Coal Q & A's

• If we don't build all these [150 proposed] new coal-fired power plants now, won't we be setting ourselves up for rolling blackouts and jeopardizing our energy future?
• Coal is a very inefficient source of energy. In fact the average coal plant in the U.S. is only 33% efficient-that's a lot of wasted resources. There are many, more efficient alternatives to coal-fired power plants that can both guarantee our energy future and provide cleaner, healthier options for meeting our energy needs. Instead of wasting more resources on coal, we can invest in efficiency technologies and renewables that don't cause serious health problems and global warming pollution.
• What role can coal play in a cleaner, healthier energy future?
• There is nothing clean about coal-fired power plants-from being the largest source of toxic mercury pollution to releasing 40% of our nation's total carbon dioxide emissions every year, coal-fired power plants are the dirtiest source of energy we use today. While we won't be able to wean ourselves off of coal tomorrow, we should be moving away from coal energy and cleaning up the existing plants that are the worst polluters. A truly cleaner and healthier energy future relies on smart solutions like efficiency and renewables, not on dirty coal.
• Isn't coal the most affordable energy choice, providing energy at half the cost of other fuels?
• Wrong. Coal is very expensive. The cost of coal prices has skyrocketed over the past year, and the cost of building coal plants has escalated more than 50 percent in some instances. And consider other costs associated with coal: From lung disease to the loss of mountaintops because of irresponsible mining to health care and environmental destruction, the hidden costs of coal are immense. Future carbon dioxide regulations may also increase the cost of coal. With the cost of efficiency and renewables like wind dropping to competitive levels, building new coal-fired power plants is a poor investment for our pocketbooks and our future.
• Can't coal help reduce our reliance on oil?
• Even though coal-to-liquids plants have been around since World War II, the truth is that liquid coal is not a practical way to lessen our dependence on oil. Liquid coal plants are costly and complex, requiring huge investments to produce even the smallest amount of synthetic fuels. Replacing a mere 10% of our fuel with liquid coal would require an increase in coal mining of over 40%, increasing the already devastating effects of mining on communities across the country. Burning liquid coal creates almost double the global warming emissions as the petroleum-based gas we use now. Instead of wasting our tax dollars on these plants, we should be investing in proven ways to cut our oil dependence like increasing fuel efficiency standards.
• Don't we have a 250 year supply of coal right here in America?
• Although the coal industry claims that we have a near endless supply of coal right here in America, the truth is that it is already becoming increasingly harder to mine, leading to the increased use of destructive techniques like mountaintop removal mining. Much of our nation's coal reserves are so hard to access that it simply doesn't make economic sense to mine them. Coal is a limited resource, and it will run out even sooner if we double our consumption by building a new rush of coal-fired power plants.
• Isn't clean energy too far away and too expensive to be practical?
• No, in fact many states across the nation are already investing heavily in efficiency and making the switch to renewable energy. California's aggressive efficiency programs have held per capita electricity use constant for over 10 years, while other states have seen energy use more than double. Over 20 states already require a percentage of their energy to come from renewable sources. Minnesota recently adopted a 30% renewable energy standard by 2020, while New Jersey has a 22.5% by 2020 requirement and New York is poised to get 24% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2013.
• Not only is clean energy good for the environment, it is good for the economy, too. Wind is already competitively priced and is cheaper than coal in many places. The cost of efficiency is as little as half the cost of new coal-fired power plants. A greater investment in renewables and efficiency would not only help lower our energy prices but would also help local economies. A recent study by the Apollo Alliance found that renewable energy generated 40% more jobs per dollar invested than coal.
• What about "clean coal" technologies, like IGCC?
• Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) technology has gotten a lot of attention because it can emit lower amounts of soot and smog pollution than traditional plants. However, while IGCC can lower some emissions, it emits just as much global warming pollution as other coal plants. There is no such thing as clean coal. It is an oxymoron. Although the coal companies have promised future technological innovations that will allow us to generate electricity from coal with less pollution somewhere down the road, that technology does not yet exist. And, even though technologies do exist that can make coal plants cleaner, coal companies have been dragging their feet on installing these modern pollution controls. Not surprisingly most of the proposed new plants are the same pulverized coal plants that were built in our grandparents' era-only bigger and more polluting.
• Can replacing light bulbs really reduce the need to build new coal fired power plants?
• Yes, it is a start. A study by McKinsey and Company found that by increasing energy efficiency we could cut our energy consumption by more than half. Switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use 75% less electricity than regular bulbs, better insulating our homes, and buying Energy Star appliances are small actions that can make our energy savings really add up. Of course, light bulbs alone won't solve the entire problem-but they are a step in the right direction. We also need states to take action and provide incentives for our utilities to help us save energy, instead of rewarding utilities when they sell more electricity. The energy saved by reducing waste will actually add-up to be America's greatest, least tapped power source. By thinking of efficiency as another fuel at our disposal we can lower energy demand, which will keep energy prices low and combat global warming-all while eliminating the need for dirty and expensive new coal plants.
• Click HERE for more coal info. Tim Wagner (801-467-9294) is the Utah Sierra Club's Smart Energy Campaign Director.

