http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/01/coal.html

The photos say it all. Amongst the most harrowing I have seen. Photojournalism at its best. Neither can I pretend that I do not have my part to play in this. The alternative ?……….

If only I had the answer to that.

The answer – I am all electric! 😉

But seriously harrowing pictures. Hard to force change on this, as were were there once. Though maybe with pressure, help and encouragement we can get these countries past the sheer explotation of people. Then we can try and clean up our act before Mother Nature decides to clean us up.

Unfortunately as long as there is demand, someone will always be willing to supply.

Though maybe with pressure, help and encouragement we can get these countries past the sheer explotation of people.

Big businesses access to cheap labour trumps human rights.

tbh go back a few years, and the photo’s could have been taken here

tbh go back a few years, and the photo’s could have been taken here

One of them was 😥

Some beautifully taken images though.

Some of them remind me of this guy’s work…

Sebastian Selgado

Al Jazeera has been screening a series of documentaries called Working Mans Death. I’ve only caught a glimpse of the sulfur mining one called Ghosts and have been recording the rest. Very moving but also very beautifully shot, proper observational documentary of the sort our main stream reality-format channels have lost the confidence or conviction to make.

Stunning photos documenting some depressing realities. Puts all of our “what tyres for…” dilemmas into perspective. And you’re right, we all play our part in this.

I suppose, as mentioned above, it was us not that long ago. Yet we have managed to move away from such an inefficient and dirty system of producing power, although we still do rely heavily on fossil fuel burning power stations.

Can we really envision a day when we will not be digging in the ground for coal, oil and gas ?

Big businesses access to cheap labour trumps human rights.

Sadly, all too true. Liberal pipe dream ? Quite possibly.

As always amazing photojournalism from The Boston Globe.

Many big brands make a fuss about having no child labour in their far east factorys but what about the child labour used to power those factorys?

it was us not that long ago

NO – as posted, above. It is STILL us, today, last year….

don simon – Member
Unfortunately as long as there is demand, someone will always be willing to supply.

Posted 1 hour ago # Report-PostMSP – Member

Though maybe with pressure, help and encouragement we can get these countries past the sheer explotation of people.

Big businesses access to cheap labour trumps human rights.

We are the people that demand! How about buying what you know is correctly sourced, how about paying a little more for the stuff you need and not having what you want whenever you want it. The supplier always meets the demand, so demand better and pay what it takes to get it right. it’s in our hands. Stop the blame game, do something!

Yet more photographic proof that our hunger for resources has a massive impact on the world we live in – both in terms of the environment and humankind.

Sustainability is the key to us not wrecking the planet and we all need to do our bit.

I’m sure I read somewhere there’s only 120 odd years of coal left in our planet. No idea what the figure is for oil.

Just like mining coal was in the Somerset coal fields until the early 1970s when the guss and crook was used

The alternative ?……….

If only I had the answer to that.

Yes, stop buying coal, and anything else, the problem with that is it puts every person in those pictures out of work.

I’m sure I read somewhere there’s only 120 odd years of coal left in our planet.

I thought it was 1000’s for coal, the problem was that its by far the most poluting way to get energy, hence the impetus to build coal fired stations that pump the CO2 back underground, vast ammounts of energy, minimal polution.