The True Cost of Coal

Sitting shoulder to shoulder, 14 hips locked into place, not an inch was left in the all-wheel-drive vehicle chosen to make the climb up Kayford Mountain.  I no longer had to sketch an image of the destruction caused by mountaintop removal in my head.  Typically,  I prefer my images painted, but not in this scenario. This trip brings the last 48 hours of community testimony to light.

Mountaintop Removal is the process in which mountaintops are literally blown to pieces in order to extract coal.  Seven members of the Sustainable Living Roadshow were welcomed by members of Mountain Justice to partake in their Fall Summit in Southern West Virginia. The Coal River Mountain Watch co-hosted the event with the RAMPS (radical action for mountain people’s survival) campaign.  They offered 1-3 hour workshops for three days.  The workshops included topics such as the history of Appalachian resistance, an edible plant walk, a lesson in soft blockades, coal slurry, WV sustainable energy policy, and the list goes on.

The Appalachian region, the second most bio-diverse environment in the world, has been subject to mountaintop removal since the 1970′s. The first mountaintop removal operation was launched on Cannelton Hollow in area once called Bullpush Mountain. Forty years later, mountaintop removal operations have destroyed over 500 mountains, 1.2 million acres of hardwood forests, and neighboring communities, displaced miners, and strip-mined the cultural landscape in the Appalachian region.  And let’s not forget about the by-product of MTR, coal slurry, or coal sludge. This mining waste product containing mercury, selenium, lead, chromium, arsenic, and copper is being dumped into nearby waterways where the water runs black.  This sludge is contaminating drinking water and poisoning the people around it. Life expectancy in this region in 20 years lower than that of the national average.

“People were fighting against strip-mining 40 years ago! They are fighting the same fight today, as if the laws were never in place!” says Carol Judy, a 61 year old activist in the Coal River Valley of West Virginia. Carol is referring to the SMCRA passed in 1977. She has been fighting against the coal industry for the last 40 years. Her personal battle began when she was just 21 years old.  At that time, her husband had been working for a strip-mining company.  When Carol became aware of the health risks and environmental damage, she started speaking out against such injustices. Her husbands job threatened, if Mrs. Judy did not keep quite.  Well, Carol has ceased to remain quite about this subject even after being burned out of her home 3 times for her activism.  Carol is truly a hero in this movement.

Another hero, is Junior Walk.  A 21 year old activist. Junior and Natashia Walk attended Marsh Fork Elementary school as children.  A school surrounded by a coal preparation plant and a 2.8 million gallon coal sludge impoundment. Run your finger across the top of a locker at this school, and the dust you might expect is more resembling of black ink, a finger print that can’t as easily be washed out our minds as it can be from our hands. A symbol of the imprint that the coal industry will leave on this area forever.

After High School, Junior was offered a job as a security guard at a MTR site.  Before long he was faced with a moral dilemma. He knew he couldn’t be a part in any way, shape, or form to the destruction of the mountains. He contacted Coal River Mountain Watch and started submitting anonymous articles to their newsletters.  Junior fixed a desktop computer into his car to write the articles while still employed as a guard up until he was offered a job with CRMW.

Junior currently attends schools and energy conferences as a public speaker telling of the dangers and devastation of mountaintop removal, as well as participating in tree sits.  He wants to continue the legacy of Judy Bonds, a devoted environmental activist on Coal River Mountain. Junior noted the amount of silent supporters who had contacted him after this brave action. Many whom said they would have been out there with him if their income wasn’t reliant on coal.

Mountaintop removal isn’t only removing mountains, it’s removing lives, livelihoods, bio-diversity, memories, our rights to clean water, and our safety.   Take a look at the true cost of coal. It’s a problem that doesn’t have an easy answer, but a question that is in desperate need of many.

We sang the words of John Prine as we decended from the mountain that day. These words will continue to reverberate through all of us.

“Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken. Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man.

And daddy won’t you take me back to Muhlenberg County. Down by the Green River where Paradise lay. Well, I’m sorry my son, but you’re too late in asking. Mister Peabody’s coal train has hauled it away. “

“Crazy” is the word I use. – Carol Judy.

