I was driving through Edwardsport the other day and was
amazed by how clean and well-kept the Duke Energy power plant was and I guess I
didn’t even know that much about it. So when I got home I did a little research
and some of the findings shocked me!
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 2005 listed the old power
plant "as the second most polluting power station in the industrialized world". Ouch! I
always wondered where those three lagged frogs down by
Smothers Creek came
from.
But don’t fret! Today according to Duke, “The plant is one
of the world's cleanest coal-fired power generating stations” Good. Good. But
did you know that regardless of the ranking, using coal had been linked to
anyone of the following:
- Reduction in life expectancy
- Respiratory hospital admissions
- Black lung disease
- Congestive heart failure
- Non-fatal cancer, osteoporosis, ataxia, renal dysfunction
- Chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks
- Loss of IQ from air and water pollution
- Nervous system damage
- Degradation and soiling of buildings
- Global warming
- Ecosystem loss and degradation
All this makes me so glad I grew up and moved back home here!
The other little thing I learned which I guess don’t surprise
me is that cost over runs by an estimated $1.4 billion dollars (Depending on
who you ask) will eventual cost the consumers more. A lawsuit capped what could
be pushed down to customers, but it was given a ‘time frame’. In addition there
was a “ethical scandal.” Imagine that! Big business has ethics!
For my redneck pic today, look close and think about it
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