NFEE

As readers and listeners, we are constantly dealing with differing viewpoints about many issues, especially those related to energy.

Newspapers, magazines, internet articles, along with advertisements and public service announcements on radio or television, urge us to support varying bodies of thought. It’s difficult to sort through the mountains of information and misinformation and gain the facts necessary to take a stand.

Detecting the difference between statements of fact and statements of opinion.

A FACT is a statement that can be proven true or false by objective means, such as measurement or by referring to official records or impartial documents.

Fact: Coal is a fossil fuel.

Fact: Solar power is a renewable energy source.

With a simple amount of checking both statements can be proven true.

Opinions deal with attitudes, personal evaluations, or probabilities and reflect the feelings of the person expressing them.

There are several tools that are often used in statements of opinion.

Value or judgment words Connotation

Bias Slanting information

Many words have 2 meanings. One meaning is specific and direct. This kind of meaning is given in a dictionary and is called a word’s denotation. The other kind of meaning is not as specific and is only suggested. This kind of meaning comes from the ideas a word brings to a person’s mind, and it’s called connotation.

For example…Notice the connotation in the following underlined words. As a group discuss the connotation in each phrase.

An inexpensive pair of shoes/a cheap pair of shoes Living in the country/living in the sticks Recyclable container with reseal-able top/ some old, empty throw-away

Find the words in the following two statements that influence the meaning.

At five o’clock the expressway is choked with cars. Are we going to throw away more money on this project?

When a writer uses the power of connotation and judgment words to influence a reader’s opinions we say the writing is slanted. The term slating comes from the idea that the writer or speaker leans toward one interpretation of the facts or one side of an issue. The following sentences show how statements can be slanted in different directions.

Egregious increases in spending for something as stupid as clean coal technology and other frills are the blame for skyrocketing energy costs.

Responsible increases for something as innovative as clean coal technology may temporarily add to energy costs but the last lasting effects will be worth the effort.

Our nation will be better off if we rely on renewable resources of energy to produce electricity.

Many Americans do not appreciate the importance of coal and want to run away from it. However as utility executives we know coal is reliable and affordable and that wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources cannot replace it immediately.

Our nation will be better off, if we rely on renewable energy sources to produce electricity.

Take a minute and discuss the statement with a neighbor.

Who might be saying this?

Where did they their information?

On what they are basing their position?

What it means to be better off ?◦ Who will be better off and how? ◦ Will renewables contribute equally?

There are no specifics here, just lots of generalities

Many American do not appreciate the importance of coal and want to run away from it. But as utility executives we know coal is reliable and affordable and that wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources cannot possibly replace it any time soon.

How many Americans? Many is a rather vague number as is the word appreciate.

How does the speaker know Americans want to walk away. Saying it’s true does not make it true.

The source of the statement is utility executives and is slanted to their viewpoint.

1. Americans used renewable energy sources such as water/hydroelectric, geothermal/heat from the earth, wind, sun/solar, and biomass to meet about 8% of our total energy needs in 2012.

Fact or Opinion

Statement 1 is a verifiable FACT. According to data collected by the United

States Department of Energy, in 2012 renewables did supply 8% of our total energy.

“You can’t tell me we can’t find a way to burn coal that we mine right here in the United States of America and make it work.”

Fact or Opinion

As a matter of fact, Barach Obama made the statement when he was a candidate for the presidency in 2008.

How might someone who did not favor Mr.

Obama perceive this statement?

What about someone who was an Obama supporter?

Do you think he or she might be more in favor of coal after hearing this?

Those who pedal technological fixes such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) create a dangerous distraction. It is only by quitting coal and increasing energy efficiency and the production of renewable energy, can we will prevent catastrophic climate change.

Fact or Opinion

Statement 3 an opinion.

It is full of value words such as pedaling, dangerous, and catastrophic; they are words intended to frighten a reader or listener. These writers or speakers are projecting a feeling of doom for the future of our country.

Coal is by far the cheapest source of power fuel per million Btu, averaging less than half the price of petroleum and natural gas.

Fact or Opinion

By checking data compiled by the US Department of Energy, we see that coal is the cheapest source of power fuel per million Btu.

1. Solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydropower are called renewable energy sources because their supplies will not run out.

