February 8, 2013 16:44

Yoko Ono appeals against fracking in paid-for TV ad – watch

The musician and artist is trying to prevent the practice being permitted in New York State

$Yoko Ono appeals against fracking in paid-for TV ad – watch$

Photo: PA

Yoko Ono may be famous for the message 'give peace a chance', but she has recently declared war – on fracking.

The artist, musician and widow of Beatles man John Lennon bought TV ad time to address New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is soon to make a decision on whether to allow fracking in the state, and with whom Ono has been seeking a face-to-face meeting to discuss the matter.

Fracking – or hydraulic fracturing – is a controversial method of extracting natural gas from rock. Its detractors say it can have harmful environmental effects. Ono speaks directly to Cuomo in the video, which is set to a soundtrack of John Lennon's 'Gimme Some Truth' and accompanied by images of toxic water and taps catching fire due to escaped gas. "Since you haven't met with me about the dangers of fracking, I will show you now on TV," she says, ending the clip by saying, "PS. Nice to meet you, Governor." Click below to watch in full.

Fracking is Ono's latest cause celebre, and she has set up a group, Artists Against Fracking, with son Sean Lennon, reports Rolling Stone. "After visiting with families in Pennsylvania whose water, homes and lives have been hurt by the gas industry, I wanted to show Governor Cuomo and the public what I saw," she has said. "He must know what could happen to New Yorkers – our air, our water, our climate – if he allows fracking."

Ono's personal interest in the subject began due to the possibility of a gas pipeline being built near the Catskills house she shared with John Lennon. Sean Lennon said: "[John Lennon] loved it there because we had our own well water… I wanted to save my own house and drink the water first, and then it sort of escalated from there. That house was my dad's house and still is, so I'm sure he would've been on our side."

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