by RACHEL DINKIN
Intern News Reporter

Google Earth produced a behind-the-scenes video about the campaign to end mountaintop removal in late October, giving special recognition to Appalachian Voices’ Matt Wasson and Benji Burrell for their work, among other “heroes.”

Google recognized Appalachian Voices for their use of Google Earth on their Web site ilovemountains.org to show damage from mountaintop removal.

In addition, Appalachian Voices was also awarded a spot in Good Magazine’s Top 100 for proving to be an excellent resource and leader in the movement to end mountaintop removal.

“We were really honored to be a part of the Google Earth video,” Appalachian Voices technologist Burrell said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to expand the base of people who are helping to end mountaintop removal.”

Burrell works with Web development programs, creates videos and constructs maps to help people who live in coal fields learn how to use their resources.

“Google Earth has really helped advance our ilovemountains.org research and has remained an essential tool in Appalachian Voices’ study of mountaintop removal,” Burrell said.

The ilovemountains.org Web site was created by Appalachian Voices in September 2006 to form an alliance among all of Appalachia, Burrell said.

While national news updates and personal blogs about mountaintop removal can be found on the Web site, its main focus is on the five states where mountaintop removal is prevalent: North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Burrell said some of the main concerns from people who live near a surface mine include losing their water wells from mountaintop blasting, having their water sources become contaminated, and for those who live at the mouths of valleys, destruction from dirt and rocks sliding down the valley when it rains.   

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Show/Hide comments