Build Sustainable Economies to De-throne King Coal

From the moment I chose to oppose mountaintop removal coal mining I also felt a deep obligation to work for something better to replace coal-based economies. Many of my neighbors want to stop the destruction of land, water and community resources as much as I do. But others see me as...well, to put it politely, a persona non grata. I'm "not from around here." I bring desires and beliefs to Elk Valley that are very different -- on the surface -- from the generations-old traditions of the Appalachian coalfields. And some truly believe that I don't care if they lose their jobs so they can't feed their kids.

My initial inspiration to get involved didn't come from human suffering, but from that of nature. In one sense I share much with people who describe themselves as faith-based stewards of Creation, though I would say that my inspiration came directly from the trees and birds on Braden Mountain through the shared essence of Creative Principle in us all. However you want to interpret it, I got a call from nature that I couldn't ignore. These other species asked me to speak for them. They couldn't just uproot themselves or fly into an OSM hearing and demand justice! No "power to the trees!" No "power to the birds!" Their homeland security was about to come under attack the same as mine, but we all had to go with "power to the people" against King Coal.

Only later did I encounter the human suffering in all of this, through the words of fellow human beings in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia -- the true front lines, the fractured ground-zeros of the civil war on Appalachia. Yesterday I spent the day with some of these people at a meeting of The Alliance for Appalachia.

In 2006, thirteen organizations from five states came together to talk about how we could help each other do two things: stop mountaintop removal and other destructive coal technologies, and support a sustainable, just economy in Appalachia. We get together in person several times a year, usually somewhere in eastern Kentucky. For me, these gatherings generate a delicious and gut-wrenching mix of feelings.

Yesterday I was especially moved by experiences shared by folks from Raleigh and Mingo counties in West Virginia and Wise County, Virginia. The illnesses, the losses, the hopelessness and despair that people in these areas are suffering because of coal mining is literally becoming unspeakable. Two of these people told me that they have become reluctant to speak of it much because they can't do so without crying -- from the depths, I would say, of their souls.

On the other hand, the group-by-group updates we share with one another continue to reveal the power of a small number of people to change the kingdom in spite of the king (or the master). I left the meeting with a desire re-energized to use the power I have through Creative Principle to end exploitation of people and nature: to use words to speak the unspeakable, the unthinkable, the unfeelable and, simultaneously, to empower a better way of doing things by naming and supporting the projects we're all doing to get us there.

Here are a few things springing up from Appalachian grassroots:

The Alliance for Appalachia has a new website. Please check it out here, and return often for updates. You can also find this and other great sites through my Hawks Eye on Earth TypeList below.

Follow the money! Has King Coal bought your senator or representative? Since 2000, the people we elected to represent us in Washington have accepted more than $37 million from the coal industry. Find out how much yours got (and who gave it to them) by entering your zip code in the Follow the Coal Money widget below or click here. If you want this widget for your own blog or website, click here.

One Answer Is Blowin' in the Wind! Coal River Mountain Watch has an award winning idea: choose clean, renewable wind and healthy, sustainable communities -- not dirty coal and mountain dead zones! Check out the Coal River Mountain Wind Project and sign the petition to help people in the Coal River Valley to save Coal Mountain and reclaim their homelands from King Coal.