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Pros And Cons Of Coal Burning

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Gabriel always loved having energy in his house. He could watch television and play video games all thanks to the coal mine a few miles away. Little did he know that his source of energy would be the reason for his trip to the hospital. According to Greenpeace USA, it has been estimated that coal pollution is the cause of 12,000 emergency room visits yearly. Although a majority of the United States energy is from coal, coal mining and burning should be discontinued because it is dangerous and harmful to humans, it is a leading cause for pollution, and there are cleaner and safer sources for our energy. Before digging into why coal mining and burning should be discontinued, the opposition must be considered and understood. Many argue that …show more content…

Coal mining has always been known to be dangerous for humans. According to the well known environmental group Greenpeace USA, “[…] 13,000 people die each year from coal pollution” and there is no way that coal will stop producing pollution like it is now (Greenpeace USA). That is the worst of the harm that coal causes because it kills innocent civilians who live in areas that are heavily polluted because of the act of mining and burning coal. Additionally, when it comes to coal miners there are “[…] 29,000 cases of mesothelioma and 26,000 cases of Black Lung” (Greenpeace USA). These two diseases are proven to be deadly and it shows that the people who work in the coal mines are not safe and that the the work environment is not one that should be worked in. With these statistics, it is obvious that coal mining and burning has been harmful and even deadly to workers and civilians living around it and this is why coal mining and burning should be …show more content…

Coal mining and burning is one of the biggest causes for global warming because of the carbon dioxide it releases when it is burned for energy. According to Environment Americas manager Travis Madsen, when it comes to electricity generation, “[…] coal is responsible for 84 percent of all carbon dioxide pollution” (Madsen and Sargent). This shows that out of all the ways electricity is generated, coal produces 84 percent of that carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. This is a big deal because it contributes to global warming which is causing the earth to slowly warm up and can be dangerous for humans now or in the future. Coal mining is also proven to produce air pollution also known as smog. According to one of the largest environmental groups called the Sierra Club, “Persistent smog pollution can alter and disrupt plant growth over time” and it is estimated that this causes “[…] $500 million loss due to reduced crop production” annually (Sierra Club). To a country that is already in so much debt, the United States cannot keep losing this much money because of horrible air pollution that is mainly caused by coal mining and burning. With how serious pollution has got recently, America needs to do everything it can to reduce how much pollution is given off. One way to stop producing that pollution is to cut off coal mining and burning

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“A painting showing an early factory plant shows that the smoke rising from the factory was black and full of coal ashes, affecting the air. Also, because the factory is next to water, it can be assumed that the factory has dumped into this water, causing it also to become polluted”(Document 3). Yes, wonderful products came from these factories; things like clothing and cars, but coal was being used to power these machines that produced. Black coal ash rose up into the sky and was being breathed in by the people and animals. Coal is not the best thing for people’s lungs.

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882 Words | 4 Pages

Energy is a key factor in today's society, especially in Kentucky. Kentucky's main energy resource is coal, 91.8 percent of our energy comes from this resource but coal is nonrenewable, meaning that there is a limited amount of this type of fuel. Coal mining is also detrimental to the environment, people living and working in coal mining communities have a higher chance of getting lung cancer. with surface mining, this has been linked as a cause for poisoning local residences from the chemicals used in the mountaintop mining. there are still issues with the environment and natural wildlife in the surrounding areas of the coal mining as well.

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570 Words | 3 Pages

Since we were using up a massive amount of coal each year, we would have less cleaner air, a chance of the smoke in the air to start forest fires, and many other variables that would come into play. Also, using coal for multiple machines in a factory can be very hazardous. The machines could malfunction, causing an overload in energy which could end in an explosion. The air in the factory would also be basically fatal if not wearing the right protection. And if not using things like airlocks (which they didn’t have) it could spread to outside air and then animals would breath in the toxic air then die.

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532 Words | 3 Pages

Extracting such large amounts of coal at a time can create areas of problem for the land above ground. This can damage structures or buildings. Longwall mining can increase sulfate levels in water as well as disrupt animal habitats. The cons may be harmful, but the amount of income and jobs provided by this method overrule the

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Devinn Francis Introduction:Stokely Carmichael was a civil activist and one of the youngest imprisoned for his participation and work with the freedom writers. On October 29th, 1966 he gave a speech called “Black Power”. During this time whites and blacks were segregated so there were many American civil right movements going on. His main purpose for giving the speech was to persuade and  encourage blacks to protest against segregation. He wanted whites to understand that it was unfair to be treated differently because of the difference in their skin color.

