University needs to end burning of coal for energy

TO THE EDITOR:

As a student in the Coal-Free UNC Campaign, I would like to elaborate on what we mean by the high cost of using coal at UNC in response to yesterday’s article, “Task force targets sustainability” (Feb. 1).

From the mining of coal, one of the biggest problems is something called “acid mine drainage,” which pollutes streams with toxic chemicals like arsenic, lead and mercury, killing wildlife and contaminating drinking water of the communities of Appalachia.

Second, burning coal is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions on campus. Given that carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas causing human induced climate change, by not eliminating carbon dioxide we are adding to a problem that will affect everyone.

Paul Roberts says in his book “The End of Oil”: “Estimates for the cumulative economic impact of rising sea levels, more frequent hurricanes and droughts, higher rates of infectious diseases and other climate-related calamities rang up to tens of trillions of dollars.” That means that North Carolina will not have an Outer Banks if sea levels rise.

Finally, given that coal is a finite resource and that a large structural change in energy either takes a long time or is extremely expensive means that the sooner we start, the cheaper this unavoidable structural change will be in the long run.

As intelligent citizens, it is our responsibility to stop burning coal as soon as possible. We need to switch to clean renewable energy sources in place of coal so that our children won’t have to clean up the mess of climate change.



Felipe Jolles

Editorial Coordinator

The Sierra Club Coal Free Campaign at Chapel Hill