Well! I've never written a blog entry, and frankly, I don't often read them, either--so we'll see how this goes. We're supposed to write about our course expectations and questions we hope will be answered, which is unfortunate, because I have often found that I have a hard time articulating what I expect from a course. I read a course description (or hear about it from somebody), go "Hey, that sounds cool!" and then I sign up for it, if I can... and all I really expect is, well, that it will be as cool as I thought it would be. I guess it's because I'm usually more concerned with the process, rather than working towards an end--if I make the most of the process, the end will turn out all right.
(Is it just me, or does this sound a lot like a cop-out? Darn.)
That said, I do have one question--so far--that I hope will be answered: does the Appalachian region have potential for environmentally sound energy production? Of course it is notorious for strip mining, mountaintop removal, and other destructive ways of accessing the coal that is found there, but is the terrain suitable for any other sort of energy production? Even if you could, say, top the hills with windmills instead of razing them, would it be viable from an economic standpoint? From an energy production standpoint? Could the region produce a comparable amount of energy while better preserving the environment? Would the installation of cleaner coal mining techniques impact the local economy? What impacts does coal mining have on the socioeconomic status of the region? What does coal do to people? Is it as bad as the movies, documentaries, and even that one "hillbilly opera" I saw on a high school theater field trip make it out to be? Does the romanticization of the Appalachian coal mining culture have any effect on... anything? Much of Appalachian culture is portrayed as steeped in tradition; how much resistance to change is there at ground level, as opposed to the corporate or political level?
Gosh, that turned into several questions, didn't it? And hey! I suppose now I could say that I expect the course to shed light on some of them.
I also expect the course to be cool.
Ciao, folks.
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Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteLots of great questions! I think some of them will be answered next class when Professor Gerritsen talks about renewable energy technologies and where the resource is distributed throughout the country. If your questions aren't covered definitely ask her about it, she is your best source of information on these topics.
As to Appalachian culture, we will be talking some about that in the next couple weeks, so stay tuned!
Sam