The Greenbrier Ghost

In the spirit of Halloween and West Virginia, (where the Roadshow will sojourn for the next 2 weeks) I’d like to share some ghost-lore from the area.  This tale is the only one of it’s kind.  The legend of the Greenbrier Ghost recounts the event where the testimony from the supernatural being was used in the conviction of a murderer.  So, light up that jack-o-lantern, refill the candy corn dish, and take a deep breath of fright  with your cider.

The Greenbrier Ghost

Zona Heaster Shue

At twenty-three, Zona Heaster felt she had found love in a local blacksmith named Erasmus Stribbling Trout Shue. Zona’s mother, Mary Jane Heaster, disagreed. Something appeared fishy about this man, and it wasn’t just his name. But despite her mother’s protests, Zona and Erasmus married on October 20, 1896. The marriage lasted only three months.

On January 23, 1897, Erasmus Shue sent a young boy, Andrew Jones, to his house to see if Zona needed anything from the store. Andy arrived to find Zona stretched out at the bottom of the stairs with her feet together, one arm on her abdomen with her head tilted to the side. Thinking she might be asleep, Andy crept closer only to discover that her eyes were open and unblinking. He raced home to tell his mother, who notified the local doctor and coroner, George W. Knapp.

By the time Knapp arrived at the Shue home an hour later, Zona’s body had been moved to an upstairs bedroom by her husband. Not only had he moved the body, Shue had redressed the body—a dress that just so happened to have a very high and stiff collar—and covered her face with a veil.

Despite this, Knapp attempted to examine Zona’s body, but could not find anything out of the ordinary except a slight discoloration on her right cheek and neck. Of course, Shue severely hampered Knapp’s examination as he refused to leave his wife’s side but chose to cradle his wife’s head while sobbing hysterically. Eventually, Knapp gave up. At first he declared that she had died of “an everlasting faint” (known today as a heart attack) but later changed the cause of death to “childbirth.” Although Zona may have been pregnant at the time of her death—Knapp had been treating for “female trouble”–she had not recently given birth. (Zona had given birth to a child two years earlier, an event which caused quite a scandal because the child’s father refused to marry her.)

Shue House

Zona’s body was taken back to her parent’s home for the wake and burial. Shue appeared to be beside himself with grief. He never left his wife’s side, but kept a constant vigil by her the head of her coffin. Still, people noted that he behaved strangely, even for someone grieving. He allowed no one near the coffin. He had also placed a pillow on one side of her head and a rolled up sheet on the other side to help her “rest easier.” Then, he tied a scarf around her neck claiming that it had been Zona’s favorite.

At some point, Mary Jane removed the sheet from Zona’s coffin and tried to return it. Shue refused to take it. Noting that the sheet had an odd odor, she decided to launder it. When the white sheet was placed into the water, the water turned bright red and stained the sheet. However, when Mary Jane removed some of the water from the basin, it was clear. She took this event as a sign from her daughter. For four weeks, she prayed and asked her daughter to appear to her. Finally, she got her wish.

Late one night, Mary Jane was awoken by a bright light in her bedroom. Slowly, the light transformed into the form of Zona’s ghost. Zona then told her mother of the abuse she had endured during her brief marriage. The abuse finally exploded on the night before her body had been found. That night, Shue attacked Zona in a rage because he thought she had not cooked any meat for his supper and broke her neck between the first and second vertebrae. As proof, Zona turned her head completely around until she was facing backwards.

Zona returned to visit her mother four times before Mary Jane took her story to John Alfred Preston, the local prosecutor, and asked him to reopen the investigation into Zona’s death. Preston did not feel that a “ghost” justified such an act, but he was troubled by the rumors that had been circulating around town about Zona’s death. He decided to talk to Dr. Knapp. Knapp admitted that the autopsy had been incomplete. The two decided to exhume Zona’s body and do a full autopsy, if for no other reason then to end the speculation that Zona had been murdered.

