Coal: The Not So Clean Alternative to Oil

Oil prices have hit $135 a barrel as of today, which has led energy suppliers to look towards coal to lessen the cost. Many glorify the petroleum alternative, happy to save money and to decrease dependence on foreign oil.

Mentioned in a New York Times article this morning, the revival of coal mines in Bibai, Japan has brought “hope” to workers who have not seen production of this magnitude in nearly four decades.

But what is often pushed aside when considering the use of coal as an energy alternative to oil is the adverse environmental impacts of its mining.

The World Coal Institute, a non-profit, non-governmental organization of coal enterprises and associations, says that surface coal mining requires large areas of land to be disturbed, which encourages soil erosion, dust, noise and water pollution, and harmfully effects local biodiversity.

While oil is having negative consequences on foreign affairs, the environment, and our wallets, Coal is no better a solution if we want to minimize our destructive impact on the environment.

More dedication should be paid to the uses of renewable energy alternatives such as, wind, solar, and tidal if we expect to lessen the influences of oil while concurrently working towards a clean and safe environment.