The reason so many people in America champion coal as a necessary source of energy has nothing to do with its effect on the environment. Rather, it’s because coal mining employs so many people in the US, or at least, it used to. But with coal quickly falling out of favor, many coal miners are finding themselves out of work. In the Appalachian Mountains where coal was once king, many coalfield communities are filling the gap left by the dwindling coal industry by building outdoor recreation opportunities where mines used to be. For example, West Virginia’s Hatfield-McCoy Trails consist of about 600 miles of off-roading trails weaving around and through former mining sites in multiple counties, with plans to more than double that. One report calculates the transformation of these mines into trails generates around $22 million annually for the area—while also benefitting the environment. Recreation activities, however, aren’t the only way former coal mines are being transformed. One retired coal mine has been turned into farms growing crops that do well on mine land, such as lavender or hemp. Others are developing renewable energy. As coal continues to fade away as a source of energy in America, the transformation of these historic coal mining towns into profitable entities provides hope to other coal-dependent areas and shows that life after coal is possible.
How outdoor recreation is giving historic mining towns new life after coal
More of Today's Solutions
Data centers explained: the hidden infrastructure behind your daily digital life
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every time you stream something, pay a bill, or ask an AI a question, a server somewhere is ...
Read MoreThree signs your garden is overheating and what to do about each one
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM It's usually around this time of the summer season when you find out which plants you’ve been taking ...
Read MoreFour surprising reasons to add more mushrooms to your diet
Here at The Optimist Daily, we are huge fans of mushrooms. As each year passes, more scientists are turning toward fantastic fungi to treat ...
Read MoreSecrets of the sea: hidden underwater forests may help fight climate crisis
The Nature Conservancy's marine biologist Frank Hurd spends his days amongst gigantic kelp curtains, studying underwater forests. One of his usual diving haunts is ...
Read More
