ABSTRACT
Nestled among the rolling green hills of southern West Virginia lie old towns like Clear Creek, Duncan Fork, Superior Bottom, and White Oak. The Appalachian Mountains of this region are home to some of the poorest people in the United States. For generations, residents have relied on coal mining for jobs and as a way of life. But many believe that “Appalachia is under assault” and that the industry that has sustained them for generations is now impoverishing them. Mountaintops are being blasted off to reach coal that lies within. In the process, mountains become wasteland, hardwood forests are lost, streams fill with toxic sludge, wells dry up, and entire communities are being driven away. 1 Miles away from these barren mountain tops, someone arrives home and flips a switch, wanting only light in the darkness and not thinking about what this involves beyond the walls of the house. For most people, electricity is an invisible force that flows in magically and silently to brighten a room, cool a refrigerator, heat a stovetop, or bring a television to life. Between monthly utility bills, most people give it little thought.
