Dirty coal PR mines new depths
Via the excellent climatedenial.org I came across this advert where GE attempts to show how great coal is:
As George rightly points out "This is a hard core denial ad. It’s aim is to undermine environmental concerns. Its core message is: “don’t believe those whingeing (ugly) greenies- coal is great and will never be banned’’.
As a commenter points out even the song used in the ad is actually about how badly coal miners where treated in the past!
Not only is coal now apparently sexy it's also so 'down with the kids', here's a pro coal astroturf group website featuring cool kids educating their peers about how coal is so abundant, safe and secure as if energy and coal is the hot playground topic in the US today. If you can stand the "how great coal is kids" facts delivered in sugar coated soundbites by little PR scripted kiddies there's one waiting for you on every section. All made by the "Americans for Balanced Energy Choices" that surprise, surprise is funded by the US coal industry.
Never mind that coal is the worst possible fuel for the climate, those added extras - mercury, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides, forget about mountain top removal, open cast mining and mine deaths. No, just apply millions of dollars of PR spit and polish and king coal will surely return!
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Comments
The coal industry seems to be absolutely shameless. I just posted on Rainforest Action Network's blog about their sponsorship of CNN's presidential debates. It's no surprise that no questions came up about global warming.
Posted by: Luke | January 25, 2008 8:17 PM
Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VlhkKlAzSU
Our coal is sooo clean...
Posted by: Adriaan | January 25, 2008 11:25 PM
Well, besides the obvious greenwashing... I think this i one of the most sexist clips I have seen yet...
Posted by: Tom | January 25, 2008 11:38 PM
Oh my gawd! I can't believe that video, the song and the ridiculous attempt at brainwashing the public! I also vomited at the totally irritating kids on that "learn about coal" propaganda website. I was shocked that they claim that they are trying to present a non biased, fair informational website on coal! WTF!!!!???
Posted by: Lisa | January 28, 2008 2:04 PM