JPG Magazine: Photos: "Burning the Spirit of Grand Father" by glenn capers

Burning the Spirit of Grand Father

By glenn capers

On 21 February 2008

Favorited 76 Times

Coal mining has a serious impact on the topsoil and vegetation, livestock, well water and human life once the coal gets in your lungs and in the water you drink.   Black Mesa is a part of the Navajo Reservation. A Navajo coal miner used coal along the roadside to start a fire in the cold winter to stay warm before driving off to operate a dredge-line in one of the open face pits.  Black Mesa is a place that yields the richest coal in the free world. Usually coal is found around six hundred and thirty feet below the surface. At Black Mesa coal is found only thirty three feet below the surface. You can literally take a shovel and gouge into the face of the coal and start a fire. Because of the ease to acquire this coal and for its extreme high energy yield and low cost for mining, Peabody Coal has raped the surface of Black Mesa not only for profit. Peabody coal keeps Las Vegas shining and air conditioned as well as hospitals homes and turbines operating. The coal Peabody extracts is was used in other regions east to west that are north of Black Mesa.

The Pea Body mines has suspended operations in 2005 following Mohave decision to shut down. Peabody Western continues working with the tribes to identify coal -related opportunities that would allow the Black Mesa to resume operations.
 The health impact from mining to humans is devastating if subjected to inhaling too much coal dust. During operation the land is taken away from the Navajos that ranched sheep in the area. The spread of coal dust also affected their small collective of livestock during the time of operation.  In the past Peabody has tried to recycle the land for the sheep herders. One of the initial plants approved was not digestible for the sheep and caused their stomachs to burst.   Today at most you can ride your horse and say the land looks scenic.  Although the people of this area fight to maintain a way of life that they have know for centuries, they still keep a faith inside their hearts.

39 Responses

On 21 February 2008 Alexis Gerard gave props:
Outstanding image, and information. As usual Glenn - GREAT.
On 22 February 2008 Sandra Broerse gave props:
Fantastic photograph Glenn, fits the theme perfectly!
On 22 February 2008 Emma Brahas said:
Great, Glenn. Like usually, good work! YEAH!
On 22 February 2008 Frédéric Frognier gave props:
Stunning capture my friend. It's a yeah!
On 22 February 2008 Emanuela said:
perfect for the theme, very powerful. Voted.
On 22 February 2008 Nelson Campbell gave props:
Yes, outstanding work all around!
On 22 February 2008 amir ali atighi moghaddam said:
Really great shot and very painful shot.......
On 22 February 2008 Steven Heipel said:
This is an incredible shot.
On 22 February 2008 Olivier Vin gave props:
Waow !!! I like very much theface of the man : looks like a skeleton ! Another strong one. Cheers !
On 22 February 2008 ashley bell gave props:
What a great image! You really have a knack for fining things..
On 22 February 2008 Chicago Love gave props:
Fire Fire The only thing that I regret here is that I wasn't the first to state how great and fierce this picture is. Bravo for the best human impact story and picture on jpg. I think we all feel the heat in this one.
On 22 February 2008 Gary Fudge gave props:
Powerful image Glen. I like the heat haze effect and the fact that the workman is actually looking to you (Us the viewers) An interesting story that kind of explains one of the reasons why the US Govt opted out of the Kyoto Protocol
On 22 February 2008 Steve Mitchener gave props:
Fantastic shot Glenn, Great emotion and perfect fit for this topic!
On 22 February 2008 Ratko Nedovic gave props:
Great shot.
On 23 February 2008 Pilar Coll i Gatells said:
Bona! my vote
On 23 February 2008 Valeria Cantor said:
great picture, Glenn!!! as always... :-) The colors, the power it has, everything. Perfect! I love your style, Glenn!
On 23 February 2008 Antje Sommer said:
awesome photo Glenn! As everybody already mentioned this fits the theme well. Thanks for the info, coming from a coal area myself (just with a huge hole in the ground, that even got villages moving) and inhaling the smoke from the factories for years I can literally smell the smoke in your picture. Great Work!
On 23 February 2008 Rogério Freitas said:
Great shot, perfect for the theme.
On 25 February 2008 *Peggy Sue* Harrington gave props:
wow
On 26 February 2008 rori johnson said:
I've seen this place from the distant road. Get a good wind and everyone is inhaling coal dust. I'm sure many of the Native Americans will suffer with Black lungs later in life. Oh did I say you picture shows the problem in action. I'm sure you'll do a story on this next. I might be old but I know how you think. Great moment in the act.
On 27 February 2008 Rachel McKinnie gave props:
Wow Glenn. You hit the nail on the head with this one.
On 27 February 2008 Laura Boston-Thek gave props:
I agree with all before me! Really spot on!
On 29 February 2008 B. Scott gave props:
you really have been reborn with fire
On 1 March 2008 Jan Hoffman gave props:
Superbly done!
On 3 March 2008 Sherry Davis Johnson said:
Anything be safety with this orange.
On 6 March 2008 Mrs. Soderberg gave props:
a huge yeah!!! FANTASTIC!
On 7 March 2008 Kevin Eatinger gave props:
Wow, great shot! Hell of a story! Great work
On 7 March 2008 Manuel Arrington gave props:
Well done
On 8 March 2008 melanie scott gave props:
very powerful
On 8 March 2008 Vicenç Alcaraz i Coll gave props:
Fantastic!
On 9 March 2008 Patrick zip gave props:
Awsome
On 14 March 2008 reza vaezpour gave props:
Excellent story, and shots. I agree with all before me.
On 14 March 2008 Sheng Wen Lo gave props:
Great ! Got my vote!
On 19 March 2008 Jessie Macaluso gave props:
naturally you have my vote!
On 19 March 2008 Joycee Donado gave props:
Voted YEAH! Wonderful and powerful image!
On 25 March 2008 Natalie Franco gave props:
Your work is truly remarkable :)
On 27 March 2008 Berette Macaulay gave props:
wow - I'm still reeling from the info too...! well done!
On 31 March 2008 debbie miller said:
Your subject is a force to be reckoned with as is this image. My skin is blistering from that powerful heat so beautifully captured. Voted.
On 4 April 2008 marshall peterson gave props:
that fire is very firey fierce!