Coal: Energy, the Environment and West Virginia

Recently, Imagine West Virginia, the research and policy arm of A Vision Shared, put out their research paper on the future of coal and its potential for West Virginia's economy. We encourage you to read it and post your feedback:

http://www.imaginewestvirginia.com/

We hope to host a discussion on this at the Create WV Conference featuring voices from all angles. For now, what are your thoughts on the following?

• What are your thoughts on the report and coal's impact on West Virginia's future economic and social success?
• Can coal and creativity co-exist? If so, under what conditions and assumptions?
• How can "Friends of Coal" and "Friends of Communities" engage in a healthy, productive dialogue that could lead to solutions for our state?

Comments

[Heidi Parker Schmalbach]

Influential art movements emerge as a response. The rich and often sad history of West Virginia has created a unique culture of fear, pride, isolation, creativity and survival. This is evident in the music, art, dance, and all other forms of expression that we see all over the state. Through art, we can expose the pain and hardships of the state in a way that promotes beauty and tolerance.

From a more pragmatic standpoint, encouraging the coal industry to admit mistakes and commit to better practices is something we can do. Wouldn't it be the perfect irony to see the very industry that has been responsible for many of the physical and social scars of the state take a position of arts advocate. They have the resources and the power to make it happen (space, influence, money). If we were to act as an ally rather than staunch dissenter, we might be able to leverage their power to our advantage. And if our new economy happens to grow stronger and more influential than theirs....oops.

Constructive collaboration can happen. Taking the stand point of impossibility accomplishes nothing. Whether the future is tragic or triumphant is completely within our control.