.Not compensating for drilling the hell out of the ground then. Got it! Thanks, guys.Follow Biju on Twitter