Preview

Burning The Future: Coal In America

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1150 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Burning The Future: Coal In America
Coal mining has been around for decades since the 1800s and coal has been powering our lights even till today. The documentary called, "Burning the future: Coal in America" presented a lot of vital information about how the coal industries work and how coal helps the nation stay lit. Countries that build the world 's biggest coal plants are the United States, China and India. The states that practice coal mining are Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Coal power plants emissions contain many elements and compounds including sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide and other elements including one of the largest sources which are carbon dioxide. Burning the future discusses the many factors that cause devastating outcomes. Mountain top removal and strip …show more content…
I 'm sure we can find other alternatives that can substitute coal but I don 't think the industries are willing to give up coal because it provides a lot of income for these industries. Even though coal may be the backbone of America, reducing the coal burning can help reduce the issues America is creating which are the thirty thousand plus death and the pollution. We can help reduce coal 's toxic emissions by using cleaner energy for the future. Clean energy consist of renewable energy which are wind, solar, biomass and geothermal which can supply very large portions of energy for America. Shifting towards this route can create a better sustainable future for not only America but for the world. In order to shoot for a better future we must first conserve. Conserving energy is basically driving less, buying less, turning things off when you don 't need to use it anymore, using less water because heating water is basically using coal to heat the water. Using natural power and not relying on light bulbs and basically just cutting back on all the things you 're dependent on. We need cleaner energy and we need to increase wind power and solar power so that our future will be healthier in the long …show more content…
M. (2008). Relations between health indicators and residential proximity to coal mining in West Virginia. American Journal of Public Health, 98, 669-671.

Blankenship, D. (2006). Especially for people like us. In C. Warren (Ed.), Like walking onto another planet: Stories about the true impacts of mountaintop removal mining. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from http://www.ohvec.org/issues/mountaintop_removal/misc/ovec_mtrbooklet.pdf

Ovec (Organized Voices and Empowered Communites). 2012. Health Study Articles on the Effects of Coal Mining. http://www.ohvec.org/issues/mountaintop_removal/articles/health/index.html

Roger Philpot 2003-2012. Learn about Coal factoids, did you know.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Summary: Night Comes To The Cumberlands
    • 2052 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Summary: Night Comes To The Cumberlands

    Writing for a 300-year span of time, he does not spare the rough, the crude, the greedy and the mean. He uses an historical approach combining the economic, the political, the sociological, the psychological and the anthropological. There is much information that only a native like Caudill himself could have gathered from family, friends and the hills themselves. A fine lawyer by profession, he was even better as a storyteller. Caudill knew as much about the problems of this part of Appalachia as anyone and could accurately describe its symptoms. However, in terms of corrective measures, his prescriptions for cure fall largely off the mark. Solutions to the chronic, severe and long-standing problems in this region of the country are not easy and not fast. The coal counties in southern Appalachians are still losing population. Mountain top removal and valley fills, a type of coal mining just starting when Caudill completed his book are destroying tens of thousands of acres of southern hardwood forest. The landscape is permanently altered and will never recover after this type of mining has taken place. I’m sure if Caudill were around today, he would have more than enough material to write a book on this subject…

    • 2052 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Movie Analysis: On Coal River
    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Movie Analysis: On Coal River

    A Massey Corporation coal mine in “Coal Valley” West Virginia was built next to Marsh Fork Elementary. Parents began to worry about their children when black coal dust began covering the playground, and a one-hundred-foot dam was built behind the school that held hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic waste. The dam also leaked toxic heavy metals into the local watershed, poisoning the community’s water. These dangers prompted community members to act. Community members protested for nearly 5 years, meeting the governor and senators of West Virginia and did not gain any progress until an incident occurred at the mine that prompted Massey Corp. to donate money for a new school.…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Mountaintop Removal Research Paper
    • 1959 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Mountaintop Removal Research Paper

    Mountaintop removal is currently the most commonly used form of mining throughout Appalachia and it has a significant impact on life there. These different effects are environmental, physical, mental, emotional, and economical. While mountaintop removal may be safer for the miners themselves, the big question is how mountaintop removal is affecting the very way of life of the people of Appalachia…

    • 1959 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Mountaintop Removal Research Paper
    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Mountaintop Removal Research Paper

    Approach to the subject of my paper: I will first introduce my paper with an explanation of what mountaintop removal is. Then, I will use my knowledge from working on the strip mining job. I will also discuss how mountaintop removal is not as bad as most people make it out to be.…

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Health Canada's Argument Analysis
    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Health Canada's Argument Analysis

    Health Canada argues that coalmines in Belleville, Nova Scotia, need to be closed down as it has extremely harmful effects on its workers. The former states that working in mines leads to an increased chance of…

    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    St. Louis Coal Industry Essay
    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages

    St. Louis Coal Industry Essay

    The Coal Industry’s Impact on St. LouisCoal is perhaps the most plentiful source of fossil fuel and it an extensive history. It has been used as a source of heat since cave men roamed the earth. During the 1700s, it was discovered by the British that coal could produce a fuel which burned much cleaner and hotter that wood charcoal. However, the heavy demand of coal started with the Industrial Revolution that created numerous new technologies which required coal for energy. This produced the opportunity for coal to serve as the dominant worldwide supplier of energy. Similar to other large cities around the nation, St. Louis had a growing industry for coal as industrialization took a firm foothold in the community. But, unlike those other cities, “coal is literally the foundation of St. Louis.”…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    What Is Lester R. Brown´s The Great Transition?
    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages

    What Is Lester R. Brown´s The Great Transition?

