See a Sneak Preview of "Coal Country" on Saturday

Green Grounds at the University of Virginia is hosting a preview of the film "Coal Country" at room 158, Campbell Hall (the Architecture School) on Saturday (tomorrow) at 4:00 pm. It is a 45-minute documentary about mountaintop removal mining and how that method of mining is damaging our mountain environment.

I am planning to attend this screening and believe it is open to all interested folks.

The photo is from Appalachian Voices.

Here is the announcement:

The Green Grounds Group is pleased to announce a F R E E upcoming sneak preview of Coal Country, a film by Mari-Lynn Evans and Phylis Geller. This feature-length documentary confronts the devastating effects of mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia. It reveals the truth about the impact of this modern coal mining practice on the landscape and local communities through the stories of working miners, activists and community members - those most intimately involved in battling the coal companies. The film officially premieres on the Planet Grow network on November 14th at 8pm.

+ When? Saturday, November 14th at 4:00pm (reception to follow with light refreshments + guest speakers from Wise Energy for Virginia)

+ Where? UVa School of Architecture, Campbell Hall, Room 158 (free parking just down the hill at Culbreth Parking garage)

This event is co-sponsored by the Green Grounds Group at the University of Virginia and Wise Energy for Virginia

Solar Power Options

In the spirit of becoming a more sustainable city and reducing our carbon footprint, perhaps Charlottesville can learn from other university cities and take some bold energy policy actions. The city of Marburg Germany has taken just such a step. Check out this story I found on an international newsite (www.telegraaf.nl) and searched out an English language write-up to share.

So, here it is.

Marburg makes solar power mandatory

Published: 21 Jun 08 10:57 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/12627/

The Hessian town of Marburg has decided to make the installation of solar panels compulsory on all new buildings, and any older ones which are renovated or altered.

The radical move was decided on Friday by the Social Democrats and Greens which command a majority of seats in the town council.

It takes the 79,000-head town way in front of most other areas in the country – anyone who fails to fit a solar panel on their roof when building or altering their house, could be fined €1,000.

Generally such rules are only applied to new buildings, but in Marburg, the only opt-out will be if a building is being fuelled by other renewable energy.

A share of the costs will be met by state money, while heating bills will be but once the solar panels are installed and working.

"It's all well and good when you tighten up the rules for new buildings. But the most energy is used in older buildings," Marburg Mayor Franz Kahle told the Associated Press.

The German government is committed to trying to meet 14 percent of all energy needs with renewables by 2020.

Mountaintop Removal: Could it happen here?

With all the recent news about Dominion Virginia Power's quest to get a coal-fired power plant licensed in Wise County, and their commitment to use local Virginia coal mined using mountaintop removal methods, I thought of what it might be like if we had mountaintop removal done locally. After searching the web for inspirational images I thought the following sequence of three photos might get us all thinking about the problems mountaintop removal brings to wherever it is done. Do you suppose there is some coal in Monticello Mountain? Is this going to become part of the Central Virginia landscape?

Perhaps we all need to let the Virginia Corporation Commission know how we feel about promoting mountaintop removal in Wise County. This can't be good for tourists (or virtually any other living thing). There is a public hearing on this topic scheduled in Richmond at 5:00 pm on Tuesday February 19, 2008. Apparently there will be vanpools to take folks from Charlottesville to comment at the hearing. Stay tuned for details.

Photo Sources:
1. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12816451/ Amy Sancetta, Associated Press
2. http://www.ilovemountains.org/resources/
3. http://www.climatechange.umaine.edu/Research/Contrib/html/22.html