Coalfinger - A James Bond Spoof by Greenpeace
Taking advantage of the press buzz around the release of Quantum of Solace, Greenpeace has released a new informational spoof of the James Bond movies entitled Coalfinger. The animated video aims to inform viewers about the dangers of coal-based power plants and to raise awareness about plans to build the first new UK coal fired power plant in 30 years at Kingsnorth in Kent. This plant, if built, would be the first of seven coal-fired power plants based across the UK.
According to the Coalfinger Web site, "As a lover of our planet, Graverson Green, like us, is not a fan of dirty coal. Cue Coalfinger, a coal super villain and Green's ultimate enemy! Along with his dopey sidekick Dr. Anthracite, Coalfinger plans to cover the world in coal-fired power stations and destroy the climate. Can Green stop them with the help of his assistant Katrina Hurkane?
Although this is an animation, it greatly relates to the world we live in today. The use of coal for energy is having an incredibly negative effect on the climate, and like Coalfinger, many energy companies around the world are forging ahead with plans for new coal-fired power stations despite the evidence of their impact. Green, on the other hand, reminds us that we must work together to stop dirty coal plants and fight for clean and renewable energy."
View the Video
Visit Greenpeace
Discuss Coalfinger at the MI6 Debriefing Room
Background Information :
Hundreds of millions of years ago, parts of the earth were covered by huge swampy forests. Over a very, very long time, with a lot of heat and pressure, the remains of the forest were converted into coal. People have delved deep into the Earth and created vast open mines to get at the stuff for heating and electricity. It is the largest source of fuel on the planet, but it is also the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions and its use is having a devastating impact on our climate.
While all fossil fuels are releasing hefty amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, coal is the most carbon-intensive. Because it is almost pure carbon, when it is burned it releases more carbon dioxide than any other fuel. The burning of coal is severely decreasing our chances of stopping catastrophic climate change.
And now there are plans the world over for even more coal-fired power plants. The British government is reviewing plans for the first coal-fired power station in 30 years at Kingsnorth in Kent, with another seven in the pipeline behind that. India has plans to build another 73 coal plants in the next 10 years. Germany utilities are planning 27 new coal plants, six of which have already been stopped by environmental campaigns.
The US is literally blowing the tops off of mountains to get at thin seams of coal which has damaged or destroyed about 1200 miles of streams. There are plans on the drawing board to build over 150 new coal plants in the US in the next few years, but 63 of these have already been stopped by environmental groups and people like you.
These new plants don't even have the capacity for heat capture. The UK plants are only 45 per cent efficient, meaning that most of the energy is lost as waste heat before it even reaches the transmission lines - pretty scandalous in an age where countries like Denmark are achieving up to 90 per cent efficiency in their power plants. The way we generate energy right now is downright crazy - we're using inefficient and archaic technologies that mean we end up throwing away far more energy than we actually use.
We really are at the energy crossroads: do we dogmatically pursue new coal in a business as usual scenario - even though we don't need it and business should be anything but usual these days? Or do we commit the world to a clean energy future, creating green jobs, increasing energy security and, crucially, slashing our carbon emissions.
Getting a genuinely clean and efficient energy system has never been more important.
The good news is that we know exactly what needs to be done to stop climate change - and the technologies we need already exist. The use of renewable energy sources such as wind, wave, tidal and solar power combined with increased energy efficiency would dramatically reduce our carbon emissions and our chances for stopping climate change.
Visit EfficienCity to find out more about the solutions to our energy needs and stopping climate change. EfficienCity is a virtual town, but pioneering, real world communities around the world are using similar systems. As a result, they're enjoying lower greenhouse gas emissions, a more secure energy supply, cheaper electricity and heating bills and a whole new attitude towards energy.
All information on this page (except the introductory paragraph) is courtesy of Greenpeace and Coalfinger.
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