Destroying Our Earth

As of Tuesday, October 2, 2012

I just recently found out about a mining practice called “mountaintop removal,” or MTR. I have to say, as a lover of the Appalachian Mountains, it breaks my heart to think that our mountains are being destroyed in such a fashion, especially when there seem to be so many other options available these days.

To date, more than 500 mountains have been destroyed in our state and others, to produce cheap coal. I am almost at a loss for words. It is, in my opinion, time for companies like Duke Power to look deeper into renewable and less destructive means of energy production, because with MTR, we are literally destroying our planet.

David Rodriguez

Pinehurst

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Courseaire 7 months, 2 weeks ago

The only real cost effective source for energy is Nuclear and no one really wants that.

doughnuts 7 months, 2 weeks ago

It does not take much time to see local destruction to the earth. A drive down Airport Road from the traffic circle to the Southern Pines Reservoir will reflect lots of destruction in the name of progress and bigger jet exhaust to the airport.

FightFireWithFire 7 months, 2 weeks ago

I guess no one had a problem when they built all of these golf course here, though. The thousands of gallons of chemicals that get dumped on those courses into our groundwater every year is astounding. But I don't hear a soul complaining about that now.

Hypocrites.

getreal 7 months, 2 weeks ago

FightFireWithFire, I have often said that the fact that there are over 40 golf courses in this area, all dumping chemicals all year long. The fact that the ground strata here is sand and porous materials is something to be cautious about. I know the water is tested for contamination. Maybe some of us should take our tap water to have it tested just for a second opinion. In other parts of the country, soil is dense and has clay. Rain water and irrigation take a long time to find it's way into the aquifers, here it must run through at an alarming rate. I would love to hear from an expert on the subject. What are the dangers, what are our options? I never heard of MTR, it doesn't sound like an environmentally sound practice. But then, money doesn't talk it screams!

OldPilot 7 months, 2 weeks ago

Mountain top removal has been going on for a number of years, all in the name of cheap and easy coal mining; nuclear power generation is a far, far better answer Mountain top removal mining is a terrible practice, alters the topography, fouls streams, kills native flora and fauna; should be and likely will be made illegal because no amount of "restoration" can really restore what is lost in any meaningful way. We should all worry about the amount of chemicals being dumped into the aquifer from which our wells draw water. PS: the drive from the traffic circle to the Southern Pines Reservoir takes one past a private development called Tylers Ridge. The land was cleared but the project never built, indeed about as attractive as mountain top removal, just on a smaller scale. Southern Pines approved the project over loud and substantial opposition by local pilots, aircraft operators, garden/nature societies, and many others. A small area south-west of the traffic circle under the approach path to the airport was cleared of pines and is to be replanted with native low growing species.