Summary

In the opening pages of "Fuel," Schlossberg says the majority of US emissions come from energy and transportation sectors. The fuels used to support them lead directly to air, water, and atmospheric pollution.

In "The Other Problem with Coal," Schlossberg discusses her concern regarding coal ash, "the by-product of burning coal to generate electricity" (177). Since the Clean Air Act, two disasters involving coal ash have occurred: a power plant in Tennessee broke, emitting billions of gallons of ash into the Emory River; a North Carolina landfill collapsed, breaching dams and flooding nearby lakes with ash. Because reliance on coal for electricity remains prevalent, unregulated practices at power plants continue. The Clean Water Act, while well-intentioned, is constantly abused by powerful utility companies who rarely work with state governments.

In "The Wood for the Trees," Schlossberg discusses the use and production of wood...