Earthbeat Radio

‘Clean Coal’ has been the rallying call of the coal industry in America, but as author and activist Jeff Biggers explains to Earthbeat host Daphne Wysham, it’s actually a strategy that the dirty industry has used throughout history to push back on any types of restrictions on coal mining.

Jeff is the author of the book – Reckoning at Eagle Creek. He’s also the author and one of the three main characters in the new play Welcome to the Saudi Arabia of Coal. Joining him in the play is Stephanie Pistello and Ben Evans.

The play The Saudi Arabia of Coal will be at Busboys and Poets on 14th St., NW in Washington, DC on February 9th at 7 pm and February 10th at 9 pm on its tour across the United States.

Then we hear about the Appalachian elementary school that is just downhill of a massive pond of ‘slurry’ left behind from Mountain Top Removal mining. Host Daphne Wysham speaks to Coal River Mountain Watch’s Judy Bonds, Bobby Mitchell, Lorelei Scarboo as well as Alan Johnson for Christians for the Mountains.

Mary Anne Hitt is the director of Appalachian Voices and a native to the area. She spoke passionately at the IFG/IPS Teach-In about the effects of coal mining on both the land, and the culture, of Appalachia.

Music for this edition of Earthbeat comes from Moving Mountains – an album that benefits the fight against Mountain Top Removal Mining. The song is “The Fiddler’s Ballad” by Jen Osha with Wolf Creek Session.

Our theme music is Baladi by Tony Anka, Bellydance Superstars vol. 2.

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