You may not be fond of coal if it's in your Christmas stocking, but some see it as a useful and beneficial source of energy. Recently more energy companies have opted to build coal-burning plants, and experts are debating whether this is a viable solution to our energy needs. They say America runs on coal, but are we running in the right direction?
Currently, more than 100 new coal-fired power plants are in various stages of development around the country. These new power plants will emit 400 million tons of carbon dioxide annually - which is tantamount to doubling the number of cars on our roads! Coal is the single biggest obstacle to curbing global warming, and the U.S. is poised take a giant leap in the wrong direction. Though coal-fired power plants provide nearly 50 percent of the nation’s electricity, they are our top source of air pollution and toxic mercury and are responsible for one-third of the country's greenhouse gas emissions - nearly 2 billion tons per year. In addition, U.S. coal plants are a leading cause of asthma and lung cancer.
Despite what the coal industry would have us believe, there’s no such thing as “clean coal.”
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