Green energy jobs for coal miners
About the Author
I'm a community organizer for Coal River Mountain Watch. Our current campaign is the Coal River Wind Project. Please visit: crmw.net, coalriverwind.org, ilovemountains.org
About This Video
I believe the time has come for the powers that be in the state of WV move past coal as an energy source and offer job diversity so the people who live in the coal fields can have good paying jobs in the renewable energy field.
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1 comment for "Green energy jobs for coal miners".
1. RE: 1+B=false logic
Ms. Scarbro,
I somehow got lost ... oh, about 10 seconds into your argument. Ma'am, you start out talking about how many people in your family have worked in the coal mines of West Virginia. You mention your father's untimely death due to black lung and your hopes for your son-in-law and his family's future. Then you turn to begin talking about mountaintop mining and the need for wind and other alternative sources of energy.
Sorry, but you clearly care little about the health of any of the above.
Yes, underground mining is much safer and there is far less chance of contracting black lung today than 50 years ago, but the potential remains. Surface miners face some danger but only a fraction of that of an underground miner. Somehow you make this seem less "noble" in your eyes. I saw my grandfather die of black lung and there is nothing noble about it.
We have made great strides as an industry toward eliminating the danger of black lung and we have made even greater strides toward workplace safety both underground and above ground. Just as we have taken on the issues of black lung and workplace safety, we have led the way in reclamation and restoration.
What you don't want to talk about is the millions of trees we plant each year during the restoration phase. You don't want to talk about the restoration of many native wildlife species on these sites -- even elk and wild horses.
And you definitely don't want to talk about the diversity of tree growth we are now seeing on these sites -- even the rejuvenation of American Chestnut. We take our roles as stewards of the land very seriously. Stewards are charged with determining the best possible use of the resource. Stewardship implies USE, not sitting back and just doing nothing.
We have a country trying to piece an economy back together. We have an industry that is moving forward, actually shielding the economy of a broad swath of this nation from the economic devastation so many are feeling, and instead of championing that industry and trying to leverage is success to help in the overall rebuilding process, some would rather throw them out of their jobs.