Assuming we can capture and store emissions, should we continue to rely on coal as a primary energy source?

No

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by Gregory Williams

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To paraphrase an old axium, no source of pollution is an island in unto itself. Therefore send not to find for whom the environmentalist protests; he protests against thee. The biggest problem with the current incarnation of the environmental movement is that it has become fixated on one type of pollution: carbon emissions. The fact remains, however, that Global warming is not the only environmental issue out there, and carbon is not the only form of pollution that we have to worry about. For this reason, the use of Coal must still be abolished in the US, even if its carbon emissions can be eliminated.

Coal has always been a dirty fuel, even before the rise of Global Warming as an issue. Even now that sulfur emissions have been capped, there still is the all important yet underreported issue of Coal as a nuclear pollutant. Indeed, while many criticize Nuclear energy for its emission of harmful radiation, an average coal fired power plant emits more radiation than a nuclear one, even after all the emissions have been captured. This is because nuclear radiation is emitted in the form of subatomic particulates, not as marcromolecular ones. Even if pumped underground, the radiation that comes from burning this fuel will surely permeate surrounding ground water and possibly even end up in people's homes. This is an unacceptable risk.

In addition, it is important to consider the way that coal is mined. There is no mining method currently in existence that does not produce harmful bi-products, or "slag" that are a form of pollution on their own. Many forms of coal mining are environmentally disastrous, especially so-called "open pit mining" which has already scarred the US landscape, probably irreparably. Taking this and all other things into account, it becomes clear that the term "clean coal" is an oxymoron; a euphemism meant to make us feel better as we continue to ravage our environment.

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