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Today must be "Thanks to Coal" Day.
I read this article and it lead me to a whole list of reports in the past year by New York Times about the coal and energy crisis in various parts of the world.
A whole afternoon didn't allow me to finish digesting (or rather indigesting) the harrowing accounts of people who live practically next to coal-powered plants or mines.
The prospect of even more coal-induced carbon emissions into the fragile atmosphere by more new coal-powered plants in various parts of Europe and Asia left a charcoal taste in my mouth.
What are these nations thinking? To turn back to coal in the face of rising oil prices just to keep up with the high consumption of electricity is a short-sighted "solution" put mildly. Its in fact more like burning off the bridge that was precariously linking us back to environmental balance. Whatever happened to reviewing our consumption levels? Population control? Renewable sources of power such as wind, water and sunlight??
Apparently, the majority vote against the erection of a new coal-fired plant by the residents in context fell on deaf ears. Like what the StoryofStuff was saying, the government has become the feet-kisser of corporations with greater economic say than themselves.
What a great example to the Asian siblings.
A man at the site of what used to be a fertile farmland. The rift was one of the many created by over-mining of coal in Shanxi, China.
The earth there is sinking with underground coal mining from all sides; the once pristine river had run dry, and the wells rendered useless.
The villagers found themselves at high risk of being buried alive by the mounting coal waste (reportedly 50 stories high) if they did not abandon their homes soon.
This report was made in Jun 2006. I wonder what their fate had become...
If you've ever wondered about where all stuff comes from and goes to, this is as simple and straightforward answer as you can get. A no-brainer even for kids.
So what if it's an american setting set for an american audience, i'm sure it's not too difficult to extrapolate the idea to other places in the world. Many are guilty in varying degrees, but how many actually raise up their hands like that?
It's common to have polar voices between government and its people. But trust American citizens to rally support among themselves in classical American fashion: humorous, simplistic, and most of all, positivity.
I'm usually critical of complex issues that get watered-down and twisted for various propaganda - environmental concerns being the most recent exploitation - 'educating' the public just enough for their purposes, and the passive public in turn taking them at face value.
But the endeavor this time is truly refreshing; a complete picture simplified without frills. In such a complex and obscured world today, perhaps starting off with this formula lets people have something to hang on to.
USA has been accused of many things: giant consumer, polluter, a super power that takes more from the earth and its counterparts than it gives. But these are the works of the bad spirits. There are shining good ones out there using their resources to save the world, and advocate hope and wisdom where others are hesitant to make.
Now, back to the real question:
where's all this leading to? We're all going to die anyway, and the earth is going to explode eventually, so what's the point? might as well enjoy while we can?
Human race is just another footprint on the face of the earth whilst it lives out its "infinity". Unlike any other species, we evolved with enough intelligence to understand most of the clockworks. To ignore our mis-manipulations of it is to demean ourselves to the levels of ostriches with buried heads.
If life is about journey, i wish likewise our existence be a meaningful one.
A show of an everlasting human spirit, not a deteriorating one.
Anyway, watch the video.
A must-see.