Not surprisingly, Shue vigorously complained about the exhumation. He proclaimed that he knew he would be arrested once the investigation was complete “but they will not be able to prove I did it.” Shue was required to attend the autopsy, which took place in the Nickell School House on February 22, 1897 (children were released from school for the day).

During the autopsy, Knapp cut an incision along the back of Zona’s skull in order to remove and examine her brain. When he did, he discovered that Zona’s neck had been broken. According to the official report “the discovery was made that the neck was broken and the windpipe mashed. On the throat were the marks of fingers indicating that she had been choken [sic] … the neck was dislocated between the first and second vertebrae. The ligaments were torn and ruptured. The windpipe had been crushed at a point in front of the neck.”

Shue was immediately arrested, despite the fact that, besides Zona’s ghostly visitations, the evidence against him was mostly circumstantial. It was while he was in jail that Shue’s past came back to haunt him in another way. The prosecutor, and everyone else in the town, learned that Zona was not Shue’s first wife. She was his third. His first wife, Allie Estelline Cutlip, had divorced Shue in 1889 while he was in prison for stealing a horse. In her divorce decree, Cutlip claimed that Shue repeatedly beat her and was abusive. Shue then married Lucy Ann Tritt in 1894. Eight months later, Lucy was found dead under “mysterious circumstances.” According to Shue, she had fallen and hit her head on a rock. Few believed him, however, and in the fall of 1896 Shue left town, eventually making his way to Greenbrier.

Shue seemed unbothered by these revelations. While in jail, he boasted that his lifelong goal was to have seven wives. Since he was still a young man, and his guilt in Zona’s death could not be proven, he did not see anything that would prohibit him from obtaining this goal.

Shue’s trial began on June 22, 1897. Although many people were called as witnesses, the highlight of the trial was Mary Jane’s testimony. The prosecution had no plans having Mary Jane tell how Zona had appeared to her. Not because it seemed unbelievable, but because said testimony was “hearsay” (even if it was second hand communication from a ghost.)

Zona’s gravestone

Such testimony is not allowed … unless it is brought up by the defense. Shue’s attorney, not the prosecution, decided to bring up Mary Jane’s claims to have seen her daughter’s ghost. The attorney attempted to badger Mary Jane, either to make her less certain or to make her appear crazy. His efforts backfired. The jury believed Mary Jane’s testimony and found Shue guilty, ten of the jurors even voted that Shue should be hanged. Since the vote for Shue’s death was not unanimous, he was sentenced to life in prison. Shue died in West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville on March 13, 1900. He is buried in an unmarked grave.

Highway Marker in Greenbrier

Zona’s ghost made no more appearances to her mother, but she has left her mark on history. If you travel down Route 60 in West Virginia you can find a historical marker outside Sam Black Church. The marker reads “Greenbrier Ghost” that reads, “Interred in nearby cemetery is Zona Heaster Shue. Her death in 1897 was presumed natural until her spirit appeared to her mother to describe how she was killed by her husband Edward. Autopsy on the exhumed body verified the apparition’s account. Edward, found guilty of murder, was sentenced to the state prison. Only known case in which testimony from ghost helped convict a murderer.”

The Greenbrier Ghost historical marker can be found on US Route 60 (eastbound) where it junctions with I-64. Zona Heaster Shue is buried in Soule Methodist Church Cemetery. The house where Zona died and the one where she appeared to her mother are both private residences.

G M Oh NO!

“You asked for it and we are bringing it to you live, folks.!  Spider Goats outnumber Spinach Pigs in the latest episode of GMO Warz! Stay tuned to see who will battle the notorious Tomato Fish.  Now a

few words from our sponsors, take it away Monsanto.”

What sounds like arbitrary animal/plant/insect combinations to create a stage for a sci-fi mutant battle, isn’t far from what is going on in laboratories across the globe. DNA of plants and animals are being modified to attach traits to living things that would not occur in the natural world.  This is done through the cutting and reattaching of portions of genetic makeup from one organism to another.

