ipl-logo

Essay On Advantages And Disadvantages Of Coal

1526 Words7 Pages

Coal is a sedimentary organic rock that is highly combustible. it is composed mainly of carbon oxygen and hydrogen making it a primary source of energy. coal formation began 360 million to 290 million years ago, a period that yielded a wide variety of coal, which is why the quality of coal deposits are determined by the length of time that they have been formed and how deeply they are buried.

Despite the bad rep, especially coming from environmentalists, coal has many applications and not just in electricity generation, which is why it remains a vital product all over the world. What is used to generate power is known as a steam coal or thermal coal, while the coking coal or metallurgical coal is used mainly in producing steel. If coal mining …show more content…

emissions of CO2 from coal burning accounts for the additional 65% carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, increasing greenhouse gases. To anyone 's books this means climate change and global warming. The pollution it causes has also led to acid rain in some areas. Although there are a lot of causes of acid rain, burning coal is a major contributor because it releases sulfur dioxide, and acid rain has higher than normal amounts of sulfuric and nitric acid.
Newer coal plants, however, now emits 40% less CO2, according to the World Coal Institute. But this is still far from being able to repair whatever damage older plants have made. This is probably why Norway plans to sell off many of its coal-related investments as a means to curtail climate change.
Coal mining impact
Remember that coal seams are surrounded by plants, rivers and other natural landscapes, and digging for coal would mean destroying forest areas that serves as wildlife habitat. There is little doubt that the ecosystem and biodiversity would take a beating. The process also results in water, soil and air pollution, thus the acid rain. The noise coming from large mining equipment can also hurt local

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of Killing For Coal By Thomas G. Andrews

    810 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ninoska Suarez History 601 Professor Nierick 10/20/14 Killing For Coal By Thomas G. Andrews Summary: Killing for Coal discusses the conditions in the Colorado coal mines leading up to the Ludlow Massacre and the Ten Day War of 1914. Andrew draws out the major players in the Colorado coal culture including land, labor, capitalized industrialization and labor resistance that give us an overall depiction of the world of coal mining in Colorado. Andrews, begins with an introduction of the graphic images of coal miners being asphyxia and slaughter by militia men and strike breakers hired by Rockefeller-owed Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, these events was later called Ludlow Massacre. These polarizing events produced coal miners to fight back which

    Read More

  • Hydrofracking Research Paper

    1593 Words  | 7 Pages

    Throughout the centuries, humans have been attempting to find a way to power homes, cars, and other luxuries in the most efficient way possible. Coal and oil were two major sources that begin being exploited during the industrial revolution. Both have caused great controversy over the years from lawsuits to strikes. A new way to drill oil, hydraulic fracturing, was discovered and was an efficient means of drilling until its effects became prevalent. Also, when coal began to run out, a new method called mountaintop removal took hold, but continues to damage the earth.

    Read More

  • Cutting Back On Coal In America An Article By George Will

    254 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the following article, the author, George Will, stresses that here in America cutting back on coal will not change the burning of coal around the world such as China, Russia, India, and other countries. For instance, China had signed a 60 billion dollar contract to supply power plants with Australian coal. The Times says that in China, their ships hauled about 690 million tons of thermal coal this year; up from 385 million in 2001 and 150 million tons in 2009. He addresses to counterargument by including a spokesman in the Sierra club who mentions that mining is "everything we 've accomplished, ' ' but environmentalists in America protested that mining shall also export global warming, if continues. Because of China 's enormous coal

    Read More

  • Coalmining Research Paper

    566 Words  | 3 Pages

    Coalmining was a prominent industry throughout eastern Pennsylvania, northern Maryland, and Wyoming. In 1885, legislation was passed in order to restrict the working age of miners. Breaker boys, who worked aboveground to sort slate, rocks, and other debris from the coal, were required to be at least twelve years of age. Underground miners were required to be at least fourteen years of age. Boys ' parents often presented a fake birth certificate with an altered date of birth in order to have their children, who were often as young as five or six years of age, work in the mines.

    Read More

  • Cons Of Fracking Essay

    329 Words  | 2 Pages

    The main way that oil and natural gas reserves are acquired are through the means of Fracking. Also known as hydrofracking, this method utilizes a drill that drills down thousands of feet underground, which is then flushed with millions of gallons of water along with additive chemicals at high pressures to break the rocks sheltering the reserves. This method of attainment is quite risky as it comes with many unfavorable consequences that are quite unbeneficial. Like fossil fuel plants, fracking also releases greenhouse gasses like methane(Potential Health and Environmental Effects of Hydrofracking in the Williston Basin, Montana), which is worse than carbon dioxide and causes air pollution. Alongside that, pollutants like Benzene and Xylene also leak out during the fracking process, which is known to cause serious health conditions and even death in some cases due to the long exposure to the pollutants(Potential Health and

    Read More

  • Fracking Is Still Harmful To The Environment

    49 Words  | 1 Pages

    1. Even though fracking reduces carbon emissions, it is still harmful to the environment. For example: water pollution/contamination. There can be accidental seeping of the chemicals (possibly carcinogenic) and can contaminate groundwater around the site due to bad practice (this imposes harm to both the ecosystem and people 's health).