    The book mentions that air pollution from coal-fired power plants is estimated to cause more than 13,000 premature deaths each year. Coal pollution is implicated in causing thousands of heart and asthma attacks. Coal power generation is the leading source of carbon dioxide emissions. The other dirty side of this “power generation coin” is nuclear power. The process itself, when regulated and maintained correctly, is quite safe. Incidents like the 1986 Chernobyl plant meltdown and the incident mentioned in this book, the 2011 Fukushima Accident caused by the tsunami can have disastrous consequences. So what can be attributed to the closing of coal plants and the decline in construction of nuclear power plants? Well, the price of natural gas, which by the way is a cleaner form of power generation, has been linked to the decline in coal usage. Air pollution regulations are becoming stricter across the world. Needless to say, the initial costs of constructing a nuclear power plant are enormous and the strict regulations that govern the storage, operation and waste disposal of materials can be powerful deterrents. Not to mention that the Fukushima experience has caused widespread public opposition to nuclear power in Japan (Brown 2015), and in my opinion around the world as well. Renewable Energies The solar and wind revolution is upon us, along with tapping the wind, earth’s heat and using the power of water to create energy. These renewable energies are becoming more accessible and efficient. Solar cells (solar photovoltaics/PV) have come a long way since 1954. At first they powered satellites and now they can provide power to common households and in the very near future automobiles. Many countries around the world are investing on solar power technology and its paying off. Consumers are able to purchase these solar panels cheaper, according to the book,…

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What are Coal Companies doing to us
    • 401 Words
    • 1 Page

    What are Coal Companies doing to us

    Coal companies are sneaky, conniving, and in some cases liars. The proof is right in front of them, why can’t they admit it? Jobs, currently, they are the most important thing in America (apparently). Let’s not worry about the countless mountains or streams being destroyed that could potentially provide future jobs for us. With that being said the three main problems of mountaintop removal are the jobs, the environmental issues, and the coal companies their self.…

    • 401 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pros And Cons Of Coal Hurting People
    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Pros And Cons Of Coal Hurting People

    Should we risk coal hurting people. I think not.Because you should not risk other people to help jobs because it's not fair .say if you put somebody in the hospital .Because you want to help you your job .So I would keep my people safe .It could also cause a Global warming.So would would you want power or other people lives. (I would rather have people lives)…

    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Future Of Energy In America
    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Future Of Energy In America

    Energy is very important, especially for the people of the United States. It has become an integral part of our lives and we have grown dependent on it. Therein lies the problem, however, because the more we use it, the less there is. We have to find alternative forms of energy before it is gone and we are left high and dry. Not only is our sources decreasing, it is also polluting our beautiful world. Reducing the use of energy and finding alternatives is our only choice when considering the future of America. Cheap gas may sound great right now but once it is gone, it is gone for good. We cannot be selfish and only think of the now, we must look to the future and preserve our resources so that our grandkids will have a good life. We have made…

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Sulfide Mining Research Paper
    • 1542 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Sulfide Mining Research Paper

    Over the United States, numerous states around the considerable lakes are influenced by the dangers of sulfide mining. In Minnesota the conventional taconite and iron mining have not generally gone to arrange. In the 1960's taconite was extremely mainstream in the economy, however in the following forty years a great deal of mining organizations shut down because of high rivalry. Nationals crosswise over Minnesota are not just terrified that a similar thing will happen, they are frightened of the dangers on sulfide mining and how it could influence them and their day by day lives. Sulfide mining is ended up being a standout amongst the most unsafe dangers to take because of chemicals produced. Every year, the demand for more jobs gets higher…

    • 1542 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Burning Coal And Toxic Air Pollution
    • 94 Words
    • 1 Page

    Burning Coal And Toxic Air Pollution

    Burning coal is also a leading cause of smog, acid rain, and toxic air pollution. Some emissions can be significantly reduced with readily available pollution controls, but most U.S. coal plants have not installed these technologies. Coal plants are the United States’ leading source of Sulfur dioxide pollution, which takes a major toll on public health, including by contributing to the formation of small acidic particulates that can penetrate into human lungs and be absorbed by the bloodstream. Sulfur dioxide also causes acid rain, which damages crops, forests, and soils, and acidifies lakes and…

    • 94 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    overuse of resource
    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages

    overuse of resource

    Coal is often used by power-plants to produce electricity. If people would use electricity more efficiently (ie, by turning off appliances when not in use, etc.), there would be less demand for electric power and thus less coal to be burned.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Make solar energy economical
    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Make solar energy economical

    Those fossil fuels cannot remain the dominant sources of energy forever. Whatever the precise timetable for their depletion, oil and gas supplies will not keep up with growing energy demands. Coal is available in abundance, but its use exacerbates air and water pollution problems, and coal contributes even more substantially than the other fossil fuels to the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Alternative Energy Sources Essay Example 6
    • 4356 Words
    • 18 Pages

    Alternative Energy Sources Essay Example 6

    Even though it maybe true that some sources of nonrenewable energy sources are virtually inexhaustible because of technological advancements. However, these resources such coal, oil, and natural gas are slowly killing us, the environment, and the whole world we live in. This is because fossil fuels such as those previously mentioned give off greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) which cause smog and allow harmful radiation from the sun to penetrate our atmosphere. This problem is continually getting worse because we continue to use more and more of these fossil fuels every year. This is mainly because of population growth, inefficient buildings, lighting, and automobiles, and a general wasteful attitude towards energy. In fact 43 percent of all commercial energy produced is wasted unnecessarily because of factors…

    • 4356 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More