BC Business
B.C. coal
Some of the facts are indisputable: The burning of coal hastens global warming because it releases carbon dioxide. It also leads to acid rain and air pollution. And as the green movement gains in momentum, the coal industry is faced with an uphill PR battle.
But to stop using coal is pretty much out of the question. Coal-burning currently generates half the electricity consumed in the United States (about 12 to 18 per cent in Canada), and perhaps most attractively, it is cheap and abundant. Is there the solution to this quandary? Perhaps it’s clean coal. According to the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, a new coal-burning technology is poised to become the way of the eco-efficient future, providing a sustainable, affordable and clean source of energy. So confident and excited about this development are they, the ACCCE spent almost $40 million last year in promotional campaigns. So what is clean coal? Clean-coal technology explores different ways to reduce, contain or neutralize carbon dioxide and other toxic emissions during combustion. Two of the more common and promising methods are coal washing and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The process of coal washing separates impurities and contaminants from raw coal in order to reduce the amount of toxic emissions released. CCS, on the other hand, aims to round up the trouble-making CO2 particles from fossil fuel power plants and then store them underground, or even under water, thereby barring them from re-entering the atmosphere.
So, is it clean coal, or “clean” coal? Not so fast, environmentalists are quick to challenge: this is coal we are talking about. As long as it is mined and burned it will remain the most carbon-intensive energy source there is. Moreover, the progress in carbon-capture technology development has so far been limited to a small scale. Little compelling empirical evidence has in fact been produced to definitively support that clean coal is sustainable and workable at the level that would effectively satisfy the market demand. On the PR Front Alongside the scientific debate, a PR tug-of-war has also emerged between coal producers and environmental advocates. And by taking advantage of the new media forum, the anti-coal movement is proving to be a sizeable match to the coal producers’ deep pockets. Its quirky and spirited parodies deftly seize on the almost too-conveniently oxymoronic label of “clean coal”—even getting some Hollywood heavyweights on board. [pagebreak]
The latest highlight comes in the form of a cable TV commercial for clean coal air freshener directed by none other than the two-headed dry humour juggernaut that is the Cohen brothers. Commissioned by the Reality Campaign.
Other ironic offerings from the Reality Campaign include “COALergy,” which skewers the marketing strategy of the coal industry. And one that posits what really qualifies as clean coal technology. Another bright spot comes from Free Love Forum. It starts with an American flag billowing in the wind—a reassuring hallmark of any good parody. Political cartoonist Mark Fiore jumps into the debunking fray with an animated mockumentary on “coalicious goodness”. More videos (and other links and research resources) can also be found on Coal-is-clean.com, with some pretty fun headlines on the homepage. [pagebreak] Onwards to imagery—cartoons that capture the mocking sentiment towards “clean” coal abound as well. Here are just a few samples (click on the images to view larger versions and the sources): The coal industry, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have learned a lesson from the backlash of GE’s misstepfrom four years ago, and continue to provide fodder for the anti-coal movement with gems like the Singing Coal Carollers: To which the vigilant environmental groups are of course quick to ridicule. It would seem that the clean coal advocates will need to do some scrubbing in the PR department too.