The Clean Coal Debate

I have just viewed the This is Reality and America's Power websites simultaneously. These websites provide two very different first impressions. The This is Reality website caught my eye first with the animation of a dead canary flying into a statement concerning the large impact burning coal has on global warming.  The rest of the website was very simplistic with statements concerning how the current claims of clean coal are false and not enough is being done. On the other hand, the website for America's Power immediate hit me with images of happy and ordinary individuals involved in the coal industry. It also displays statements concerning how energy from coal is important and affordable. 

When it comes down to the positions of both sides in the debate, the stories are very different. The This is Reality website focuses on how burning coal is damaging the environment and worsening global warming. The America's Power website is focused on maintaining the current way of life in America, protecting the economy, and decreasing the levels of emissions from the burning of coal.

So, what is Clean Coal technology? The website for America's Power states that Clean Coal technology is any technology that reduces the emissions caused by burning coal to produce electricity. The website for This is Reality states that Clean Coal technology only exists when the plants burning coal to produce electricity successfully capture and store all of the carbon dioxide emissions caused during the process. The future directions of each side are associated with their definitions of Clean Coal technology. The America's Power website argues for the continued use of coal in producing electricity while also continuing research on reducing emissions. The This is Reality website describes that coal plants need to capture and store all of their emissions. The website also states that they cannot wait for individuals on the side of the America's Power website to start doing this. The website for This is Reality thus suggests an immediate future with the development and use of alternate means of producing electricity that do not give off harmful emissions.

Each of these futures is also backed by evidence from both sides. The America's Power website focuses on the large amount of coal available in the United States and the low cost of energy that is produced by coal.  This website for America's Power also discusses the large amount of money the coal industry places into researching ways to reduce emissions caused by producing energy from coal. On the side of the This is Reality website, evidence is provided in various statements that identify the large impact on the environment and more specifically global warming that is caused by producing energy from coal. The website also states how little of the technology being researched to reduce emissions is actually being used on a commercial level in plants used to produce energy from coal.

When it comes down to the targeted audiences of each website, they definitely target two different groups. The website for America's Power seems to focus on individuals mostly concerned with the low cost of energy and the protection of jobs. The website for This is Reality seems more geared towards individuals already focused on or at least interested in protecting the environment. The sponsors of these websites definitely determine the targeted audiences.  The website for America's Power is sponsored by the coal industry.  The website for This is Reality is sponsored by various environment based organizations.  These different sponsors causes the website for This is Reality to seem more credible for me.  The coal industry sponsoring the America's Power website makes me feel that the website is more focused on ensuring the profit made by the industrial than actually taking a concern for the environment.

Both websites attempt to trigger certain emotions when someone views them.  The website for This is Reality appeals to individuals' concern for wildlife and the environment as a whole.  Also, it tries to cause a feeling of dislike and disappointment towards the coal industry.  The website for America's Power attempts to appeal to the idea that they are good and a part of the battle to aid the environment.  Emotions are also stirred up in the images used.  The This is Reality website uses the image of a dead canary in an effective manner to remind me that the environment does feel like a victim of the coal industry.  But, the website for America's Power uses images of people to remind me that the coal industry is composed of people and therefore cannot be entirely unconcerned with the environment.  These images remind me that although the coal industry provides many jobs, it also has a negative impact on wildlife.

In the end, I find the website for This is Reality more persuasive.  I understand that the coal industry is taking time to research ways to lower their emissions, but its sponsoring of the America's Power website makes me feel like it is just a tool for maintaining profit.  The Coal Industry's emissions may be cleaner than before, but I do not feel that they can be considered clean.  The This is Reality website just seems more genuine and concerned with the condition of the environment to me.