ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Burning the Future: Coal in America

Coal is a black rock that has been used for a very long time to make energy. People burn coal to make things like electricity that powers their homes and businesses.

However, burning coal also has a bad effect on the environment because it releases a lot of dirty things into the air. These dirty things, called pollutants, can harm people and the planet.

For example, when coal is burned, it makes a gas called carbon dioxide. This gas builds up in the air and traps heat, which causes the Earth to get warmer. This is called global warming and it's not good for the planet because it makes it harder for plants and animals to survive.

Burning coal also creates a lot of other pollutants, like sulfur dioxide, which can cause lung problems for people who breathe it in.

Even though other types of energy like wind and solar power are becoming more popular, coal is still used a lot in America. People are working to find ways to make burning coal cleaner and more safe for the environment, but it's not an easy problem to solve.

So, in short, burning coal can make energy, but it can also harm the planet and people. People are working to find ways to make it safer and cleaner, but we need to be careful about how much we use it.