03.12.08
Ecogeek writes to the coal industry
I’m a little bit angry right now. For the last 12 hours, unknown to me, the U.S. coal lobby has been plastering EcoGeek with B.S. ads for their B.S. clean coal campaign. I’m not really a big fan of helping to spread their heifer droppings so I’ve blocked the campaign.
But this somewhat rash action makes me feel like I owe the coal lobby an explanation. I just know they’re all sitting in their basements right now thinking, “Why did EcoGeek block us…we’re clean technology…aren’t we?!” So, to put their weary little minds to rest, I’ll answer them.
No…you’re not green. You’re full of crap.
Your industry turns mountains inside out, poisons the water of the rural poor in America and throughout the world. Your industry has never made an environmental move in its long and storied history without being forced to by a government. The promotional video for ‘clean coal’ at your lame PR site lauds a carbon sequestration plant that has now been canceled because it was determined to be pretty much impossible. The cleanest coal plants in the world still create more sulfer dioxide than the environment can deal with without acidifying the rain and the soil.
Of course, the future is in sequestering carbon, right? Pumping it into the ground so that it never hits the atmosphere. The problem is, building a sequestered carbon coal plant is actually more expensive than building a solar thermal plant. Why would we stick with you when solar is revving up to be cheaper than coal without expensive, unrealistic sequestration?
The only thing that makes you seem even a little green today is how extremely destructive you used to be. You cannot be, you will never be, green. Give up…go home…enjoy the next few decades because they will be your last.
We’re moving on without you, and you’re going to have to deal with that. Actual clean technologies are here now. We don’t need you anymore. There are 45 gigawatts of renewable energy planned for the United States. You are not renewable…you are not America’s Power…you are not the future and you sure as hell aren’t green. Stop pretending.
Sincerely,
Hank Green and the EcoGeek Team
Nicholas said,
12 March 2008 at 1:05 pm
Great post! I saw an ad on TV yesterday promoting coal as the ‘energy of the future’. I didn’t know whether to laugh out loud or cry.
I hope that coal’s slick marketing tactics take second place to things like science and facts.
ReverendYo said,
12 March 2008 at 1:56 pm
While I agree that Coal is not the cleanest technology available, it is by far the most widely used source to generate electricity. Almost 50% of America’s electricity is generated by the burning of coal and America’s useage of energy is more than 29000 TwH Generating 45 GwH of alternative renewable energy is a step in the right direction, but it’s still a long way from meeting the existing needs of America.
The main fact is we have to use coal, we just need to do a better job of using correctly. I believe America is leading the charge to make it a clean technology more than any other nation. There are significant investments underway today by the nation utilities to make coal a cleaner technology. What other technology other than nuclear has the capabilities of meeting America’s needs? There is not one one renewable available other than coal that can meet today’s needs, let alone our future needs.
LeisureGuy said,
12 March 2008 at 1:59 pm
Good points. Let’s also add that the coal industry has fought clean-air standards tooth and nail, and resists mine safety regulation with every ounce of its strength. It’s a dirty industry.
Still, if ways to burn coal cleanly and sequester the CO2 could be found, it would be nice. But what about that CO2? It’s doing enormous damage. Maybe—this is a hard thought—the US will have to change its lifestyle.