The United States has 250 Billion tons of recoverable coal…
““The United States has 250 Billion tons of recoverable coal reserves - enough to last 100 years even at double the current rate of consumption.' We humans have inhabited the earth for many thousands of years, and now we can look forward to surviving for another hundred by doubling our consumption of coal? This is national security? The world-ending fire of industrial fundamentalism may already be burning in our furnaces and engines, but if it will burn for a hundred more years, that will be fine. Surely it would be better to intend straightforwardly to contain the fire and eventually put it out! But once greed has been made an honorable motive, then you have an economy without limits. It has no place for temperance or thrift or the ecological law of return. It will do anything. It is monstrous by definition.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Critique of endless fossil fuel consumption and its ecological consequences.
In simple terms: Uncontrolled coal use harms the planet.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for sustainable energy policies.
Themes
environment
economics
ethics
industrialism
sustainability
Mood
concerned
urgent
Type
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- energy planning
- public education
- activism
- legislative reform
Key Concepts
resource depletion
climate change
industrial growth
moral economy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance energy demand with ecological limits?
- What alternatives can replace coal without causing economic disruption?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overlook transitional energy needs and economic realities.