With the growing social concern about global warming, major attention has been paid to two areas: fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. In the U.S., the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity is a coal industry group formed by merging the Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) and the Center for Energy and Economic Development (CEED). For the last 18 months, they’ve launched a series of television advertisements touting the benefits of clean coal in order to protect & promote the coal industry’s public image. While they have various ads you can probably find online, here’s one that is highlighted on the group’s website:
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In my opinion, this is a poor ad to showcase because the message is quite defensive of coal as an energy source, and employs fear that our American standard of living would be diminished should coal’s usage be reduced. If the industry is serious, it needs to be substantive and design ads and multimedia that educate the public. I will give them credit for having a blog titled Behind the Plug, and talking in an open way.
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On the flip side of the fence lie a diverse group of environmental advocates who have been denouncing clean coal as a myth. Just Google the term and you’ll numerous articles on how the technologies and processes (ex: carbon capture and sequestration), are 10-15 years away from any viable implementation. Thus, the industry’s promotion amounts to greenwashing.
Recently these detractors formed The Reality Coalition, as a project of the Alliance for Climate Protection, Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the League of Conservation Voters. The following is the television ad they recently put out:
My personal inclination is to side with the critics because I see an importance to be truthful to the American public and particularly politicians. With this particular issue, the battlelines have now been firmly drawn by both sides and I hope to see a great debate going on. Joe Lucas, the Communications Director for America’s Power, has already begun with this blog post refuting Reality’s ad campaign.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Mario: I agree — clean coal and jumbo shrimp seem to occupy the same place amongst the pinnacles of oxymoronism.
I’m not a “green at any cost” guy — we’re stuck with fossil fuels for the rest of our lifetimes, in all likelihood — and most green alternatives aren’t great. Wind means powerlines through your back yard. Solar is 3X the cost of grid power (and it only works, at best, 1/3 of the time). Biofuels are often worse than gasoline for the environment and frankly pack a paltry punch in terms of energy output.
This debate doesn’t lend itself to easy answers.
Regards.
Stephen - As long as there are abundant coal reserves, mine owners, and related parties down the supply chain, the coal industry is going nowhere. Same thing with other fossil fuels.
The long term plan is to wean our mix of energy sources toward cleaner options, whatever they be, so that we bring our aggregate CO2 emissions down.