There is currently an enviromental crisis in the United States

Environmental Crises in the US The United States rests atop one of the most diverse ecological regions on the planet, and includes arctic tundra, mountains, plains, coastal regions, forests, swamps, deserts and dense urban areas. Each of these environments requires a delicate equilibrium in order to maintain it's continued existence, and many of them face unique challenges and potential crises. Con points out that many environmental protections have been implemented, and many successful strategies have been implemented to address the dangers caused by over-consumption and the use of fossil fuels. However, these laws and regulations do not comprehensively solve all of the environmental challenges that our continent faces. There are several serious ecological disasters and crises that are currently underway in America, or that present a serious risk. It should be noted that, according to the Round 1 instigation, Pro must prove that no environmental crisis is occurring in any of the many ecologic regions in America. This is a Burden of Proof that I feel cannot be overcome. Nevertheless, I will demonstrate that some environmental crises, some of them very serious, do in fact exist in the US. We are familiar with many environmental crises that are occurring in the US, but here are three.Invasive Species:The spread of Fire Ants, Zebra Mussels, Burmese Pythons, Snake-head Fish and other invasive species cost the US $120 Billion a year. Overpopulation The US population crossed the 100 million mark as recently as 1915, and has tripled since then. Severe overpopulation has already begun causing water shortages, crop shortages, dangerous pollution, energy shortages, fuel over consumption and food deserts. Unlike most European nations, the US population continues to grow rapidly, and will become unsustainable within 100 years, Carbon Emissions Although Con points to improvements in the amount of carbon emissions that are pumped into our air each year, the US remains the world largest polluter of carbon emissions. We produce 17.28 metric tons of carbon emissions each year in the US. Compared to China, which creates only 5.77 metric tons a year, and yet is famous for its poor air quality. [7] CO2 is a known greenhouse gas, and is known to be a major contributor to global climate change. [8] I am sure that Con will deny that any of these environmental disasters are actually happening. So, I thought that I would focus particular attention on what is perhaps the most obvious, indistutable environmental catastrophe that is currently happening in the US: Mountaintop Removal Coal mining - a practice that is threatening to destroy the entire Appalachian mountain ranges. It would be difficult to find a more obvious example of an environmental crisis than the spreading desolation that is taking place currently in Southern West Virginia. Mountaintop Removal has become common in that part of the state, and has caused nearly the entire Appalachian Mountain Range there to be transformed into a shattered moonscape of unspeakable toxic desolation Crisis in West Virginia Mountaintop RemovalCoal Industry tycoons such as Alpha Natural Resources (Formerly Massey Energy) in West Virginia have used their vast political influence to control the legislative process in the region in ways that give these companies nearly free reign to do as they please. [1] This political control has given rise to the astonishing practice of Mountaintop Removal coal mining. The near complete political domination that the coal industry holds on West Virginian politics makes Mountaintop removal completely impossible to stop. http://www.debate.org... What is Mountaintop Removal?Put simply, Mountaintop Removal mining automates the process of coal mining, replacing workers with high explosives. The entire summit of these mountains, including ridgelines, are blown off and dumped into rivers, lakes and streams. The mountain is destroyed in the process, as are forests, careers and habitats. The toxic rubble is then dumped into nearby valleys, and hundreds of miles of rivers, lakes and streams. These valleys and waterways are often completely buried by the debris. [2] http://www.debate.org... How Bad is the Problem?The scope of demolition is so massive that it cannot be described succinctly. The devastation is on such a large scale that it cannot be photographed from ground level - 1.2 million acres of forest land have been eradicated, 500 mountains have been flattened, 2000 miles of headwater streams have been buried, and 123 valleys have been filled with toxic waste, called "spoil." Several towns have been erased, and the coal industry is being wiped out - along with the careers and traditions that go along with it. 37.800832,-81.841133 Google Maps Coordinates, showing Massive deforestation (http://www.debate.org...)Perhaps most horrifying, the human toll is almost unimaginable. As a result of mountaintop removal coal mining, a 1967 disaster at a dam near Buffalo Creek failed, pouring 132 million gallons of toxic coal mine waste into a population of 5000 West Virginians. 125 people died, and 1,121 were injured. [3] As horrible as this incident was, it pales in comparison to the annual number of deaths that are now thought to be caused by Mountaintop Removal. The areas of Southwestern Virginia that are home to mountaintop coal mining are also victim of the highest rate of cancer in the nation. Those living near mountaintop removal coal mines develop cancer at a rate of 14.4% compared to 9.9% throughout the rest of Appalachia. http://www.debate.org... (Above: Areas where Mountaintop Removal mining operations are occurring have the highest rates of cancer deaths in the entire United States. 14.4% of premature deaths in the region are caused by cancer. The toxic waste that is caused by MT coal mining is known to cause cancer.)In fact, it is known that the death rate in mountaintop removal coal mine areas is so high that the overall life expectancy in the region has dropped significantly. [4] Conservative estimates of the dollar cost related to premature Mountaintop Removal coal mining from all causes is $42 billion annually. [6] http://ilovemountains.org...No image URL - interactive map"The Human Toll" life expectancy change" />http://www.debate.org... http://appvoices.org...No Image URL - PDF Original"Deaths From Cancer"" /> http://www.debate.org... http://www.debate.org...(Above) There are few laws that Coal companies are forced to obey. One of these is the stipulation that operations must respect a 100 foot protective zone around burial sites. Cruelly, there is no stipulation that the cemeteries must be accessible to those who have loved ones buried there. This is Jarrell Cemetery, surrounded on all sides by mining operations.(Below) Roger and his mother Quinnie are the last remaining residents of Lindytown, West Virginia. Every other resident has been bought out by the coal company, Alpha Natural Resourses (formerly Massey Energy.) http://www.debate.org...500 Mountains in America's Appalachians have been destroyed by Mountaintop Removal coal mining. This is an example of what it looks like. This former mountain is all that remains of Glen Alum Mountain. Also visible in the image, many surrounding mountains have also been eradicated. http://ilovemountains.org... Image URL: http://farm1.staticflickr.com...; />http://www.debate.org... http://www.debate.org...There is no definition of "Environmental Crisis" that can possibly exclude Mountaintop Removal coal mining. [1] http://www.opensecrets.org... [2] http://appvoices.org... [3] http://louisproyect.org... [4] http://ilovemountains.org... [5] http://www.roadsidethoughts.com... [6] http://www.sourcewatch.org... [7] http://data.worldbank.org... [8] http://www.skepticalscience.com...