This is what it looks like when a mountain is “removed”. Yup, that’s right, there is such a thing as “Mountaintop Removal”. It’s a mining technique used to essentially remove mountains and extract coal for energy. I don’t know about you, but I like mountains just the way they are. Here’s a clip from a movie premiering in L.A. today that speaks to the many issues present in mountaintop removal coal mining. I’m sure all the earth haters out there are gonna love this!
From www.grist.org
In the heart of Appalachia, a battle rages over the fate of the last great mountain: A mining giant wants to obliterate Coal River Mountain for the coal that lies inside. Meanwhile local families fight to defend their community, their heritage, and their futures.
The mining and burning of coal is at the epicenter of America’s struggle to balance its energy needs with environmental and public health concerns, so the daring solution proposed by this small Appalachian community quickly takes on national significance. And when Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. joins Appalachian families and activists, harnessing the power of citizen democracy to fend off the extraordinary and insidious power of Big Coal, the conflict flares.
The film The Last Mountain follows waitresses, college students and former marines taking extraordinary risks to stave off the Coal Industries lobbyists and politicians, sparking a revolutionary fight to save Appalachia — and our collective future.