| A Strip-style Coal Mine |
People have seriously deep feelings about coal.
I know people who work in the coal mines and are proud of it. They see it as a family tradition. They are thankful that the coal companies bring jobs.
| Coal Burns Hot and Dirty |
They or people they know have been hurt, or sickened, or had their land hurt or sickened, by the coal mining industry. But it's the only job they can have that will put food in the table. A recent documentary, On Coal River, looked at some of the mixed feelings people have about life in coal country and its consequences:
Some look at coal and see all these negatives. Coal is dirty, dangerous, and they want no part of it.
But love it or loathe it, coal is important. Know it or not, coal affects every day of your life at Ohio University. (According to one recent statistic, OU purchased over 31,000 tons of coal in 2007 [Bowling].) However, one group would like to see that change.
Ohio University Beyond Coal is a university group affiliated with the Sierra Club, that would like to change the source of energy at OU. Specifically, the group wants a change regarding the university's coal-powered Lausche Heating Plant. The plant, they argue, is in violation of the Clean Air Act, and is therefore a danger to the Athens community. The plant is similarly unhealthy from a financial standpoint; in 2009, the EPA fined OU $67,216 for toxic emissions. A change to a cleaner form of energy, such as geothermal, would benefit OU's air quality, as well as saving money and fighting the spread of Dirty Coal.
As of March 7th, the group has been able to gain from OU a verbal promise to retire the heating plant by 2016. However, there is no guarantee that the replacement plant won't also run on coal.
A change to a clean energy economy would provide jobs outside of the coal mines and avoid the negative health and environmental effects of coal usage.
Tell the Decision-Makers to Make OU's Energy be CLEAN ENERGY!
Contacts:
Ohio University President's Advisory Council for Sustainability Planning: sustainability@ohio.edu
Office of Facilities Management: (740) 593-2911
Works Consulted
"Ball State Professor Explores BSU's Switch to Geothermal, Says OU Could Do the Same." College Green. 25 Sept. 2010. <http://www.collegegreenmag.com/ball-state-professor-explores-bsus-switch-to-geothermal-says-ou-could-do-the-same>
Bowling, Caitlin. "Activists Strive to Reduce OU Coal Emissions." The Post. 9 March 2011. <http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1041703790915222066&postID=4254012755521164483>
On Coal River. Dir. Francine Cavanaugh and Adams Wood. 2010.
"Protesters Denounce 'Dirty and Done' Coal in Friday Demonstration. College Green. 8 Jan. 2011. <http://www.collegegreenmag.com/protestors-denouce-dirty-and-done-coal-in-friday-demonstration>
"Update: OU Confirms Promise to Retire Lausche Heating Plant by 2016. College Green. 8 March 2011. <http://www.collegegreenmag.com/beyond-coal-claims-ou-promised-to-retire-lausche-heating-plant-by-2016
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