Coal for Christmas

Santa: Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas! I cant wait to watch all the little boys and girls open
their presents in the North Pole

Brooke: It certainly is NOT a merry Christmas! I got a lump of coal under my tree!

S: Well, little girl Santa gave you a lump of coal because I saw you have a criminal
record you were arrested this year!

B: Santa, that was at a rally fighting against pollution and hoping to have more sustainable
and clean energy sources!

S: Well, I didnt know that! Why would you be upset about getting coal then? Coal is a
GREAT source of energy and packs a lot of punch in a small tiny rock.

B: Actually, its not a rock its

S: Enough of that! Coal is a great source of energy! Do you know when I started putting coal
in naughty childrens stockings?

B: I have no idea but I feel like youre going just going to tell me anywa.

S: Thats right! Were going to learn about the Industrial Revolution by GOING to the
Industrial Revolution.

B: Santa, the Industrial Revolution isnt a PLACE we cant just go there.

S: Yes we can! With this!

B: What is that?

S: Its my magical snowglobe! Its what allows me to make my way around the world in one
night. This snowglobe has the ability to manipulate time. And today, we are going to go back
to the Industrial Revolution!

~MAGIC~

S: Welcome to the Industrial Revolution!

B: *Cough Cough* Whats that smell?

S: Capitalism and also smog.

B: Its awful! Why is no one upset about how this place smells?
S: Because the entire 18th century smelled like this! Everyone used coal to power all of the
factories that were being built. Coal was much more popular than energy sources like
charcoal, dung and wood because it had much more energy packed into a smaller volume.
You see the Industrial Revolution lead to lots of new developments in production.
Particularly, the steam engine revolutionized the ways in which we could produce and build!
Go more in depth with Steam engine?

B: But if coal was in such high demand, wasnt it more expensive?

S: No way! Coal was extremely prevalent during that time period thats why people used it
so much. It was easy to acquire and could produce lots of energy when burned stockings

B: But didnt people realize what they were doing to the environment?

S: What do you mean? Coal was HELPING people! It created lots of jobs and really powered
the economy! When we first started mining for coal we had abundance! Yet another reason
coal was so popular during the Industrial Revolution. New techniques in mining really
allowed us to mine more coal than we ever could before!

B: well, what was different? Why were we able to mine so much more coal?

S: Well, let's go into a coal mine to find out!

~MAGIC~

B: Its so hard to see where are we?

S: Now were in a coal mine! But there are many different styles and types of mining. Firstly,
the two types are Surface mining & Underground mining!

B: Isnt all mining technically underground mining?

S: Well yes! However, the real underground mining was a method that allowed people to go
deep within the Earth. And there are two types of Underground mining!

B: What are they?

S: Well theres Longwall mining and Room and pillar. In longwall mining there is a long wall
(creative name, right?) that the miners slice through the underground. This wall of coal is
usually about 3-4 miles long. This type of mining accounts for about 50% of all underground
mining!

B: Well you mentioned a second type of underground mining? What is that?

S: The second type is Room and Pillar! Room and Pillar works by tunneling into the earth
and hollowing out rooms. They leave pillars of coal and rock behind to ensure earth doesnt
collapse on the miners.

B: Didnt you say there were two types of mining? What is surface mining?

S: Well, there are lots of types of surface mining! We have Strip mining, Contour mining,
Mountaintop removal mining, and open-pit mining.

B: I feel like youre going to tell me how each one works

S: You betcha! Now, strip mining was one of the first techniques developed. You see, coal
exists in seams in the earth. So the miners remove the earth in these long strips so they can
access the coal which is waiting just below.

B: So I trust youre still going to tell me about the other types of

S: YEP! Now Contour mining is a lot like strip mining but it works with the earths natural
shapes.

B: What does that mean?

S: It means that it will move with the difficult terrains! So instead of a straight cut like in strip
mining, there are more cuts that move naturally with the earth.

B: Okay tell me about the other types so we can get out of this mine. I cant see
ANYTHING

S: Well the other two types are similar in technique. Theres mountaintop removal and open
pit. Now mountaintop cuts parallel lines into a mountain so they can create an opening to
extract the coal. Open pit mining is the most basic form of mining. You grab a couple of
shovels and you start digging!

