Coal Industry Harmful to Many

China’s coal industry is booming right now and providing all the fuel needed to power their economy, but the effects of coal mining are doing more harm than good to the earth. The small village of Shanxi, China is being hit hard with these damaging effects as they watch the earth around them crack and basically watch the walls of their houses cave in. There are three large coal mining operations below the surface working day and night keeping China the world’s largest producer of coal. The people living here have experienced what feels like earthquakes, but are actually the dynamite being used in the mines, and no longer have running water to their private wells. A truck now has to haul water into the town to supply households with drinking water. The people of these small villages in China are protesting against the operations and have petitioned to move out of the town. Not only are the people around these areas being affected, but huge amounts of carbon dioxide are being released into the atmosphere adding to global warming. Although, the coal industry is what stimulates the economy in China, is it right to continue operations when the effects are so harmful to the earth and the people? There has to be a way to continue coal production with less harm especially to these individuals. One solution may be to supply these individuals with a home somewhere off the premises of the mines, but not all people are willing to move after they have made a home and are comfortable where they live. What do you think should be done about this issue?