There’s no such thing as “clean coal”
Boston.com’s The Big Picture has a shocking set of photos showing the coal industry in all its so-called “clean” glory:
Mining for coal is one of the world’s most dangerous jobs. While deadliest in China, where thousands of miners die annually, the profession is still hazardous in the West and other regions as well. Our mining and use of coal accounts for a variety of environmental hazards, including the production of more CO2 than any other source. Other concerns include acid rain, groundwater contamination, respiratory issues, and the waste products which contain heavy metals.
While abundant, the truth is that coal is never clean and its hazardous health impacts are far from cheap. We’re not likely to get completely off coal anytime soon, but we must demand accountability for its external costs. While the coal industry claims to be safe, they lobby hard against any kind of regulations to clean up their act. The only way to move towards cleaner forms of energy is for industries to pay the true costs of doing business.
In one of my favorite talks from the last few years, TreeHugger.com founder Graham Hill identifies the three most effective ways to slash your carbon footprint. Together they make for a great New Year’s resolution for anybody who cares about living in a safe and peaceful world. As an added bonus, they’ll improve your health and save you time and money!
I highly recommend watching the video, but if you don’t have time here are the Cliffs Notes on high impact carbon reduction:
- Cut way down on meat consumption.
- Minimize your air travel.
- Switch to a renewable energy program.
This is a nice video by Econ4 on the destructive direction our economy has taken, and how it can be transformed.
We just think it would be unfortunate if low-lying areas were flooded, while vast new regions of the earth are stricken with drought. We recognize that the particulate pollution from burning coal and the geopolitical consequences of oil dependence are both dire enough to make a compelling case for energy reform even apart from the greenhouse gas issue.
Job Killers vs. People Killers
A couple of recent posts in the always great Climate Progress underscore a huge detachment from reality in today’s political conversation regarding environmental regulation.
First, a debunking of regulations as “job killers”:
One report from the University of Massachusetts estimates that more than 250,000 jobs will be created through installation of new equipment at existing power plants and construction of new clean energy facilities. Net job creation is a bit harder to gauge, as there will be jobs lost in some areas of the industry in a shift away from coal to natural gas and renewables. But leading power providers are contradicting GOP “job-killing” talking points by explaining that new air-quality regulations will have an overall positive impact on job creation.
And second, a look at what is actually at stake:
By December 16 the Environmental Protection Agency will promulgate its final rule requiring coal-fired power plants to reduce their emissions of mercury, arsenic, acid gases, and other toxic chemicals. The EPA notes that these safeguards will reduce premature deaths by 17,000 people annually as well as prevent 12,000 hospital visits and 120,000 cases of aggravated asthma. The economic benefits could outweigh the costs by up to $14-to-$1.
If you’re going to take an honest look at the issue, there’s no denying that we need to change the conversation. Supporters of the fossil fuel industry want to you believe that cleaner energy policies are “job killers.” It’s imperative that we remind them their policies are people killers. And that’s a fact.
Cross-posted with FearLess Revolution.
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I made my way to #OccupyDenver on Saturday. I was overwhelmed by how many people came out to support the movement and how much emphasis was put on being peaceful about it. It made me proud to be an American.
Update: Still not sure what the Occupy movement is all about? This pretty much sums it up.
Nice motion design to promote openness in government. No matter where you are on the political spectrum, this is something we should all be demanding.
For the past several months I’ve had the pleasure of working on marketing and design for The Climate Reality Project, Al Gore’s climate awareness organization that we helped re-brand (previously The Alliance for Climate Protection).
This is one of the new videos we created for the Project, along with the mega-talented guys at m ss ng p eces from New York. This one covers the basics of climate change, and is narrated by Bill Nye the Science Guy.
FearLess show with Al Gore
Today one of my heroes sat down to chat with one of my other heroes. We streamed the whole thing live. I was one of the few people in the room, feeding them Twitter questions.
