An endless canopy of deep green stretches across the wild expanse of sequestered Appalachian Mountains. Peaks cloaked in blue mist (thus the name Blue Ridge) appear to reach beyond the clouds. The wind whispers through the trees of the mystery these mountains hold. Everything seems to tell a story of days long passed.
This is Appalachia (App-uh-latch-uh, for those of you aren't sure how to pronounce it correctly).
This is Appalachia (App-uh-latch-uh, for those of you aren't sure how to pronounce it correctly).
Perhaps you know it only by the stereotypical hillbilly stories - widespread poverty and little education, kids running around barefoot and soot faced, grandma spitting tobacco, all the while banjo music plays in the background.
Though this story may be steeped in some amount of truth, it is not the whole story - not even close. It doesn’t speak of the connection Appalachian folks have to the land. It doesn’t speak to the devotion they have to family and heritage. It doesn’t speak to their unwavering strength. It doesn’t speak to the pain, loss, and injustice they have suffered at the hands of big coal.
The old way of deep mining certainly had a fair share of hazards - black lung and the probability of a mine collapsing to name a couple. My grandpa left his home in Harlan, Kentucky at the age of fifteen, lied about his age, and joined the Army, all to avoid the significant hazards and insignificant pay that made up the life of a coal miner.
Deep Mining scarcely compared to the dangers brought on by the current method used to extract coal, however.
Mountaintop Removal
This practice, known as mountaintop removal, is a radical form of surface mining in which the top of a mountain is blown up to access a relatively thin seam of coal.
Such a drastic method - as you can probably imagine - produces a rather large amount of waste, which is then disposed of by being dumped into a valley. “Valley fills” bury streams, destroy large swaths of forests, and eliminate important wildlife habitat - killing wildlife in the process.
Such a drastic method - as you can probably imagine - produces a rather large amount of waste, which is then disposed of by being dumped into a valley. “Valley fills” bury streams, destroy large swaths of forests, and eliminate important wildlife habitat - killing wildlife in the process.
Furthermore, this practice releases carcinogenic toxins into the air. These toxins are able to spread out over several miles and create a significant threat to the lives of Appalachian people. Communities affected by the many nefarious activities of mountaintop removal are known to show severe increases in health problems, such as certain types of cancer. Yet lawmakers and local authorities have turned their backs and shown that money is more important than the people whose lives are at stake.
The Coal Industry
The coal industry slyly defends its practice with the argument that mining provides an important source of jobs for Appalachian communities. The numbers prove otherwise, however. Mountaintop removal is done mainly by machines and does not employ as large a number of workers as deep mining once did. “West Virginia [alone] once employed over 130,000 coal miners [and] now has a coal mining workforce of about 20,000 miners,” (AppalachianVoices).
Big coal continues to operate through lies and deceit, destroying the traditional coal jobs the Appalachian region once depended on, wreaking havoc on people’s lives and the environment. The stories of these folks are ignored, scarcely making it to the news all in order to protect those making money at the detriment of others.
Big coal continues to operate through lies and deceit, destroying the traditional coal jobs the Appalachian region once depended on, wreaking havoc on people’s lives and the environment. The stories of these folks are ignored, scarcely making it to the news all in order to protect those making money at the detriment of others.
For instance, many of you have probably never heard the story of the three year old boy from Virginia who was killed by a boulder blasted from a mining site. This boulder rolled down the mountain, into the side of a families home, crushing the child in his sleep. If such a story had made it into the news, I have no doubt the public would have been outraged. Perhaps, more people would even care enough to fight against the heinous practice of mountaintop removal.
Hard Truths
I wish I could tell you this child’s story is unusual, a freak accident. But the hard truth of the matter is events such as this are all too common. Appalachian folks are losing their homes to flooding and suffering damages caused by rocks flying from blasting zones. They are dealing with disease and loss brought on by poisoned water and air. Small communities frequently see cancer clusters, where multiple people living in the same neighborhood are diagnosed with the same or similar disease - such as brain tumors or lung cancer.
These strong and resilient folks are faced with the decision to leave their home and community behind, or face poverty and watch their home be consumed by the literal sludge that is the coal industry. Many choose to leave, as my grandpa did, to protect their families. Many stay in the hopes of making their voices heard.
Appalachian roots run deep and are not easily severed, even for those who have left. Many of us hold the rich history of this land close and know it runs outside the bounds of coal country. In decimating these ancient storytellers - the mountains that have nurtured and sustained life for ages - we are erasing a history that was never ours for the taking.
These strong and resilient folks are faced with the decision to leave their home and community behind, or face poverty and watch their home be consumed by the literal sludge that is the coal industry. Many choose to leave, as my grandpa did, to protect their families. Many stay in the hopes of making their voices heard.
