The current mining practices are radically destroying everything about our way of life.They generally buy, burn, blowup and then throw some eerie looking chartreuse colored grass( reminds me of astro turf) on flattened mountains and then say it's "reclaimed".They send miners to theirs deaths w/ insufficient equipment to survive in the presence of a cave-in when the technology is readily available to insure survival for many. They won't waste their profits on protecting the life of a coal miner. When the coal is extracted, they're on their way to Fiji or to buy another Mercedes, and the real money goes back to the cities. Greed is a basic aspect of of human nature and left unchecked( which is the current situation in Southern WV), it will continue to destroy our towns and our culture. The impetus to change the situation has to come from deep within the residents of West Virginia.My hope is that they will unite and insist on safer deep mining practices with the use of current safety technology and improved working conditions within the mines. That they will protect their hometowns, their mountains and their way of life, by not allowing mountaintop removal operations. Nationally we can assist by voting in environmentally aware politicians who may help. We can visit and become aware of the reality of the current situation as picture is worth a thousand words.We can resolve to learn the facts. There is much we can and should do. However, the real impetus to protect southern West Virginia must come from the hearts of West Virginians who are ready to move into the future but are firmly resolved to keep the essence of their culture and their state intact. Gail Burgess