A lot of people don’t realize that electricity is mostly generated by fossil fuel. I was assistant manager of coal billing. It would take a phenomenal amount of land for solar and wind generation to replace it.
Nuclear energy is the cleanest and safest choice, but people are so afraid of it that it has been regulated almost out of existence. Critics point to Three Mile Island and the Japanese reactor that melted down as examples, but to my knowledge not one person died from radiation at either of those locations. Chernobyl was poorly designed, and a design not used in Western countries. The last death at a nuclear site in the US was in 2013 when part of a generator fell on a worker as it was being moved. Before that the last death was in 1988 when a worker fell through a manhole cover and was electrocuted trying to climb out.
Excellent observation Dan, and the energy marketplace proves you’re right. In 1950 there were nearly 500,000 jobs in the coal mining industry, today it’s about 80,000 but most of that reduction is due to the development of larger earth moving machines and the adoption of strip mining and mountain top removal production strategies.
TVA, one of the biggest energy companies in the country, is moving away from coal, and we consumers are glad for many reasons. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14022019/tva-coal-power-plants-shut-down-vote-trump-mcconnell-pressure-paradise-kentucky-bull-run-tennessee
Several years ago I met a young man in eastern Kentucky whose father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc. had worked in the coal mines. He was a marketing and technology student, and I asked if his father was sad that he didn’t plan to follow his ancestors into the mines. He said his dad was a huge proponent of solar, wind, and nuclear and thought the coal industry had done nothing but ruin the lives of many.
Differentname almost 5 years ago
Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that Hunter Thompson was a canary in the coalmine. If voices like Thompson’s were silenced we’d all be in trouble.
enigmamz almost 5 years ago
A man with a pick-axe needs to worry more about modern technology taking his job than he does about the Green New Deal taking it.
Ubintold almost 5 years ago
A lot of people don’t realize that electricity is mostly generated by fossil fuel. I was assistant manager of coal billing. It would take a phenomenal amount of land for solar and wind generation to replace it.
Radish the wordsmith almost 5 years ago
The safe level of CO2 is 350 ppm. It’s up to 415 ppm partly due to burning coal.
Indianapolis Smith almost 5 years ago
Nuclear energy is the cleanest and safest choice, but people are so afraid of it that it has been regulated almost out of existence. Critics point to Three Mile Island and the Japanese reactor that melted down as examples, but to my knowledge not one person died from radiation at either of those locations. Chernobyl was poorly designed, and a design not used in Western countries. The last death at a nuclear site in the US was in 2013 when part of a generator fell on a worker as it was being moved. Before that the last death was in 1988 when a worker fell through a manhole cover and was electrocuted trying to climb out.
Linguist almost 5 years ago
The “canary in the coal mine” croaked back in November of 2016!
streetbeater almost 5 years ago
Excellent observation Dan, and the energy marketplace proves you’re right. In 1950 there were nearly 500,000 jobs in the coal mining industry, today it’s about 80,000 but most of that reduction is due to the development of larger earth moving machines and the adoption of strip mining and mountain top removal production strategies.
TennesseeFran almost 5 years ago
TVA, one of the biggest energy companies in the country, is moving away from coal, and we consumers are glad for many reasons. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14022019/tva-coal-power-plants-shut-down-vote-trump-mcconnell-pressure-paradise-kentucky-bull-run-tennessee
TennesseeFran almost 5 years ago
Several years ago I met a young man in eastern Kentucky whose father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc. had worked in the coal mines. He was a marketing and technology student, and I asked if his father was sad that he didn’t plan to follow his ancestors into the mines. He said his dad was a huge proponent of solar, wind, and nuclear and thought the coal industry had done nothing but ruin the lives of many.