Appalachian roots run deep and are not easily severed, even for those who have left. Many of us hold the rich history of this land close and know it runs outside the bounds of coal country. In decimating these ancient storytellers - the mountains that have nurtured and sustained life for ages - we are erasing a history that was never ours for the taking.
Taming the Land
We have long lived under the lie that to improve the land is to strip it of its wildness, harness it, and make it work for us until the land has nothing left to give. This idea has caused irreparable damage. Perhaps, nowhere has it caused more damage more quickly than in the case of mountaintop removal.
A study commissioned by Appalachian Voices in 2009 showed “nearly 1.2 million acres had been surface mined for coal and more than 500 mountains destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining.” This practice is still occurring eleven years later.
A study commissioned by Appalachian Voices in 2009 showed “nearly 1.2 million acres had been surface mined for coal and more than 500 mountains destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining.” This practice is still occurring eleven years later.
How much more have we lost.
How much more do we have to lose before this method is accepted for what it is - barbaric.
The coal industry is already aware that the coal supply is in permanent decline. Burning coal is becoming less and less a necessity as clean energy options grow and become more widespread. Appalachian Voices estimates that mountaintop removal coal provides only about 3% of the nation's electricity. This small percentage could easily be made up for by solar or wind energy.
Clean Energy
If clean energy is such an easy solution, you may be wondering why it is not more readily implemented. There are a few reasons for this. The simplest answer, though - nothing is ever easy when money is involved.
The process of making clean energy available to everyone also means making it affordable. In many instances, renewable energy is owned by electric monopolies rather than individual customers. These monopolies often charge a premium for clean energy resources, making this option out of reach for low-income households (AppVoices).
The coal industry for too long has profited off the backs of (often low-income) Appalachian communities. In bringing in clean energy, we want to be mindful of the systems put into place in order to insure that every community is benefitting. As we fight for a cleaner, healthier Appalachia, we also strive for renewable resources that are accessible to everyone.
The process of making clean energy available to everyone also means making it affordable. In many instances, renewable energy is owned by electric monopolies rather than individual customers. These monopolies often charge a premium for clean energy resources, making this option out of reach for low-income households (AppVoices).
The coal industry for too long has profited off the backs of (often low-income) Appalachian communities. In bringing in clean energy, we want to be mindful of the systems put into place in order to insure that every community is benefitting. As we fight for a cleaner, healthier Appalachia, we also strive for renewable resources that are accessible to everyone.
We may not be able to build back up the mountains that have been torn down, but finally putting a stop to the senseless and destructive practice of mountaintop removal is possible. We can ensure coal is truly no longer necessary by providing accessible and affordable clean energy options. We owe it to the people and to the land from which so much has been taken.
This Is Appalachia
A canopy of deep green stretches across the wild expanse of sequestered Appalachian Mountains. It isn’t the uninterrupted canopy it once was. Some of the looming peaks that stood shrouded in blue mist do not stand as tall. But Appalachia is resilient. The wind still whispers through the trees of the strength these mountains hold. Everything seems to tell a story of renewal.
This is Appalachia.
You may know it as coal country, but that is not the whole story - not even close. Appalachia holds a rich history that reaches far beyond the yarns of the mountain folk. Our story is just a speck on a much grander timeline. Appalachia was here before us and, I think I speak for all Appalachians when I say, we will make sure those mountains are here after us.
Our stories, our celebrations, our hardships are as intertwined with the mountains of Appalachia as are the roots of the white oak. We are made by the mountains. And so, we will not sit quietly by as one after another are flattened. We will tell her story - the whole story.
We are Appalachia.
This is Appalachia.
You may know it as coal country, but that is not the whole story - not even close. Appalachia holds a rich history that reaches far beyond the yarns of the mountain folk. Our story is just a speck on a much grander timeline. Appalachia was here before us and, I think I speak for all Appalachians when I say, we will make sure those mountains are here after us.
Our stories, our celebrations, our hardships are as intertwined with the mountains of Appalachia as are the roots of the white oak. We are made by the mountains. And so, we will not sit quietly by as one after another are flattened. We will tell her story - the whole story.
We are Appalachia.
Resources
“The notion that a radical is one who hates [her] country is naive and usually idiotic. [She] is, more likely, one who likes [her] country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when [she] sees it debauched. [She] is not a bad citizen turning to crime; [she] is a good citizen driven to despair.” - H.L. Mencken
If you would like to know what you can do to raise awareness about the dangers of mountaintop removal and tell the story of Appalachia, check out these resources:
If you would like to know what you can do to raise awareness about the dangers of mountaintop removal and tell the story of Appalachia, check out these resources: