“Clean Coal” sounds so lovely, doesn’t it? Sounds like coal that’s just been washed with Woolite or such. It is, in reality, an extremely dangerous and seductive term that obscures the very real pollution that would occur even with “clean coal” electricity production. It is not just LCV that is seeking to influence the Presidential discussion. The Astroturf organization, Americans for Balanced Energy Choices is a promoter of “Clean Coal”, seeking to promote Global Warming emissions growth through even more coal use. “ABEC” is very good, after all, they do provide you paths toward reducing your personal carbon emissions and energy saving tips. This is a “100,000 person strong” organization that gives no information (easy to find, at least) about their funding. They claim to be about balanced energy, but their objective is to promote coal use.
And, today, they took that promotion to the Hill.
Santa Clauses, wearing white gloves, were at the Union Station and Capitol South Metro stations handing out coal. Handing out clean coal, that is, that didn’t leave a speck of dust on those beautiful white gloves. A Christmas gift to the Globe, a path for even more CO2 emissions for decades to come.
At the site, you will find clips of the Presidential candidates talking about coal. In a mirror imaging of The Heat is On,
ABEC members are asking the presidential candidates to spell out their detailed positions on the use of clean coal.
As a sign of their (lack of?) success, they have just two videos up: one of Hillary Clinton and the other of Rudy Guiliani.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Andy // Dec 19, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Oh, and did not know about it. Thanks for the information …
2 Coal: $35 million in Astroturfing « Energy Smart // Jan 18, 2008 at 1:11 pm
[…] out leaflets at events. They have sponsored Presidential debates (here also). They even had Santas giving out “Clean Coal” (reminder: that is ’somewhat less dirty coal’…. (Yes, everyone wants coal in their stockings, at least according to ABEC.) The group’s […]
3 The ABC’s of Blocking the Future // Oct 10, 2008 at 11:50 am
[…] billions) of dollars to influence the national discussion this year, from campaign contributions to Santa Claus giving out ‘clean coal’ at the Metro exits closest to Congressional offices to sponsoring presidential debates throughout the election cycle. This fossil foolish promotion of […]