Why We Need to Stop Using Coal by Chris Sheng (G6) Why We Need to Stop Using Coal By Chris Sheng Grade 6 Would you rather keep a type of power source that is a fossil fuel that pollutes the air, causes acid rain, and creates methane and has no benefits? Or would you choose a different type of power source that would make a huge benefit to our town by using free permanent sources? I think we should find a different way to generate power other than using coal for power because coal can cause global warming and damages our environment with greenhouse gas. I think coal should not be used as a power source because coal is not a permanent source. According to Coal Today and Tomorrow on page 13 by Chris Eboch, “While some experts say there is enough coal to supply energy for another 100 through 300 years, someday the supply of coal will run out.” This quote tells us that coal will one day be gone and we will have to find a new source of energy before it’s too late. Another reason for coal should not be used as a power source is that coal causes acid rain. According to A Powerful Rock on page 10 by Patrick Pierce, “When coal is burned, harmful chemicals are released into the air. These chemicals get carried through the air by the wind and fall in raindrops. This is called acid rain.” This paragraph shows that coal can cause chemicals when burned, and flows into raindrops, creating acid rain that harms the environment. Last, coal shouldn’t be used because burning coal makes a type of emission named methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. According to Coal Today and Tomorrow on page 13 by Chris Eboch, “When coal is near the ground surface, it can be dug up with steam shovels. This is called surface mining. Some surface mines remove entire mountaintops and deposit the extra material into valleys. This dramatically changes the landscape. Surface mines also release a small amount of methane.” This greenhouse gas is bad for the environment because it causes global warming and changes the landscape. An example is chunks of ice falling. This means burning coal also causes global warming. Now, you might be thinking that coal is cheap and creates jobs for miners. However, a power source that uses wind, sunlight, and other infinite sources can be cheaper and create new jobs too. New jobs will be invented like people that are in charge of windmill generators and people who are in charge of water powering and more solar panels. Coal is harmful to humanity because coal cannot last forever, coal causes acid rain, and burning coal makes methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. I believe coal should not be used in this town. Do you think coal is a good choice of power for our town?
