Dustin, Coal issues

The LA Times article discusses the United States’ current situation with energy and electricity, particularly the coal reserves that we have depended on for so many years. As our environment becomes more of a concern and global pollution and warming issues are ever-growing problems, the state officials of our country have decided to slow the production of more coal plants. Companies in control of regional power plants are making efforts to slow their carbon dioxide emissions as well as their nuclear pollution. Their inability however to find an alternative form of energy that is “environmentally friendly” is the main problem. Coal plants certainly prove to be damaging to our earth, nuclear plants are too expensive, and the “clean” alternatives such as wind-powered plants are not sufficient. Combine these factors with the problem that coal plants have of transporting their coal through rail lines (as they are primitive and inefficient) and you can understand the reason for worry.

In my opinion, our country needs to utilize as many “clean” energy plants possible and consider possible ways to sustain their electricity output while at the same time keeping their pollution levels to a minimum. Either new innovation and technological advancement needs to occur or a more effective way of ridding nuclear waste from nuclear plants needs to be made available.

Pasternak, Judy. “Coal is no Longer on front burner”. LA Times. Jan 18, 2008.