Movie Analysis: On Coal River

The modern pursuit for resources to build society has left a negative impact on our environment. While many communities need industry to live, as it offers employment and a way to survive, it also is poising the backyards of the people that work in industry. The film “On Coal River”, emphasizes this dangerous situation. A Massey Corporation coal mine in “Coal Valley” West Virginia was built next to Marsh Fork Elementary. Parents began to worry about their children when black coal dust began covering the playground, and a one-hundred-foot dam was built behind the school that held hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic waste. The dam also leaked toxic heavy metals into the local watershed, poisoning the community’s water. These dangers prompted community members to act. Community members protested for nearly 5 years, meeting the governor and senators of West Virginia and did not gain any progress until an incident occurred at the mine that prompted Massey Corp. to donate money for a new school.
The specific type of mining that occurred in this area, strip mining, lead to deforestation because whole mountains needed to be blasted away. This change in landscape led to a severe loss of natural habitats and bio-diversity. The loss of natural habitat is starting to destroy the community around Marsh Fork. In fact, deforestation was a, or perhaps the, major factor in the collapse of past societies. (Ritzer & Dean, 2015) Nearly 500 mountains and 1,200 miles of streams were lost because of the coal mining (Wood & Cavanough, 2010). Massey Corporation could destroy many natural streams thanks to an environmental “points” system through the EPA. For every stream that was destroyed, they had to help rebuild and repair other streams in the area to offset their destructive acts. This was very like the carbon tax cap and trade that was discussed in