Genetically modified seeds are at the forefront of discussion here in SLR land.   Monsanto has used genetic engineering to patent seeds that contain insecticides, such as the ones found in Roundup, a pesticide they developed in 1980.  We don’t know exactly what the health effects will be from consuming GMOs at this point, but we do know that Roundup is toxic.  We also know that pollen from a GM plant can travel up to 100 km and contaminate organic grower’s fields.  We also know that the more insecticides that are being used, the larger the threat of insecticide resistant bugs is.  Thus needing an even higher level of toxin to kill that insect, and so on until we have created superbugs and weeds.   This very same issue is also happening in our medical field.  With the wide spread use of antibiotics, we are creating bacteria that is antibiotic resistant.  In my opinion, this issue, even more than health, is very pressing.

Currently the SLR has teamed up with the Right2Know March to demand that GMOs in our food are labeled.  We believe that consumers should have appropriate knowledge when it comes to their food choices and environmental impact.  The march is from Brooklyn, NY to Washington DC.

Marchers travel about 20 miles a day on average.  Followed by our friendly ‘lag wagon’ and our, ever so, luxurious carpeted port-o-potties.  The wagon is intended to transport any stragglers that have found themselves of drastic distance from the group.  Much needed, as the day lengthens.  This also helps to rejoin and make our voices heard as the group enters cities and towns.

Almost everyday there is a mid-point stop at a co-op or natural foods store to help spread the word about GMOs.  The SLR sets up information and entertainment for the general public. This is also an opportunity for Everybody’s Kitchen to serve us some much needed organic grub.   Then the marchers continue on to that days ending point, generally this has meant the closest campground we can find.  We eat, hydrate and shower off in Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap traveling foam shower.  Quite the site, I must say, and head to bed.  Repeat.  When all is said and done, most of this group will have walked 315 miles.  A small price to pay for our freedom of choice, they’d say.

Please check us out at Right2KnowMarch.org for more information AND if you are interested in signing our petition visit JustLabelIt.org

Also feel free to ask any questions surrounding this issue, we have a number of educators on this topic in our midst, as well as people very familiar with the science aspect. Thank you and good night.

Solar Sewing. Really?Really.

Everyone! This is Paul. Our resident renewable energy seamster artist.  We met up with him at the Philly Folk Festival, when he impressed us with his 1920′s ukulele/banjo skills. What was even more impressive was that he runs his portable sewing machine off of solar power and bike power. Paul is a sewing artist who makes embroidered patches. You give Paul an idea, 5 words or less, and he sews it on anything you want. Give him the corner of your shirt, the back of your hat, or let him sort through the inevitable box of scraps he has accumulated.  A snippet of your imagination, to live forever.

A little back history on Paul.  His original art form existed in drawing and painting.  His liking towards functional art progressed into putting his art on candles.  That wasn’t quite right, but it was the road that eventually led him to start sewing his designs.  When he started traveling the country, his means for income came through the sale of his sewing, which he started doing on t-shirts and pants only.  What he found was the general population wasn’t willing to part with a shirt.  That is when the patch designs were born.  He started with a theme called, fishtown.  Mister Fish Pants, the founder, and many more friends to follow.  He is currently focusing on returning to his original draw art, only now his pencil is a finer tipped needle.

Today is our last day with Paul, he is returning to the West Coast.  Thank you Paul for your inspiring creations and refreshing originality.  We will all miss you.

For more information on Paul and his fabulous patch art, visit his wesbsite. www.pnosa.com

Long Haired Freaky People

To be honest, I was very indecisive about going on this trip.   Before I accepted an interview, I told Drew, “Never mind, I don’t think this is going to work out for me.”  I wasn’t sure if I was leaving for the right reasons.  I knew it would be fun. I knew it would be great to see the country.  I knew I’d make new friends. BUT was that enough. I didn’t think so.  I wasn’t sure if as a group, a few carnival games, some eco info and an alternative shopping place was enough to have an affect on people, and me.  Basically, was it worth giving up all my local efforts.

Well, I decided that this small town girl need to take a chance on the SLR. Perhaps the experience I would gain as an intern would in-fact make me a more marketable candidate in my future endeavors.  So, I hung up my comfy blanket and strapped on my, soon to be worn in, adventure boots.