    Read More

  • Economic Disparity In West Virginia

    1006 Words  | 5 Pages

    Mining can damage the environment and structures above ground. “The observable biological effects include: (1) depletion of numbers of sensitive, and diversity of all, free swimming and benthic (bottom dwelling) aquatic organisms;(2) loss of spawning gravel for fish; and (3) direct fish mortalities, particularly of natural game (salmon and trout) fish.” (Hester, Harrison, 1994). So much is destroyed by mining. Countless properties and families lose their homes and livelihoods to weakened soil and polluted environment.

    Read More

  • Ap World History Dbq Industrial Revolution

    1402 Words  | 6 Pages

    “A painting showing an early factory plant shows that the smoke rising from the factory was black and full of coal ashes, affecting the air. Also, because the factory is next to water, it can be assumed that the factory has dumped into this water, causing it also to become polluted”(Document 3). Yes, wonderful products came from these factories; things like clothing and cars, but coal was being used to power these machines that produced. Black coal ash rose up into the sky and was being breathed in by the people and animals. Coal is not the best thing for people’s lungs.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Hydrofracking

    1678 Words  | 7 Pages

    Now, the amount of CO2 produced will be equal to the coal burning site, sometimes even more. (Pros Fracking,

    Read More

  • Why Kentucky Should Use Hydroelectric Power

    882 Words  | 4 Pages

    Energy is a key factor in today's society, especially in Kentucky. Kentucky's main energy resource is coal, 91.8 percent of our energy comes from this resource but coal is nonrenewable, meaning that there is a limited amount of this type of fuel. Coal mining is also detrimental to the environment, people living and working in coal mining communities have a higher chance of getting lung cancer. with surface mining, this has been linked as a cause for poisoning local residences from the chemicals used in the mountaintop mining. there are still issues with the environment and natural wildlife in the surrounding areas of the coal mining as well.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Duke Energy

    1313 Words  | 6 Pages

    This industry not only provides the populous with inexpensive power but also creates a steady employment option. Besides an increase in the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, the mass accumulation of coal ash and its leaks and spills into local rivers negatively affect the environment (“Energy-Related”). According to Earthjustice, “North Carolina generates over 5.5 million tons of ash per year” ("Coal Ash Contaminates”). In Eden, N.C. in 2014, the largest coal ash spill occurred, releasing 39,000 tons into the Dan River, which supplies drinking water to surrounding communities, a habitat for aquatic organisms, and recreational activities (Gallucci). Coal ash, also known as coal combustion residuals or CCRs, contains hazardous byproducts from power production, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium, that can poison drinking water sources for humans and devastate wildlife habitats (“Coal Ash Basics”).

    Read More

  • Fracking Persuasive Essay

    679 Words  | 3 Pages

    Using natural gas from fracking is a better and safer alternative than using coal because natural gas does not emit as much carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. The graphs presented on natfuel.com shows that the amount of carbon dioxide

    Read More

  • Essay On Nonrenewable Resources

    1427 Words  | 6 Pages

    Coal is a brownish, blackish rock that is high in organic carbon, mostly made from plant

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Climate Change

    1661 Words  | 7 Pages

    By releasing this gas into the air the natural greenhouse gases increase and cause many effects to happen. Carbon dioxide is also caused by removing natural resources from the land for agriculture. When the Earth starts to warm many other things do to, the ocean will become more acidic and glaciers might partially melt. If the oceans become acidic, fish and other sea creatures will have an unlivable environment. If glaciers start to melt arctic animals that rely on the ice may start to become extinct.

    Read More

  • Non Renewable Resources Essay

    1700 Words  | 7 Pages

    The treatment of such coal reduces its sulphur content avoiding excessive atmospheric pollution. Through surface mining methods such as stripping and open-pits, leave the land sterile, losses of vegetation and habitats for fauna results. However land reclamation initiatives which restore vegetation cover and soils reduce the negative. Impact of surface coal mining. Acid mine drainage is another negative impact of coal mining especially in wet environments.

    Read More

More about Essay On Advantages And Disadvantages Of Coal

Open Document