New book ‘102 Things to Do with a Hole in the Ground‘ spotlights global reclamation projects
Stories of reinvented coal mining regions, regenerated communities and rebuilt ecosystems are told in a new book published this month.
Barely a few hours after the Minerals Council of Australia launched a PR campaign aimed at painting the coal industry as a key employer and taxpayer, hundreds took social media to spread their own views on the fossil fuel.
Mocking the slogan, “Coal. It’s an amazing thing,” activists are populating sites such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with their especially created #coalisamazing hashtag for images and comments.
Jokes aside, however, the industry group says that around 30,000 miners are forecast to lose their jobs in the coal mining sector in Australia by the end of the year.
The advertisement claims that coal mining can deliver $6 billion in Australian wages and inject $40 billion into the economy each year. It also says the sector can now reduce its emissions by up to 40%. “It’s coal,” the voice adds. “Isn’t it amazing what this little black rock can do?”
But Business Spectator columnist, Tristan Eids, warns that most people, including the media, fail to realize that while coal is indeed one of Australia’s major exports, it still does not represent much more than 1% of the country’s GDP.
“That’s nothing to be sneezed at, but Australia shouldn’t be shaping its economic strategy nor its response to climate change around the desires and whims of such an industry,” he writes.
His views are echoed by The Australian Conservation Foundation, which has described the campaign as “negligent”.
“The toxic substances that are released when coal is burned make people sick and of course it’s making our climate hotter and more dangerous,” chief executive Kelly O’Shanassy said in a statement.
“While the world’s climate scientists and most Australians realise we need to quickly get off our addiction to coal, the Minerals Council and the federal government want to keep us hooked.
“To promote coal as ‘amazing’ could be considered negligent, or it might even be considered culpable.”
Watch the debated spot here:
9 Comments
Johnrolce
No coal because it’s toxic
No nuclear because it can polute by radiation
No wind because it kills birds
No hydro because it ruins beautiful walleys
No solar because it’s toxic manufacturing process
Jonas_Barbarossa
I’m afraid they are right. Coal must go…but not just yet. Coal is the “sin” of our generation; we are told it is wrong but we cannot let go because of the realities. Nuclear is the way to go…until there is a polar shift or something that blows them up
patentbs
The object of the responders is to kill a sector! Nothing less will satisfy. In the mean time the user industries have made giant strides to clean the stack emissions including carbon capture. Carbon can also be captured anywhere from the atmosphere, not just at coal/oil burning facilities.
The responders have the same goal in mind for heavy oil and baby seals! Why?? Do you think they really care about human habitation? NO. The reason for their action is because it pays so well! When coal and oil are dead they will find other windmills to joust.
Gary
Looks like I will only be able to charge my cell phone on sunny or windy days in future once the dreaded coal has been removed from the scene
trevormarr
Sanity will prevail, we need continued emissions research and efficiency increases, market decides what is the best energy to power the given need. Base use on capability not agenda!
brettles02
with solar & the new wall power batteries , Ill be charging my phone off a free power source , thank you very much ,
Carol Miller
Coal has been used for years, changing weather has been changing for years, storms and fires have been happening for years. So get a grip. We all doing our part in saving electricity and big polluters are doing their bit too.
William
Next time you get that tire change, buy that flat screen, anything made with plastic, it comes from coal or crude oil, remember that.
Tristan
Hahahaha. I’m pretty sure the picture next to the wind farm is a gold mine. Silly coal haters.