On Mountaintop Removal Mining

 

© wikipedia

I’m aware that that at least half of the  electric power needed to post this comes from coal. What I wasn’t so aware of is that I consume 3.8 tons of coal a year (or roughly 2 lbs /h), like the average you. Chances are that a good part of that coal is mined by the method known as “mountaintop removal mining”, just 270 miles SW from home: most probably here.

Mountaintop removal resurfaced last week as a controversial issue in DC. Here some resources:

• NPR: Diane Rehm show, Jan.07 (podcast)
• WP: Scientists say mountaintop mining should be stopped
• Science magazine, Jan. 08 : Mountaintop Mining Consequences
• Coal Country movie | Appalachian Voices