A proud heritage

Joe is off for the day, so Steve Gates, our national communications director, is filling in for this update. Steve is a regular contributor to our Factuality Tour, which tells the story of coal-generated electricity in America – from mine to plug.

I was reading through the Huffington Post this morning, and saw an article from Kevin Grandia calling a coloring book from West Virginia’s Friends of Coal “one of the most ridiculous pieces of propaganda the coal lobby has produced to date.” Really? Teaching children about their region’s history and importance is ridiculous? Sorry, but I beg to differ.

As someone who was raised in that part of the world, learning about coal was required when I was in school for many reasons. Coal mining is, was and will be a vital industry in places like southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia. We were required to know the different types of coal, and we even (gasp) toured a coal mine to learn how our fathers and grandfathers earned a living. We grew to be extremely proud of the vitally important role our region’s coal played in producing steel to literally build this country.

My children learn about coal to this day. Why? Because their grandfather worked in the mines for 40 years, ensuring that his family had food on the table and a roof over their head. But more importantly, his job ensured that everyone had access to affordable electricity. Was it an easy living? Not in the least. But Mr. Grandia, when you call an attempt to educate children about the role their area plays in the world “ridiculous,” you are insulting generations of proud families who are – get this – proud of their heritage.

In fact, last year I stopped by Waynesburg, Pa., and asked people what they thought about life in a mining town. Give it a look...

Comments

[Kevin Grandia]

Your happy-go-lucky coloring book doesn't point ALL the heritage of coal. Namely, mercury poisoning, greenhouse gas emissions, destroying mountains and black lung.

Also doesn't point out that coal production continues to increase, while jobs continue to get cut.

That's why this coloring book is nothing but PR spin. Something ACCCE is very good at.

[Brad Johnson]

Teaching children about their history is a noble pursuit. Propagandizing them to adulate a mineral is ridiculous.

[Steve Gates]

Let’s first be clear that ACCCE did not create this coloring book. But we are happy to see that Friends of Coal has found a way to begin the conversation with kids about coal's role in our energy supply and communities throughout West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

We’ve never said that coal is a perfect energy source—in fact, no such thing exists at the moment. But coal remains our most abundant, affordable supply of baseload power, and the science shows that clean coal technologies have reduced emissions while allowing us to meet our ever-growing demand for electricity. I think there’s a valuable lesson to be learned there—that hard work and a commitment to solving problems does pay off.

[Brad Johnson]

Do you believe that it's important to teach these children about the heritage of coal companies and the government ganging together to shoot coal miners, to hide the toxicity of coal mining from local residents, and to intimidate critics?

Should these children also be taught about the tens of thousands of Americans who are killed by "clean" coal pollution every year?

Should these children be taught about the unique ecosystem of the Appalachian mountains that is being destroyed primarily for the profit of the few?

Should these children be taught about the correlation between coal mining and poverty?

Should these children be taught about the ravages of global warming and the role of coal pollution?

Should these children be taught about how little of the profits from mining and burning coal have gone to their families, and how much has gone to a very few millionaires?

Should these children be taught how many other children have suffered brain damage because of the mercury pollution from burning coal -- and how coal companies had the technology to prevent the pollution but were too cheap to use it?

[Steve Gates]

Brad:

Look, this is a coloring book we’re talking about. I think the high-level lessons can be left to textbooks.

But since you mentioned climate change and the legacy we’re leaving for our children, I have a few questions for you. Don’t you think it’s imperative that we develop and deploy new technologies that government agencies have concluded are necessary to reaching global emissions reduction targets? Don’t you think it’s important to consider what life would be like if we shut off coal-generated power plants tomorrow without adequate baseload substitutes? What would our childrens’ lives look like without functioning schools or medical facilities?

Like I told Kevin, we’ve never claimed that coal is the perfect energy source, nor that clean coal technology is the silver bullet to the climate change issue. But they are critical. And the coal industry has invested $90B in technologies to reduce emissions that make our standard of living possible and safe.

That is our commitment. That is what we are working on. What about you?