Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy FutureLong dismissed as a relic of a bygone era, coal is back -- with a vengeance. Coal is one of the nation's biggest and most influential industries -- Big Coal provides more than half the electricity consumed by Americans today -- and its dominance is growing, driven by rising oil prices and calls for energy independence. Is coal the solution to America's energy problems? On close examination, the glowing promise of coal quickly turns to ash. Coal mining remains a deadly and environmentally destructive industry. Nearly forty percent of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere each year comes from coal-fired power plants. In the last two decades, air pollution from coal plants has killed more than half a million Americans. In this eye-opening call to action, Goodell explains the costs and consequences of America's addiction to coal and discusses how we can kick the habit. |
Contents
The Burn | 95 |
The Heat | 171 |
Afterword | 257 |
Acknowledgments | 261 |
Notes | 263 |
Index | 297 |
Back Flap | 325 |
Back Cover | 326 |
Spine | 327 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
air pollution America Anderson Big Coal billion tons Blankenship BNSF build built burning coal Bush Bush’s carbon trading China Chinese Clean Air Act climate change CO2 emissions coal burners coal companies coal industry coal mining coal plants Coal’s company’s cost dirty Don Blankenship Dudek earth economic Edison electric power industry Energy engineers environmental federal Fogle fossil fuels FutureGen Georgia Power global warming greenhouse gas Gunnoe heat Ibid IGCC IGCC plant Insull Insull’s Interview Kyoto Kyoto Protocol Massey Massey Energy Mayhugh million miners mountain MSHA National natural gas old coal operation Peabody Peabody Energy Pennsylvania percent Plant Scherer political Powder River basin power companies Prairie President problems Quecreek quoted railroads region regulations scientists Senate Southern Company sulfur dioxide there’s tion told tons of coal U.S. Department underground United West Virginia what’s Whitman workers Wyoming Xinjiang