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The Pros And Cons Of Coal

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Introduction
Coal is a variety of solid, combustible and organic sedimentary rocks formed from vegetation that has been consolidated between other rock strata and altered by the combined effects of pressure and heat over millions of years (IEA, 2017).
Around the world, requirements for energy and electricity are met by fossil fuels amongst which coal is the most abundant and broadly distributed. It is the most common fuel choice because it is a secure and low cost energy source and is relatively easy to mine, ship, and store. Coal is the second source of primary energy after oil and is mostly used for power generation. Over 40% of worldwide electricity is produced from coal (IEA, 2017).
According to Botkin and Keller, the annual world consumption of coal is about 7 billon metric tons which would be sufficient for about 120 years at the current rate of use. There are about 18500 coal mines in the United States alone with combined reserves of 262 billion tons and 1.2 billion tons of production in 2008. At present rates of mining, US reserves will last nearly 250 years but if the consumption increases, it will not last nearly as long (Botkin & Keller, 2011). …show more content…

Pollution from coal-fired power plants is released as fly ash, bottom ash and waste gases. Coal-fired power plants produce large quantities of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the key pollutants in the formation of acid rain. Acid rain acidifies water bodies and harms forests and coastal ecosystems. Coal-fired power plant is the largest single source of atmospheric mercury emissions which is toxic to the developing brain, and exposure in the womb can cause health problems in children. Mercury released in the air gets into the waterways and is accumulated in fishes which are consumed by humans. Since, coal is the most carbon intensive fossil fuel, its burning emits carbon dioxide responsible for greenhouse effect and climate change (Greenpeace,

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Throughout the centuries, humans have been attempting to find a way to power homes, cars, and other luxuries in the most efficient way possible. Coal and oil were two major sources that begin being exploited during the industrial revolution. Both have caused great controversy over the years from lawsuits to strikes. A new way to drill oil, hydraulic fracturing, was discovered and was an efficient means of drilling until its effects became prevalent. Also, when coal began to run out, a new method called mountaintop removal took hold, but continues to damage the earth.

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Coalmining was a prominent industry throughout eastern Pennsylvania, northern Maryland, and Wyoming. In 1885, legislation was passed in order to restrict the working age of miners. Breaker boys, who worked aboveground to sort slate, rocks, and other debris from the coal, were required to be at least twelve years of age. Underground miners were required to be at least fourteen years of age. Boys ' parents often presented a fake birth certificate with an altered date of birth in order to have their children, who were often as young as five or six years of age, work in the mines.

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The fact that Coalhouse exhausted all his legal means of obtaining justice before resorting to the violence that would later be associated with him led to anger being pent up inside of him. He acted respectful, and throughout his initial push for revenge he demonstrated exceptional patience towards others. However, his very persistent and exceptionally optimistic view of American society proved to be the nail in the coffin for his descent into violence. Father observed that Coalhouse’s insistence on impossible justice was such a foolish thing to have happened. In fact, society viewed Coalhouse’s plight as “his fault, because he was Negro and it was the kind of problem that would only adhere to a Negro.

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Due to more and more cities switching from fossil fuels to cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy, coal became less and less a part of each Americans daily life. For example, in 1966, one of John Lindsays major campaign ideas that got him elected mayor of New York City planned to eliminate the use of coal in the city. He did this by “, requiring reduction of the maximum sulfur content of coal and oil from its original level of 2.8% to 1% in three stages in five years.” These sanctions made it impossible for coal to be used as a fuel source, leading New York to leave coal in the past and look for other methods of energy. However, just because coal vanished from parts of America, does not mean it disappeared entirely.

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Unfortunately, fossil fuel is the primary cause of pollution. Pollution caused by fossil fuel, causes acid rain and global warming. Global warming affects humans and animals as well with the climate changes due to the burning of fossil fuels. In contrast to fossil fuels, solar energy is

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It is the dirtiest fossil fuel by nature and when it is burned, it emits greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and other air pollutant which creates smog. The Union of Concerned Scientist said that “Burning coal is also a leading cause of smog, acid rain, and toxic air pollution.” According to the US Energy Information administration, in 2013, Maryland 's Port of Baltimore was the second in the nation to export coal. Maryland energy consumption on coal was estimated at 183.2 trillion

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Nuclear power is,” the use of nuclear reactions that release nuclear energy to generate heat, which most frequently is then used in steam turbines to produce electricity in a nuclear power station. The term includes nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion.” Nuclear energy obtained from the fission of uranium and plutonium nucleus represents a significant share of humankind energy resources. Its production in appropriately designed nuclear fission reactors is especially important as a low- defilement accessory to fossil fuels. Nowadays, nuclear power is marked as one of the most environmental friendly sources of power produce in the world.

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Before The Industrial revolution, coal was used, but what coal was mined came from just below the earth’s surface. And although deep mining had already begun in Britain in 1880, America had yet to catch up. During the Industrial Revolution, the demand for coal increased rapidly, therefore mines became deeper and deeper throughout the years. In the early 1900s, two main types of coal existed - anthracite and bituminous coal. Anthracite burns much cleaner than the latter, and therefore was used more frequently and preferred by the majority of Americans, especially for residential use.

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Right now, coal seems to be dying out, but in all honesty, no I don 't think coal will die anytime soon. I have that opinion because it is the most powerful and most important source of energy. According to "The Week" in 2014, "coal remains very much alive in the developing world". Another reason I don 't think coal will die is because it is the source to electricity, almost all of U.S. uses electricity. Coal- fired plants are the main source of the electricity consumed in the United States.

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How Does Coal Form? Coal forms from the accretion of plant debris, usually in a swampy environment. When a plant perishes and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp defends it from decay. Swamp waters are usually deficient in oxygen, which would react with the plant debris and cause it to decay.

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Should we pursue alternate energy sources? I feel that we should pursue alternate energy sources. It would stop pollution and global warming from happening so sudden, as we have it currently in our generation. Using renewable energy means that we will never run out of the energy we need.

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