Clean Coal

I thought that the site for “America’s Power” seemed to give information and sources that supported their stance for clean coal but the further I read I noticed that the website seems to be sugarcoating the issue of using coal to generate energy and makes it seem like coal is our only option. The site claims to have “facts” and that its opponents have no proof or reasoning behind their claims. This site doesn’t seem to be giving as much information as I would expect and doesn’t seem to be as honest and straight-forward as the website for “This is Reality”. I felt that this site gave much more information on what clean coal is and is not. I also think that this site had a more open view and discussed different ways on reducing greenhouse gases than the other site had. Clean Coal is supposed to be a new way of using and creating energy without emitting greenhouse gases.

“This is Reality” is giving a stance on how to generate energy and power for our country with as little pollution as possible. This site also discusses the fact that no plant in the US uses clean coal or permanently stores CO2. “America’s Power” focuses on the fact that the US has such an abundant amount of coal that it is necessary for our country to obtain and use coal to generate power. “This is Reality” suggests that we take smaller steps in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by using/taking part in the available technology that is proven to reduce emissions and to wait until we are sure that clean coal technology can be produced and will be effective and beneficial towards reducing the harmful gases into our atmosphere.

It seems that the site for “America’s Power” is aiming towards an audience that is either unaware or uninterested in the problems of pollution, such as wealthy people and those who care greatly about technology and obtaining energy in order to do what they want. The other website seems to be aiming towards people who aren’t really sure of the position our country is in but want to help and raise their awareness of the situation. “This is Reality” is sponsored by MIT CO2 Capture and Storage Project, Center for Global Development, IEA Greenhouse Gas R&G Program, and Sierra Club Environmental Law Program. I think that the support from these groups provide a lot of credibility because they study this for a living and see this issue as very serious because they are taking the Earth’s and the citizens’ future into account. “America’s Power” on the other hand, is sponsored by companies that produce/use coal and have no sponsors from organizations that deal with the environment or greenhouse gas emissions.

“America’s Power” uses emotional appeal by discussing the large amount of coal our country has and how this supply could sustain us for the next 200 years. The site is trying to appeal to those who take part in using and/or supporting companies and products that require pollution in order to gain what they want or “need”. I think that “This is Reality” is more concerned with informing us about what clean coal really is and uses facts and resources that are really effective in getting the reader to understand our options and our current position.

“This is Reality” has an important visual representation of the canary dying because of the pollution we are causing. The other site is quite plain and unappealing.

I believe “This is Reality” is more persuasive because it covers almost all areas of the issues and is out to help our environment and atmosphere from further deteriorating. “America’s Power” only focuses on why coal is so great and ignores the other serious problems that surround the process of getting and using coal.