Cars are one thing but the electricity that we depend on for almost everything largely comes from burning coal. Still. And not just in China.
Mining coal damages the environment physically and burning coal damages the atmosphere. Coal is a two-time loser and our dependence on coal is something more people should know about.
This was a good interview for what sounds like a good book.
"Big Coal : The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future" by Jeff Goodell
Coal and America's Energy Future and Happiness is...getting older?
06/21/2006 9:00a.m.
When you think of coal, what comes to mind? A chugging locomotive? A 19th century industrial city? In reality, coal should make you think of right now. The coal industry calls America the Saudi Arabia of coal. With an estimated 270 billion tons of coal yet to be mined, what does this mean for economics, the environment, and human workers? With this much coal, is there still an energy crisis? During the second half of the hour we ask; Do birthdays make you happy? If so, there may be a scientific reason for it beyond pin the tail on the donkey and chocolate cake. Dr. Peter Ubel says people get happier as they get older. Is that true for you?