B: You just start digging into the Earth? Its that primitive?

S: Yep! You just start digging into the ground to create a pit!

B: How big were these pits?

S: Well, some of them arent very big at all. Just a few acres. But most of them

B: Most of them what?

S: Lots of open pit mines go on for MILES!

B: Wow! I bet that it required hundreds of miners!

S: It did! Once again, coal was very good for everyone back here in the industrial revolution!
It created hundreds of THOUSANDS of jobs!

B: That is true Santa. Even in 2016 coal is creating jobs

S: Really?
B: Of course. Researchers at Penn State (PAUSE) have even concluded a few years back that
between the production, transportation and consumption of coal that is used for electricity
more than 6.8 million jobs are created, which in turn helps Americas economy.
S: Penn State, you say? I bet going to school there is great. But you just helped me make my
point even more
B: what point?
S: That coal is best source of energy there is!
B: No itsS: Enough! Its the best!
B: Santa I think you mean the cheapest
S: Ho ho ho, I know its cheap. Why do you think I give it out to naughty children who have
criminal records
B: One, it was for an environmental rally. Two, youre a cheapskate. And three, coal is not the
best!
S: Explain to me how its not.
B: For starters, lets talk about health issues. Coal can have effects on peoples respiratory,
cardiovascular, and nervous systems.
S: I didnt realize
B: its a big deal, santa. When coal goes through combustion it creates air pollutants.
S: what makes these pollutants so bad.

B: [talk slow] Theyre pollutants! When these pollutants are inhaled, it can seriously affect
peoples lungs and result in Asthma, Lung Disease and even Lung Cancer. And thats just for
the respiratory system.
Cardiovascular diseases can cause artery blockage and that has a possibility for causing a
heart attack.
Also, for the nervous system, pollutants from coal, like mercury, can have effects on the
brain. In fact, researchers from physicians for social responsibility have estimated that up to
over half a million children are born in the U.S. each year with blood mercury levels high
enough to reduce IQ scores and cause lifelong loss of intelligence.
S: Thats terrible! Well what about people who have chronic exposure to these pollutants?
B: Well I mean, each case of exposure is different, but long term exposure essentially means
bad health for the person exposed.
S: cant people just stay away from the places like coal power plants to stay healthy?
B: Its not that simple. These pollutants can affect peoples health even hundreds of miles
from a coal power plant
S: Im in the north pole 364 days a year.. I had no idea. How bad are the effects on the
environment due to coal being used?
B: Thats what the rally I got arrested at was for! It was to try to change the opinions of
people like you who think that the environment is fine the way it is. We have huge Earth day
rally in april. Youve heard of the war on crime?
S: mhmm
B: War on poverty?
S: yeah
B: Theres even a war on coal, Santa! People like me are trying to save our earth with an
environmental movement. I know its not really your thing and you're all about coal, but
would you mind if i told you about how it affects the environment?
S: No, go right ahead
B: okay, well you mentioned before about all the different kinds of mining. The process of
mining itself disturbs the land where coal mines are located. Runoff for rainwater is affected
by mines as well and this can harm the quality of water if it gets into the streams or rivers
S: You mentioned before about mercury harming peoples health. What are some other
pollutants?
B: Mercury, along with other metals, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter,
andS: Hold on, whats particulate matter?

