Erice Reece is strongly opposed to mountaintop removal because of the damages it causes to the nearby wildlife and citizens and because it is destroying and eliminating chunks of our earth that are pretty much impossible to replace. There are several effects of mountaintop removal including the fact that the Appalachian mountains are home to a diverse group of trees and animals and by bringing in heavy machinery and causing total devastation to the area, it is ruining the wildlife and also makes it difficult for scientists to study certain species that used to be native to the area. His main point is that coal companies are demolishing large areas of land (the Appalachian mountains in particular) without providing any compensation or replacement of the wildlife that is ruined. Another huge problem is the fact that laws have been either ignored or revised in favor of the mining companies and pretty much allows companies to dump the matter from the explosions into the water and nearby areas. This has also caused many illnesses and deaths from the chemicals and toxins that are leaked into streams and the water supply of the people who live close to the area.
Reece mentions the various reasonings that companies and supporters of mountaintop removal, such as providing an abundant amount of energy, cheap coal, the wildlife return after the mining, and several other claims that ignore the aversive side effects and praise the highly “efficient” mode of extracting coal.
By putting myself in this situation the problems seem much larger than by just thinking about it happening miles and miles away. It’s scary to think that cheap coal and this way of mining is supposedly good for the state and that it should be beneficial to the Kentuckians. This is not the case at all and it makes me sick to think that these people are still so poor and can easily get ill from this and no one is doing anything to help them. I also can understand where Reece is coming from when he describes the beauty and life that fills the Appalachian mountains and how mountaintop removal is ruining everything there is to appreciate about the wildlife and scenic views of the Appalachian mountains. He also makes a great point when he mentions the fact that the Mayan civilization used up all of their resources and only thought in the short term and what we are currently doing today will horribly affect us in the long run if we don’t stop to think logically about what we are doing and what problems we are causing.
I completely agree with your blog, it really disgusts me that people are that careless towards the health of other citizens. I would love to hear the president of any coal company try and back themselves up on why they think its okay to just ignore the health of both the public and the wildlife surrounding the mountain.
ReplyDeleteI really liked that you included the Mayan example Reece offered. It is an interesting historical reference that I hope we do not end up with the same fate. I agree that it is important to maintain the beauty and wildlife of the Appalachian Mountains. People make such a big deal concerning the beauty and history of the mountains while still allowing them to be erased from existence. I also think it is sad that the politicians seem to side with the coal companies and allow them to make large profits at the expense of nature and others.
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