Poor communities struggle, questions persist about whether their air and water are safe and clean -- not in a third world country, but right here in the United States of America. All week FlourSackMama.com has brought you stories and perspective on controversial mountaintop removal mining in the Appalachian region.
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| View of Mountaintop Removal Mining from Black Mountain Kentucky/Virginia line |
Although analysts say MTR mining only produces a small fraction of the nation's energy supply, it destroys some of the nation's most biodiverse areas while creating questionable health affects.
Georgia and North Carolina are currently the top two states on record as using the most MTR coal. You can learn whether your local power utility is using MTR coal as well, by using this app from I Love Mountains.
Kentucky native and mountain advocate Teri Blanton says we all need to get informed about our power source. "You need to learn where your power comes from and you can insist that your utility company start switching over to renewable energy. You can also insist that your coal does not come from mountaintop removal sites."
Blanton says cutting back reliance on MTR coal can also be as simple as conserving energy in your own home. She suggests doing an energy audit with your local utility to find ways of saving money and energy.