Engage the 2008 Presidential Candidates

What You Can Do n(from the Union of Concerned Scientists website)

Over the next year, presidential candidates will be crisscrossing the country trying to gain public support. The 2008 presidential election presents an important opportunity to ask the candidates questions about issues that affect our health, safety, and environment. This is your chance to educate and engage the candidates and other voters on the issues you care about most!
There are many ways to express your views. You can attend candidate events, call local campaign offices, submit questions on the candidates' websites, write letters to the editor of your local newspaper. We encourage you to engage the candidates and demand answers.
To help you get started, here are sample questions for the candidates:
Global Warming: We're already feeling the effects of global warming. Scientists tell us that we can avoid much more dangerous levels of warming by reducing U.S. heat-trapping emissions 15 to 20 percent by 2020 and at least 80 percent by 2050. What's your plan to meet these targets? More...
Nuclear Weapons: As president, would you re-affirm that it is the policy of the United States to work with other nations toward the elimination of all nuclear weapons? More...
Political Interference in Science: What will you do to assure the independence and integrity of federal advisory committees, protect federal scientists from political interference with their work, and to stop the censorship and suppression of their research results? More...
Food and Farming: As president, what measures would you take to encourage modern, sustainable forms of agriculture that promote better human health and a cleaner environment? More...
Renewable Energy: To reduce our global warming pollution, would you support legislation to dramatically increase our use of renewable energy sources—like the sun and wind—to at least 15 percent? More...
Vehicle Fuel Economy: According to the National Academy of Sciences, the technology already exists to make today's automobiles average 40 miles per gallon without sacrificing choices in size, performance, or safety. Where do you stand on the Senate's compromise proposal to make America's passenger vehicle fleet average 35 miles per gallon by 2020? More...
Your questions will be most effective if you make them personal. Use your own words and tie the issue to your personal expertise or experience, or to the community you live in. Click HERE for more info.

Tell Congress to Flip the Switch

Help the Sierra Club Flip the Switch and bring America's New Energy Future to Life. Send your petition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today.



This August, the Senate and House of Representatives both passed landmark bills that - if combined, will put America on the path to energy independence and solving global warming.

Right now, members of the House and Senate are working to create a final version of the bill - which could and should include the best of both measures - that raises fuel efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon and requires that 15% of our electricity be generated by wind, solar or other renewable power.

To turn this legislation into real progress we need you to tell Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to include both the Senate Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) provision and the House Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) in the final energy bill this fall.

TAKE ACTION

Take Action: Fund Progress, Not Nukes.
"The recently-passed energy bills in both the Senate and the House contain forward-thinking provisions like a Renewable Electricity Standard and increases in fuel economy. But they could also open the door for unlimited funding for dangerous and costly nuclear energy technology.

Nuclear energy is a bad investment, from outrageously huge subsidies to potential meltdowns to toxic waste that continues to accumulate without any permanent storage facilities. Take action now and urge your members of Congress to remove this provision that would give the nuclear industry a blank check to build new nuclear reactors across the country." -- A Sierra Club "Take Action" request. There are better, smarter, safer, healthier, sustainable energy alternatives such as solar, wind and geothermal the we should be supporting instead.

