Coal: Cheap. Abundant. Cheap.

The creative minds of Funnyordie.com are at it again with a parody of pro-coal campaigns, such as the FACES of Coal. The spoof provides a glimpse at the "wonders" of coal, which will make you laugh and then think more deeply about the fossil fuel. It starts out explaining that coal is great because it's cheap but ends with people smiling and not really knowing anything about coal. “The future is later,” one spokesperson says, who also admits that he doesn’t vote. The clueless people in the video are a reminder that we need to be more aware of how coal affects our environment and to act now and not in the future.

When the announcer says that coal is “Cheap, abundant, clean,” the words that appear on the screen are “Cheap, abundant, cheap,” a statement makes the viewer wonder about what the pro-coal campaigns are really telling us about coal and its effects. Just because coal is cheap and provides jobs doesn't mean it's a clean energy source.

Underneath the video's humor is a  clear, provocative message: “One thing stays exactly the same: coal.” It will always be harmful, dirty, and increase our carbon footprint.

For more information about coal, check out the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. Campuses Beyond Coal also has a funny yet insightful video about dirty coal.

--Julie Littman