The Red, White, and Green

I was wowed by the creativity of this new commercial the other night, which mocks the coal industry’s deceptive marketing of “clean” coal as a viable option for our country’s green energy future. Now I know why I instantly loved the spot: It was directed by the Coen brothers!

The ad was created by the Reality Coalition, a project of the Alliance for Climate Protection, Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, and League of Conservation Voters. The project’s goal is to spread the word about the reality of “clean” coal–which is itself an oxymoron. A few highlights from the Reality Coalition’s website:

• Until its CO2 emissions can be captured safely, there is no such thing as “clean” coal.
• One-third of America’s carbon pollution comes from about 600 coal-fired power plants.
• According to the EPA, CO2 emissions from U.S. coal-based electricity are greater than those of all the cars and trucks in America combined.

President Obama touted “clean” coal as part of the path to America’s energy independence during his campaign, and the White House website still lists “develop and deploy clean coal technology” as a priority in its energy plan overview, but there have been recent reports that the administration is taking a closer look at this policy; specifically, Obama’s EPA placing a hold on the approval of a coal-fired power plant in South Dakota. 

As Jon Stewart always said regarding propaganda during the Bush administration, repeating a phrase over and over again–whether it’s “flip-flopper,” “weapons of mass destruction,” or “clean coal”–doesn’t make it true.

–Jennifer Grayson

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