February’s Reel Power featured film, Dirty Business: “Clean Coal” and the Battle for Our Energy Future, is an in-depth look at the coal industry, ‘clean coal’ technologies and the future of renewable technology. Produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting, and narrated by Rolling Stones reporter Jeff Goodell, the film takes audiences on a journey from MTR sites in Appalachia to the coal explosion in China. Dirty Business explores the true cost of our dependence on coal for electricity in the age of climate change.

Politicians and corporate interests have mounted a formidable public relations campaign promoting “clean coal” as a solution to our energy/climate problem. Despite major concerns on the part of scientists and environmental groups, there has been little public education about this issue, which is a central element of President Obama’s energy policy. Dirty Business is the first major public media project to explain and demystify “clean coal” and to explore the extent to which increased energy efficiency and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar thermal power might make “clean coal” unnecessary and uneconomical.

Take action with Reel Power and Dirty Business to educate your community about the truth behind “clean coal.”

Here’s how:

1) Host a Community Screening or House Party of Dirty Business during the month of February.  Use our screening guide and other resources to help make your event a success.
2)  Join the conversation on Facebook to let your voice be heard on energy issues.
3)  Plan ahead for March and get ready to host a screening of the Oscar-nominated Gasland.

For a solid piece of investigative, in-depth reporting on the full costs of coal, it really doesn’t get much better than Dirty Business. Interest in the film is truly amazing, as is the feedback that we have been getting from people who have shown the film. Here is a recent quote from the Northeast:

“Our Coal Night with Wellesley College was a great success in large part because of the screening of Dirty Business. The 45 students in attendance all enjoyed the film and asked incredible questions of our panel after. I have a few other campuses interested in screening the film, and I am excited to share it with them. Thank you for this opportunity!”
– Drew Grande, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Organizer

People all over the country are screening Dirty Business to help educate their communities and to inspire audiences into action! In Kansas, community organizers hosted screenings to help build local awareness of the dangers of coal pollution in opposition to the construction of another coal plant in their area. In Iowa, students at Iowa State screened Dirty Business to inspire more students and administrators to get their campus off coal. In Georgia, Dirty Business was shown at the EcoFocus Film Festival.