Well, today and in the days that have passed, I have put my indecision at ease.  The SLR has proved to be not only a group that has been able to withstand the series of unfortunate events, namely: 60mph winds destroying every 4 legged canopy we had, two of our busses breaking down, and our trailer nearly detaching on an interstate highway. But, has also been a collective I’ll be proud to sign my name to.

A couple of weeks ago, now, we went to a church in Horschem, Pa for a impromptu meeting on transition towns.  The same town a few days previously had chased us out, at the sight of our California plates.  The lyrics, “And the sign said, long haired freaky people need not apply.” kept repeating in my head.  You have to expect that a large group of individuals on a mission to save the Earth, will hit some brick walls. Or in this case, white picket fences. Anyway, this was one of them.  But we used that jaded attitude as fuel to tie our capes that much tighter when we returned.  In the 2 hours I spent with the SLR and the progressive members of that community, I felt like we were a council of super heros.  Each of us brainstorming how to combine our knowledge most effectively to produce a more sustainable future.

Implementing processes and systems where there is a return, a reuse. Not a linear…start. produce. consume. end. what do we do with END. I hope we can figure it out before that is all we are left to see.

Judgement in: there has been at the very least an affect on myself.

Right to Know

While working on a design for the Sustainable Living Roadshow and the Right2Know March, a friend’s post regarding the failure of Columbia University’s sexual assault policy melded this design into a new being. Stay tuned to Feminism is for Lovers for the organic uprising that will follow.

 

Oh, fiddle sticks!

Hi friends.  We have a lot to catch up on, Wi-Fi isn’t always reliable on a traveling bus you know.  Especially not when you are battling for bandwidth with 12 other people.  But, none-the-less I am back and ready to share some more of my journey with y’all.

Yeah, that’s right, I say y’all now.  It’s infectious. When you’re in North Carolina, it goes with the territory, just like a refreshing Cheerwine.

So, let’s recap, I’ve been from Ohio(Midwest Reggae Festival) to Pennsylvania (Philly Folk Fest) to North Carolina(Music on the Mountain Top).  So far I’ve noticed that it doesn’t matter what festival you are at, people LOVE to hula-hoop.

As a professional, uh hem, festival goer at this point, I would have to agree with the locals, and say that there was something unique about the Philly Folk Fest. Some of the first campers I ran into were 3^rd generation campers.  They are not joking around about their dedication.  I also talked to a girl who was writing her senior thesis on the camping culture at the folk fest.  Not even mentioning the attractions.

On a transformed hay field in Schwenkesville, PA, as the roar of the audience dulls; across the fence in the campgrounds, the real entertainment comes to life.  Walking down the ‘streets’ of the campground you can’t step more than 20 paces without hearing a pyramid of musicians.  You could literally track the energy as it was carried down the lane.  As the strumming of the Irish traditional is slowed, you can hear the hoots and hollers of a newly formed super group.

There is no stage, no line-up to follow, no expectations.  It is just one giant interactive workshop of fiddles, handclaps, banjos, and harmonies.

This is not to down play the wonderment of being at a festival in the mountains however.    Music on the Mountain Top not only was held in the Blue Ridge portion of the Appalachian Mountains, but also was where I was introduced to the concept of a Earth Mandala.  Veronica, a crewmember that has been with the roadshow for about 5 years explained to me her inspiration for creating mandalas. It simply came about after she saw a feather strategically placed on the end of a tree branch.  It was someone else’s vision of displaced combinations in the natural world that inspired her to continue this art.  She informed me that various other cultures have used Earth Mandalas as centerpieces, if you will, for celebrations and group reflections.  As for my experience, it brought together people from all age groups to be creative and build something beautiful together.  The Mandala was a natural altar without the boundaries of membership or wallet. A magnificent compliment to the echo of blue grass in the background to this scene.

As we made our last round before leaving our allotted camp space, I heard music from a radio, a foreign sound at that point of the week. That rock-n-roll was noise pollution.