I Heart Mountains



Glee Gloom
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.


Metro-Ad-3

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.

ILoveMountains
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.


16 comments:

  1. Lovely photo, I live in the mountains too! I would like to see such places protected as well. Today, somehow, I feel hopeful!

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  2. Wonderful photo... amazing tranquility. I could not imagine the mountains here in this part of Canada being destroyed. It would break my heart. I hope that this destruction ends soon.

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  3. oh dear....

    i am just back from flying
    over this area
    and
    i did wonder
    what i was seeing.

    :-0

    now that i know...


    i am sick.
    just plain sick


    """"the blessing and the curse"""
    the coal man said...

    what,
    what WHAT???

    keep up your involvement, please.
    i am over run
    with the dastardly deeds of mankind
    these days...

    must go find
    some goodness...
    will look at your beautiful photos
    and
    pray on it...

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  4. god, i love your mountains......the are so beatiful...you capture there beauty perfectly

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  5. Very nice photo!It have been really quietude for my heart , for my soul .

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  6. To beautiful to lose!! I heart Mountains.

    Even though the link doesn't accept Australian zip codes, so I used yours with my email details.

    This is sad to see but thankyou for making me aware of this monster. I hope the government see senses soon instead of dollars.

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  7. To beautiful to lose!! I heart Mountains.

    Even though the link doesn't accept Australian zip codes, so I used yours with my email details.

    This is sad to see but thankyou for making me aware of this monster. I hope the government see senses soon instead of dollars.

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  8. The sad part is that the government doesn't want to do anything about it because they make so much money from it theirselves. I think it is time to bite the bullet and just say no.

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  9. I love mountains too. How sad that this is happening. Thanks for sharing this information.
    Hugs and blessings,

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  10. Good cause! I LOVE MOUNTAINS! I hope my submission went through. I had to give a fake zip code because it didn't accept Canadian postal codes.

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  11. I LOVE MOUNTAINS!
    Don't know what happened to my comment that I left yesterday, but I did leave one telling you that I joined in. After that, I got busy and sent an email from the website to lots of my friends. I included you so you'd know that I acted (there wasn't a place for a cc).

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  12. I love mountains.

    Although I had to use my parents zip code because they didn't like my Belgian one.

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  13. That is terrible... good luck in your fight!

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  14. I love mountains!! (Even though I fell off one a while back..lol!). Your post is very sad and so very important. It reminded me of how I felt when I visited the Amazon Rainforest and learned about the impact of the deforestation there.

    Jessica, since I have been visiting your blog I have been touched by your warm heart... the way you see the world, the way you appreciate the things around you, the way you share the beautiful places that you visit through the medium of your blog. This post is no exception. This is such an important subject and you should be so proud that you are contributing to the action to stop the destruction! I have certainly added my name.

    Thank you for spreading the word and providing a little bit of education and awareness to your friends around the world.

    Warmest wishes

    Graham xx

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  15. Ok - I had time to watch the video. You're right, this is very sad. Anyway, I signed up. I do love mountains.

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  16. jessica i just clicked on the photo Glee Gloom and found myself on your page that celebrates your acceptance into the photography exhibit. that Fantasia is amazing as well!! belated but no less congratulatory applause from over here in Oregon!!

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