I Heart Mountains

taken 04.22.2006

If there is anything that I classify as being near and dear to my heart,
it would be, 'my' MOUNTAINS! A quick scan of my blog would unequivocally prove that.
The mountains, my home, hold a very special place in my heart.

That being said, I mentioned (if you read) in my last post,
that I had a specific cause in mind that I wanted to raise awareness about.
After Saturday's festival, and a chance meeting with an old friend - who works with the
organization, I decided that it was time to take on another campaign.

I will let this short clip give you a little insight into what this organization strives to protect.

The Cause

Appalachian Voices is a highly committed group of people here in my community, who's mission
is to bring potentially devastating economical issues, like this, to the forefront.
They help people like you and me gain access to the tools and
resources necessary to get involved.
I have always related them to mountaintop removal,
but they tackle other threats as well.

Here, at Wayfaring Wanderer, through my posts, I attempt to share the beauty
that surrounds and inspires me on a daily basis.
With that message, I think that it's my responsibility and obligation to share
the atrocities that go along with the beauty that our region possesses.

I am severely saddened by what I have seen while doing
research on this massive devastation.
Not only does the environment suffer, but people do as well.
I have watched videos that showcase families directly
affected by these mining practices, and it is heartbreaking.

To see them wreck and ravage the land is almost impossible to
watch without getting choked up.
Almost 500 mountains have been decimated in the process;
this damage cannot be repaired to our nation's oldest mountains.

What can we do?

Support the Clean Water Protection Act (H.R. 2169).
It strictly prohibits the dumping of material into waterways for the purpose of waste disposal.

In 2002, the current Administration made a rule change which redefined “fill material” in order to include mining waste. Since debris from mountaintop removal is now acceptable “fill material”, coal companies are dumping millions of tons of mine waste into nearby streams using a streamlined permitting process.

Supporting this act can reestablish the original intent of the Clean Water Act.
Click here to find out how to contact your local representative in Congress.

Right now, the most important thing we can do is, spread the word, which is what I am attempting here.
ilovemountains.org is hosting a Blogger's Challenge to help aid in doing so.
Your pledge to end mountaintop removal requires very little of you to become a part of the solution.

Are you alarmed at what you've found out about mountaintop removal today?
Do you want to protect our ecosystems and communities from being ruined by this environmental devastation?

If so, please take the time to add your voice and become my recruit!
Sign up in the widget on my sidebar.

My Contribution......

For every person who takes the pledge I will donate $one dollar$ on your behalf to
Appalachian Voices' mission. At the end of my campaign, which I will run for one week,
I will match the pledges you all have made to donate one lump sum.
Although, I would like this to be a gigantic turn out, there is a $100 limit to what I can donate.

Once you have taken the pledge, please leave a comment here that states, "I LOVE MOUNTAINS!", so I know who joined in. It is not necessary to have a blog in order to take part.