---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because it’s Appalachia. The coal…"
description: "\"“Because it’s Appalachia. The coal companies are destroying our mountains, towns, culture, and lives, and it’s not a story.”\" — John Grisham"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/john-grisham-974_appalachia_because-it-s-appalachia-the-coal-compani_2544011.jpg"
---

#  Because it’s Appalachia. The coal companies are destroying…

![“Because it’s Appalachia. The coal companies are destroying our mountains, towns, culture, and lives, and it’s not a story.” quote by John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/john-grisham-974_appalachia_because-it-s-appalachia-the-coal-compani_2544011.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/john-grisham-974_appalachia_because-it-s-appalachia-the-coal-compani_2544011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/john-grisham-974_appalachia_because-it-s-appalachia-the-coal-compani_2544011.jpg)

> ““Because it’s Appalachia. The coal companies are destroying our mountains, towns, culture, and lives, and it’s not a story.””

[John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker argues that environmental degradation in Appalachia is ignored because it lacks a compelling narrative, leading to cultural and human loss.

**In simple terms:** Appalachia’s damage is overlooked without a good story.

Key Takeaway

Tell the story to protect the region.

Themes

environment culture justice media politics

Mood

urgent somber

Type

activist expository

When to use this quote

- policy advocacy
- community organizing
- media campaigns
- education programs

Key Concepts

environmental degradation storytelling regional identity

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we create narratives that drive real action?
- What role should media play in highlighting environmental injustice?

A Different Perspective

Stories alone may not change corporate practices without systemic policy change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Appalachia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalachia/) [Appalachia Coal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalachia-coal-1458720/) [Coal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coal/) [Coal Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coal-companies-827466/) [Destroying Mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying-mountains-1116271/)

## Related quotes

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[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [But overall, Obama's record on the environment has been uninspired - and that's putting it kindly. He hasn't stopped coal companies from blowing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/but-overall-obama-s-record-on-the-environment-has-been-uninspired-and/)

[Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/)

> [The Environmental Protection Agency rarely follows up prosecuting coal companies and their fellow polluters, even when the evidence is clear-cut that they are dumping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-shuster/the-environmental-protection-agency-rarely-follows-up-prosecuting/)

[Suzy Shuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-shuster/)

> [Coal companies have a lot of power in the media, and unfortunately a lot of information doesn't get out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-richardson/coal-companies-have-a-lot-of-power-in-the-media-and-unfortunately-a/)

[Kevin Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-richardson/)

> [I'm the only candidate which has a policy about how to bring economic opportunity - using clean, renewable energy as the key - into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-the-only-candidate-which-has-a-policy-about-how-to-bring-economic/)

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> [...Senate Doc. # 259. The 65th congress(:)...The coal companies made between 100% and 7,856% on their capital stock during the war (to end all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/senate-doc-259-the-65th-congress-the-coal-companies-made-between-100/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [“New Rule: Coal companies have to stop calling coal "energy." That's like a lumber company calling wood "fire." Or Budweiser calling beer "urine." Okay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-coal-companies-have-to-stop-calling-coal-energy-that-s-like/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [From the industry's point of view, the problem is not that coal companies blast the top off mountains, turning the area into a moonscape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/from-the-industry-s-point-of-view-the-problem-is-not-that-coal/)

[Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/)

> [“Mountaintop removal is nothing but strip-mining on steroids. Appalachian coal is found in seams, sort of like layers of a cake. At the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/mountaintop-removal-is-nothing-but-strip-mining-on-steroids/)

[John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/)

## More by John Grisham

> [“Do you read them? Faulkner, Hemingway, Fitzgerald?" "Only if I have to. I try to avoid old dead white men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/do-you-read-them-faulkner-hemingway-fitzgerald-only-if-i-have-to-i/)

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> [I don't really think the outburst is recent; there have always been writers in Appalachia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-don-t-really-think-the-outburst-is-recent-there-have-always-been/)

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