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1050 Words | 5 Pages

A unique case changed Americans perception of coal mining. The Buffalo Creek Disaster killed 123 people and left 4,000 people homeless (Stern). The reason the Buffalo Creek Disaster occurred was due to the accumulation of sludge in the mouth of the middle fork stream. The Lorado Coal Mining Company dumbed the sludge coming up from mine in the creek and the sludge functioned as a sort of dam. Since the sludge acted as a dam, the company didn’t think any problems would occur.

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Republicans from the House Energy and Commerce Committee blame regulations created by the Environmental Protection Agency as the cause of coal communities suffering. Coal in many parts of the state is processed through underground mining. Underground mining is the utilization of machinery to create tunnels under the surface of the land. Underground mining is a practical form of engineering, the process of underground mining extracts coal as the machinery goes deeper into the earth’s surface, the coal is then placed carried to the surfaced through a “combined system of vehicle haulage and conveyor belts” (Mining 2012). West Virginia is one of the leading producers of coal in the United States, but with the collapse of both coal usage and prices it has created a financial crisis for the states coal based counties.

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In passage 2 it says that coal is harmful to the planet. Coal is not good and it is a threat to the planet. Coal is very dangerous jobs to the planet. Coal is the danger of black lungs disease

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In the first edition of this book called Coal Energy Systems written by the same author as Clean Coal Engineering Technology (Second addition) says that coal is the main energy source in the United States. The start of the second edition says that coal is the largest source of fuel in the world and exists in about 70 different countries. Coal can generate as much electricity as all the other energy sources combined and in the United States, coal is the abundant energy source. Coal has a big history of producing many pollutants into the atmosphere and has been contributed to many health problems. An act was put in place called The Clean Air Act Amendments if 1970.

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177 Words | 1 Pages

Christopher, I think that you provided a lot of great information about the positives of coal mining today. It's unreal to think that in the early 1900's over 2000 miners died yearly. The new safeguards of air scrubbers and emergency shelters show how improvements have been made to help ensure the safety and health of the miners. The mining reclamation is great information to know as so many people have negative opinions on coal mining because of the past destruction of the land. I think that it's a good enforcement that the land must be returned to its original contours by the mining companies.

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Impacts of coal pollution on human health: Different type of harmful gas are releases during coal combustion: • Sulfur dioxide (SO2) which responsible for acid rain and respiratory illnesses • Nitrogen oxides (NOx) which contribute to smog and respiratory illnesses • Particulates which contribute to smog, haze, and respiratory illnesses and lung disease • Carbon dioxide (CO2) which is the primary greenhouse gas produced from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) • Mercury and other heavy metals, which have been linked to both neurological and developmental damage in humans and other animals Coal pollution also contribute to global warming and the health implications .Coal pollutants affect all major body organ systems

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1068 Words | 5 Pages

As of January 1st, 2016, there are over 18.3 billion short tons of coal left in the United States. Coal is found in fifty-three of fifty-five counties in the state of West Virginia, and it leads the country in coal production. It does have a negative effect on the environment, it is a major source of air pollution, but overall coal is important to the country. As an energy source we depend on, without the mining of coal the country would have an energy problem. We use coal for heat, transportation, and electricity.

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771 Words | 4 Pages

It is this diversity in fuel sources that keeps our electricity costs low and our reliability and stability high. A proposed rule from the EPA would effectively eliminate coal from this equation, thereby making our energy sources less diverse.” Many families depend on these industries to survive, cutting back on what coal mines produce and what certain facets produce would put the economy down. Millions of families in the majority of states would go into financial trouble. EPA takes income, comfortability and stability from a home.

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523 Words | 3 Pages

When I graduate from the Haskayne School of Business (HSB) I aspire to be proficient in business language and specialize in operation management, while improving my communication and public speaking skills. Additionally, I would like to have a reasonable understanding of the business skills that will help me excel in my future career. Dedication is an attribute that has helped me become the person I am today. I like to work hard at the tasks I am assigned and the goals I have set for myself.

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925 Words | 4 Pages

Coal is an important source of energy. Its ability to generate energy inexpensively is what makes it one of the first choices of fuel for power plants. Coal is capable of forming some of the most raw materials for cement and steel. It is also used in other industries, such as: pharma, paper, aluminum, chemical, and transportation. Although coal has been cost effective, there are consequences.

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