The Last Mountain takes a hard look at mountaintop removal mining and how it's destroying Appalachia.

Citizen protests about coal mining practices are nothing new. The photo at the top of this post represents local opposition to coal mining operations in Ohio in the 1970s. While strip mining is a destructive practice, mountaintop removal mining is far worse.

Large coal companies, like the notorious Massey Energy, have been polluting valleys and waterways and endangering workers and citizens for decades all in the name of providing us with cheap electricity. In the new film The Last Mountain, filmmakers expose the true cost of coal and follow an Appalachian anti-coal group in its efforts to stop Big Coal from further destroying their home.

Here's the official trailer:

What You Can Do

Want to do your part to get heard and reduce your dependence on coal? Here are some ways to get active:

• Reduce your energy consumption where you can. Whether you take steps to run your A/C less this summer or increase your appliances' energy efficiency, using less power means burning (and therefore mining) less coal.
• Sign the NRDC Petition asking President Obama to ban mountaintop removal mining.
• Send a letter encouraging the federal Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) to step in and require the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection do an environmental impact study, rather than automatically renewing the mining permits on Coal River Mountain.
• Use renewable power where you can. Invest in a solar water heater or solar outdoor lighting for your hard and home.

Have you taken any steps to reduce your dependence on coal? I'd love to hear more tips in the comments!

Image Credit: Photo via The U.S. National Archives