B: Oh sorry, particulate matter is really tiny particles of solid or liquid droplets that are
suspended in a gas or liquid. Particulate matter is a common emission from the combustion of
fossil fuels and can increase the risk of health problems.
S: What are some examples?
B: Smoke, aerosols, dust, anything along those lines. Particulate matter is a really common
fossil fuel emission
S: What about CO2, isnt that, like, an emission?
B: Very good santa! Here i was thinking that you didn't know anything about coal besides its
cost. Yes, Co2 is an emission and coal power plants are a major source of it. Its colorless,
odorless and a by-product of combustion from fossil fuels. Its also known as a greenhouse
gas
S: Whats a greenhouse gas?
B: A greenhouse gas traps heat or infrared energy radiated from Earth within the
atmosphere.Because of this, CO2 is considered to be a major contributor to climate change.
S: uhhh whats climate change
B: Climate change is the ongoing rise in temperature. Its caused from condensed greenhouse
gases like carbon dioxide.
S:Is that why my home is starting to melt?
B: essentially yes santa
S:Omg Isnt there something you and your environmental buddies can do? I'm pretty sure I
heard about clean coal one time, can't someone just make all coal clean coal?
B: It's easier said than done. What makes clean coal clean is that it is burned in power plants
equipped with technologies that greatly reduce the emission of pollutants such as sulfur,
nitrogen, mercury, and, potentially, carbon dioxide
S: why is it easier said than done? How do you get clean coal?
B: Its done by carbon sequestration which is done through a biological process or physical
process. And that's when you capture the gaseous atmospheric carbon that is in the form of
CO2 and you place into a carbon sink.
S: how efficient is it?
B: very, it can capture almost 90% of emissions
S: Well, how efficient is coal normally?
B: Not a whole lot. The efficiency of coal can be as low as 30%.
S: Is that a bad thing?

B: Definitely! Other sources of energy-- like nuclear energy, for example-- can be as efficient
as 92%!
S: So what exactly does efficiency mean? What are we talking about?
B: Energy efficiency means that we arent just wasting energy. Really, what it means is that
we are using all of the energy produced on what it was intended for
S: So, could you give me an example?
B: Sure! Take coal for example: Coal is used to produce electricity for America, right?
S: Yeah
B: Well a lot of the energy produced from coal doesnt go directly towards electricity.
S: Where is the rest of the energy going?
B: It filters off. When you look at coal, a significant amount of the energy is wasted by the
heat produced when you burn it. Its doubly bad because, like I said earlier, there are so many
emissions that come with burning coal.
S: Well, then, why dont we do that carbon sequestration thingy you talked about earlier?
Shouldnt we be cleaning it? Why arent more people doing that!
B: because of the cost
S: well we said before that coal was very cheap right?
B: coal itself is a cheap resource, but carbon sequestration is very expensive
S: But coal... it's not ideal because of the pollution it causes and its used so much
B: that's right. For instance half of the electricity in the united states is generated from coal.
What type of energy do you use up that the north pole santa?
S: magic, duh
B: oh my bad, im only familiar with typical, non magical alternatives to coal
S: Alternatives to coal?
B: yeah, coal has alternatives
S: are they as bad as coal?
B: Theres pros and cons to all of them
S: just out of curiosity, what are the alternatives?
B: well i mean some of the alternatives include geothermal, wind, nuclear, natural gas. Coal
isnt the only source of energy you know
S: hmmmm
B: why do you ask?

S: Well, youve convinced me I agree that we need to fight against coal!

B: wow, Santa! It sounds like youre ready to go to your first clean energy rally!

S: ho ho ho! You know what? I think I know the perfect rally to go to!

~MAGIC~

B: I I recognize this place....

S: Well, you should! This is the rally you got arrested at earlier this year, you naughty girl!

B: Santa, I told you I was only trying to

S: Santa knows, young child. Thats why were here! To get you on the nice list!

B: What do you mean?

S: Well, were here at the rally! Which means we can change what happened!

B: Wait really?

S: Yes! Stick with me and we can fight against the powers of big industry and dirty energy
sources! Well just stay here. And you wont be arrested!

B: Wow! Thanks Santa!

S: now lets get you home

~MAGIC~

B: Were back at my house!

S: Thats right and look under the tree

B: Presents! Im on the nice list? (again, we had a cheap budget)

S: Thats right! From now on anyone that fights for the greater good of the environment will
be on the nice list! It will save the Earth and it will save my home from melting.

B: WOW! Thanks, Santa.

S: No, no. Thank you.

*HUGS*

Sources
http://behindtheplug.americaspower.org/2011/01/five-ways-coal-can-help-our-economy.html
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-legend-of-the-christmas-stocking160854441/?no-ist
http://www.psr.org/news-events/press-releases/coal-pollution-damages-human-health.html
http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/britain-1700-to-1900/industrial-revolution/coal-minesin-the-industrial-revolution/