See more. We have started to look for other sources of renewable energy, but to date, coal is still the number one energy source. There are 2 ways to mine coal — Strip Mining and Underground Mining — both ways have their own impact to the environment and health. More: Impact of Ecosystem Destruction. More: Coal Mining Effects on the Environment.
Mountaintop Mining Is Destroying More Land for Less Coal, Study Finds | InsideClimate News
Mountain top removal is the process of blasting the top of a mountain away to retrieve coal from inside the mountain. The effects of mountain top removal may not be visible at first sight, although they are clearly taking effect with no hesitation. Although mountain top removal does give a percentage of our country its energy, it also maltreats the environment, wildlife, human health Community Impacts of Mountain Top Removal. The innovation of electricity and energy helped spark the need.
Effects of Strip Mining on the Appalachian Environment Essay
The dust and particles from mining roads, stockpiles, and lands disturbed by mining are a significant source of air pollution. This section describes the five main types of surface coal mining techniques: area mining, open pit mining, contour mining, auger mining , and mountaintop removal. Underground mining is also considered in this section. Terrain, economics , and custom generally dictate which technique an operator chooses.
More blasting and mining for less coal also raises human health concerns. Strip mining across the mountaintops of Appalachia is scarring as much as three times more land to get a ton of coal than just three decades ago, new research shows. The data and a series of new maps that track the spread of surface mining across the region suggest that even as the industry has declined, what continues likely has an oversized impact on people and the environment.