Tell your Senators and Representative to Refuse Unlimited Loan Guarantees to the Nuclear Industry!

Utah's Red Rock Areas Need Wilderness Protection

Legislation to designate over 9 million acres of Utah's world class redrock natural areas is now before congress. For many years this legislation has not passed. With the new congress we now have the best chance in years to enact this bill and protect this land from mining and other impacting activities. But we must let our congressional representatives know that we support this important legislation. Click HERE to learn more about ARWA and how to help protect these great parts of Utah.

All lands proposed for wilderness designation in America's Red Rock Wilderness Act are owned by the American public and administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The bill is supported by SUWA, the Wasatch Mountain Club, the Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and more than 200 other national and regional conservation organizations belonging to the Utah Wilderness Coalition.

Our thanks to the photographers supplying these images (see site above for their names).

Ten Things YOU Can Do to Help Curb Global Warming

RESPONSIBLE CHOICES
The choices we make and the products we buy test our commitment to maintain a healthy planet. When we burn fossil fuels—such as oil, coal, and natural gas—to run our cars and light our homes, we pump carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air. This thickens the heat-trapping blanket that surrounds the planet, causing global warming.

Choosing modern technology can reduce our use of fossil fuels and help protect the planet. These ten steps will help curb global warming, save you money, and create a safer environment for the future.

1. Drive Smart!
A well-tuned car with properly inflated tires burns less gasoline—cutting pollution and saving you money at the pump. If you have two cars, drive the one with better gas mileage whenever possible. Better yet, skip the drive and take public transit, walk, or bicycle when you can.

2. Write your leaders now. Urge them to raise fuel economy standards to 40 miles per gallon.
Modern technology can make our cars and trucks go farther on a gallon of gas. It's the biggest single step we can take to curb global warming. The less gasoline we burn, the less CO2 we put into the air. Taking this step would also save nearly 4 million barrels of oil a day — more oil than we currently import from the Persian Gulf and could ever extract from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge combined. And by saving gas, you save nearly $2,000 at the pump over the life of your car.

3. Support clean, renewable energy.
Renewable energy solutions, such as wind and solar power, can reduce our reliance on coal-burning power plants, the largest source of global warming pollution in the United States. Call your local utility and sign up for renewable energy. If they don't offer it, ask them why not?

4. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.
Especially those that burn the longest each day. Compact fluorescents produce the same amount of light as normal bulbs, but use about a quarter of the electricity and last ten times as long. Each switch you make helps clean the air today, curb global warming, and save you money on your electricity bill.

5. Saving energy at home is good for the environment and for your wallet.
Start with caulking and weather-stripping on doorways and windows. Then adjust your thermostat and start saving. For each degree you lower your thermostat in the winter, you can cut your energy bills by 3 percent. Finally, ask your utility company to do a free energy audit of your home to show you how to save even more money.

6. Become a smart water consumer.
Install low-flow showerheads and faucets and you'll use half the water without decreasing performance. Then turn your hot water heater down to 120°F and see hot-water costs go down by as much as 50 percent.

7. Buy energy-efficient electronics and appliances.
Replacing an old refrigerator or an air conditioner with an energy-efficient model will save you money on your electricity bill and cut global warming pollution. Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances or visit their website at www.energystar.gov to find the most energy-efficient products.

8. Plant a Tree, protect a forest.
Protecting forests is a big step on the road to curbing global warming. Trees "breathe in" carbon dioxide, but slash-and-burn farming practices, intensive livestock production, and logging have destroyed 90 percent of the native forests in the United States. And you can take action in your own backyard — planting shade trees around your house will absorb CO2, and slash your summer air-conditioning bills.

9. Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!
Producing new paper, glass, and metal products from recycled materials saves 70 to 90 percent of the energy and pollution, including CO2, that would result if the product came from virgin materials. Recycling a stack of newspapers only 4 feet high will save a good-sized tree. Please...buy recycled products!

10. Mount a local campaign against global warming.
Educate your community about how it can cut global warming pollution. Support measures at the national, state, and local level that:
• Make automobiles go further on a gallon of gas;
• Accelerate the use of clean, renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind;
• Increase energy efficiency and conservation; and
• Preserve forests around the world.

Source: Sierra Club website