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Dorothy Hinchcliff's FA green Blog
December 07, 2009
Powerful Video
No matter what your position on climate change, it’s worth watching a video called Leveling Appalachia: The Legacy of Mountaintop Removal Mining.

The video, produced by Yale Environment 360 in collaboration with MediaStorm, focuses on the devastating environmental and social impacts of this coal mining practice and examines the long-term effects on the region’s forests and waterways. Operators say the process is used when it’s the most efficient to reach coal reserves and remind that many jobs depend on the industry. But when I watched the video and heard the stories of residents, I couldn’t help but ask if there isn’t a better way.

Last week Sen. Robert Byrd, D.-W.Va., issued a statement critical of mountaintop removal mining, but maintained that no effort to do away with the coal industry could ever succeed in Washington. “Most people understand that America cannot meet its current energy needs without coal, but there is strong bi-partisan opposition in Congress to the mountaintop removal method of mining it,” he said. Other reports say momentum against the practice is continuing to build.

Watch the video and see what you think.
 
Comments
edible  - Strip mining   |2009-12-08 16:49:08

While the video was a slick piece of "green" propaganda, no where did I see anyone suggest an alternative. No where did I see any spokesman for those earning a living in the coal fields...only from the ones not making money from the resource in their back yard. If someone made a reasonable proposal to the coal companies, I suspect the company would pay for those folks to move to better surroundings.

The same people behind this sort of video are the ones who also fight against using alternative energy forms...Wind farms, nuclear power, and drilling for oil off shore. And please, don't come up with the raucous cry about oil spills, or nuclear accidents...both these are things of the past. Please, stop using steam pouring forth from the stacks to show how dirty coal fired utility plants are...that is also a thing of the past.

If the nay sayers would put some of that energy into a positive attack on the problems, rather than striving to be politically correct, then perhaps we could arrive at some solutions to the ral problems.
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