Comments on: This is Your Life…on Coal: Before & After Video, Harriman, TN Coal Ash Disaster

By: JessicaL

JessicaL — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:07:33 +0000

Check out a new video showing before and after shots of Harriman, TN. http://tinyurl.com/cnf5oa or www.filthycoal.org. The video is set to "Filthy Clean" a folk song by Nick Annis

By: enjoy0rs

enjoy0rs — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:58:28 +0000

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.so you also can read my blog.my blog is about air shox.welcome to visit.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:23:52 +0000

Elrod – thanks very much for commenting on this. I can hoo and ha all I want over the disaster, but I'm not there nor do I live there or know anyone personally who does. Not that that matters when it comes to caring about our land and people, but still – it's really important and helpful to hear from people who are familiar with the region and the TVA. Thanks very much.

By: elrod

elrod — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:26:37 +0000

As a resident of East Tennessee, I can tell you that TVA is not a popular institution and that coal power is widely blamed for our terrible air pollution. The terrain locks in pollutants in the Tennessee Valley, and the 10 million people visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year only adds to the bad air. But TVA is not supposed to be this haphazard in handling its coal waste. TVA is not some jive smalltime mining outfit. It's the biggest utility in the world. And it's deceiving the people as far as the effect on the water supply. If TVA Chief Tom Kilgore keeps his job, I'll be amazed – and depressed.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:18:50 +0000

Cost benefit analysis indeed but with more people, more need, more use? More danger.

By: DLS

DLS — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:43:42 +0000

Bottom line, coal is very useful, very inexpensive, but filthy, generating huge amounts of waste -- and don't forget the effects on people.

http://www3.cet.edu/appalachianinstitute/

By: DLS

DLS — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:37:45 +0000

I would say some measure of concern is in order. Not just what's done with the waste, but in obtaining the fuel in the first place.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Mount...

http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/Environment/...

http://www.appvoices.org/index.php?/site/mtr_ov...

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:40:49 +0000

You are right – there's no need to fear or abhor it excessively. Fearing and abhorring it at whatever you'd consider to be a non-excessive level works just fine. The storage method for the waste product is to blame just as much as the waste product itself. But you are right – no need to be excessively abhorring or fearing – a normal level is fine too.

By: DLS

DLS — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:05:53 +0000

Readers should not fear or abhor coal excessively because of this accident. It is hardly typical or characteristic of coal.

The solid waste, in addition to the smoke, from burning coal is, however. Remember that the next time you see a long train pass by of full hopper cars, full of coal.