Dangers of Coal Mining and Production

Peter Krebs

Date Presented : 11/26/12

PURPOSE: I wanted to inform people about the dangers of coal mining and production, especially, in China and India. Furthermore, inform people about the environmental impacts and the large numbers of people who are killed each year by bad government regulations.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Should there be an international law about the regulation of coal mining? if not how would you suggest for it to be dealt with?
2. What are other ways for the world to move away from coal mining and make sure that other nations do the same?

NOTES:

• Our dependence on coal is a very dangerous and has many dangerous effects on the environment
• Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuels that is available to us
• can give off small amounts of radiation when burned
• it can lead to acid rain which kills environments
• coal dust can pollute the air and runoff from plants and mines are deadly to any people or animals around the runoff
• coal mining takes up huge amounts of land and displaces the animals and environment in the area
• China and india plan to create 818 new coal mines in the next couple of years and 1,199 coal plants are being planned
• There are 2300 coal fired power plants worldwide, which are being powered by over 700 coal mines
• there are two types of coal mines modern surface mining and underground mining
• in the past underground mining was the main way that coal was extracted from the earth but with today's technologies coal is able to be extracted from the top soil
• The problem with coal is that when it is burned it releases carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere
• these gasses are then affecting the environment around us and leading to larger amounts of climate change
• this is heating up our atmosphere

• Coal mining is also very dangerous
• thousands of people die each year in coal mine accidents
• in just China over 2000 people died last year
• especially in nations like china and india where regulations are at an all time low
• even with the current news about the many different accidents in coal mines there are many that go unnoticed
• as you can tell in the video the coal mines are being given a lot of leeway in the government because many of the officials have money invested in these mines
• it is a serious problem in the world right now and should be dealt with immediately
• latest accident at the state-owned Xiangshi coal mine in southeastern Guizhou province highlights poor safety measures being adopted in coal mines in China, the world's biggest producer and user of coal

SOURCES:

"12 Environmental Effects of Coal Mining." - Environment 911. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.environment911.org/160.12_Environmental_Effects_of_Coal_Mining>.

Gerken, James. "Nearly 1,200 Coal-Fired Power Plants Proposed Globally, Report Finds." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Nov. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/20/world-coal-fired-power-plants_n_2166699.html>.

Hance, Jeremy. "China and India Plan 818 New Coal Plants." Mongabay.com. N.p., 25 Nov. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://news.mongabay.com/2012/1126-hance-coal-india-china.html>.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bAOr18w5Wk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGJfiz-Syfs

Gas Tax

PURPOSE: The purpose of my news report was to bring up an issue that is not widely talked about in the US, but affects everyone in the country. I think it is interesting that the US is so hesitant to raise the gas tax, even though it holds the solution to so many of our problems. We talk so much about developing new types of energy, but by raising gas taxes and making it harder to access gas we would solve those same problems. The way I see it, it is the same as a carbon tax on corporations, the individual pays for what they pollute, and raising it would force people to be more conscious about their environmental ethic. 

NOTES - TALKING POINTS

• Only two countries—Kuwait and Saudi Arabia—charge lower gas taxes than the U.S. and both are net global oil suppliers, not consumers.
• The federal gas tax has remained unchanged at 18.4 cents for a gallon of gasoline (and 24.4 cents for diesel) for nearly two decades.

• Cannot cover highway and other transportation costs like it is supposed to 
• Failure to care for existing roads/bridges and the lost productivity with them are estimated to add $100 billion annually to the federal deficit.
• Opponents argue that the gas tax is detrimental to American competitiveness 
• AND that it Disproportionately effects lower income Americans?
• But proponents of elevated gas tax say that investing in infrastructure is vital to American economic growth
• and that under taxing gas encourages over dependency
• The US was once #1 in the world for its infrastructure, but has fallen to 15th 
• Seen as a way to avoid the “Fiscal Cliff”
• Gas tax spreads burden over hundreds of millions of people, who also benefit from it
• US GAS PRICES = WAY less than rest of world

• In the U.S., gas prices average $4.19 per gallon, according to Bloomberg. In contrast, gas prices are $5.75 per gallon in Canada, $6.75 per gallon in Australia, $8.84 per gallon in the United Kingdom, and $9.35 per gallon in Italy. - From MAY -> price changes proportionally in countries. 

ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT

• Increase gasoline tax = less consumption 
• people have incentive to either drive less, or buy more fuel efficient cars 
• In Europe -> where gas taxes are significantly higher, clean diesel and fuel efficient cars have been sold for much longer than in the US

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

- Would raising the gas tax affect consumption? Or would people pay to keep their current lifestyles?

- What are some positives and negatives to an increased gas tax? Do the benefits of one outweigh the disadvantages of the other?

- Should the US raise its gas tax?  

"Are gas prices really that high?."FlowingData . N.p., 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://flowingdata.com/2011/03/22/are-gas-prices-really-that-high/>.

Gordon , Deborah . "Five myths about your gasoline taxes ." CNN. N.p., 7 Dec. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/18/opinion/tsay-gordon-gas-tax-myths/index.html>.

Kavoussi, Bonnie. "Gas Prices In U.S. Are Among Lowest In World, Report Finds."The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/15/united-states-low-gas-prices_n_1518169.html>.

West, Sarah E.. "Should Distributional Considerations Hold Up Higher Gasoline Taxes? ." Resources for the Future - RFF.org . N.p., 22 June 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.rff.org/Publications/WPC/Pages/09-06-22-Should-Distributional-Considerations-Hold-Up-Higher-Gasoline-Taxes.aspx>.