Coal in Appalachia: Blasting, Kovarik, Martoucci, Veazey

"Coal in Appalachia," the third session of the Writing Green Conference today, brought a meeting of the minds, which led to a consequential squaring off on an issue that threatens to turn the way we think of energy upside down.

Coal, our nation's primary energy producer, is slowly ceding ground in the debate about what should be powering our country.

T.J. Blasting, research scientist for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, started the forum by discussing the issue of carbon emissions in relation to coal.

Next was Dr. Bill Kovarik, professor of communications at Radford University, as well as an editor at Appalachian Voices. Dr. Kovarik discussed the issue of journalists failing to take initiative in environmental testing, researching, and analyzing their own data.

He also spoke of TVA's lack of direction and initiative in an efficient response to the coal ash spill, or lack there of, in his opinion.

TVA was represented immediately afterwards, though, and TVA public relations coordinator Barbara Martucci went into detail about TVA's recovery steps.

Finally, Liz Veazey, campus coordinator for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, wrapped up this session by discussing student involvement and awareness, social media and the "Blogosphere" effect on catastrophes.

To listen to streams of the forum, as well as discuss some of the questions and issues raised by today's conference visit the Writing Green ning.com network.