What is the Real Cost of Coal
What is the Real Cost of Coal
The argument that cheap power is vital to keeping American manufacturers competitive is a crock. At a time when U.S. auto manufacturers 
spend more money on health care for their workers than on steel for their cars, it’s crazy to make the case that cheap electricity is a major factor in keeping jobs from being exported to Asia. By contrast, a full-blown push for clean energy could unleash a jobs bonanza that would make what happened in Silicon Valley in the 1990s look like a bake sale.
Coming Clean on Coal
In the three past years, about 3 billion tons of coal went up in smoke in America, creating light and heat for much of the nation. According to the American Lung Association, during those years, about 72,000 people in the United States died prematurely from the effects of coal-fired power plant pollution—more than from AIDS, murder, or drug overdose. Unlike in China or India, it’s hard to argue that by burning coal to create electricity, America is lifting millions out of poverty and introducing them to hot showers and cold Cokes. Our affection for coal is essentially an old habit and an indulgence. At best, it’s a short-term solution to a long-term problem. And the price of this indulgence may be higher than any economist can calculate. We must “Green the Grid” asap.
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Filed under: Climate Change, Go Green