Fact or Opinion

2. Coal is a fossil fuel created from the remains of plants that lived and died about 100 to 400 million years ago.

Fact or Opinion

3. Coal is the United States most plentiful and cheapest fossil fuel.

Fact or Opinion

4. Renewables are the best energy source for the future.

Fact or Opinion

5. We should not squander our valuable resources on a dirty dinosaur such as coal.

Fact or Opinion

6. In 2012, non-renewable sources of energy provided the United States with over 90 percent of its energy needs.

Fact or Opinion

7. In the United States, coal is the number one fuel for generating electricity.

Fact or Opinion

8. Clean coal technology is a new generation of energy processes that reduce air emissions and other pollutants from coal-burning plants.

Fact or Opinion

9. Clean coal is the industry’s attempt to clean up its dirty image and make itself relevant in the age of renewables.

Fact or Opinion

10. No existing coal-fired power plants are truly 100% clean.

Fact or Opinion

11. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can trap CO2 from fossil fuel combustion and store it in the sea or beneath the surface

of the earth.Fact or Opinion

12. Adding carbon and caption technology to new coal plants

may make electricity from coal more expensive than energy from solar thermal or wind power.

Fact or Opinion

13. If we would just forget fossil fuels and concentrate on renewables, our country would be so much better off.

Fact or Opinion.

14. Coal will never be clean, and pursuing that illusion will only take time, attention, and dollars away from development of renewable sources of energy that are inherently cleaner.

Fact or Opinion

15. Coal is the best fossil fuel energy source because it is stable and the safest fossil fuel to transport, store, and use.

Fact or Opinion

Pause as long as you want and then move on to the next slide

with the answers.

Statements 1,2,3,6,7,8,10,11 are facts.

Statements 4,5, 9,12,13,14,15 are opinions.

This is a good time to discuss with your classmates and teacher about what made you decide whether a statement was factual or opinion. Sharing ideas may help those who are still having problems differentiating between fact and opinion.

A critical reader/listener must not only monitor facts and opinions but also search out the individual or group responsible for the article or ad campaign.

It is important that we consider the source of a comment, or an article, a brochure, a book, a booklet, or an ad campaign. There could be bias involved.

Interestingly enough, all of us are biased in one way or another, and we tend to align ourselves with people who share our feelings.

At times, people who hold strong biases can be hostile or unkind to those who disagree as they try to influence an issue and sway support.

As critical readers/listeners, we must be aware of the source of the information, and watch for opinion shaping words, innuendo, or misleading examples.

To see how discerning you are in identifying bias, read the two following articles. One article was written by an organization called Greenpeace. A group called Americas Power writes the other.

Greenpeace opposes the production of coal because of the negative effects on the environment. They want the citizens of America to place their considerable influence behind renewable energy sources. They feel the health of the environment depends on it.

AmericasPower is sponsored by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), which is a partnership of the industries involved in producing electricity from coal. Their goal is to advance the development and deployment of advanced clean coal technologies that will produce electricity with near-zero emissions.

  Coal may have been essential in powering the Industrial Revolution, but now its time has passed.  We must now bring about a revolution of another sort - one powered by clean, sustainable energy solutions that will protect our climate, health and environment now and for generations to come. Coal is dirty and is the single greatest threat to our climate. Coal contributes more to climate change than any other fossil fuel.  Across the planet, 11 billion tons of CO2 come from coal-fired power generation every year. In 2005, this made up around 41 percent of all CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. If current plans to build new coal-fired power plants, across the world, go ahead – then coal will be responsible for 60 percent of CO2 emissions by 2030. Those pedaling technological fixes - such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) create a dangerous distraction.  It is only by quitting coal and increasing energy efficiency and production of renewable energy that we will prevent a catastrophe. Tackling climate change means quitting coal and embracing a clean energy future.  Our own Energy Revolution report provides how the world can cut emissions 50% by 2050 and meet energy needs with a combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy. 

We are committed to making coal a clean energy source. Given the abundance of coal and the huge role it plays in helping us meet our electricity demands, it is important that we make sure it is a clean energy source. For those who doubt the industry’s commitment to clean, let us look at the facts.

Clean coal technology refers not to any one project but to an entire suite of advanced technologies. For example, there are more than 300 research projects around the country where several billion dollars are being devoted to clean coal technology, each one breaking new ground and helping pave the way for an energy independent future.

Over the last 30 years, America’s coal-based electricity providers have invested over $50 billion in technologies to reduce emissions – while at the same time providing affordable, reliable electricity to meet growing energy needs. Because of that commitment, today’s coal-based generating fleet is 70% cleaner because of regulated emissions per unit of energy produced. Some say that is a real accomplishment. We say it is a great start.

Today, energy companies are working with the federal government to develop, demonstrate, and deploy the next generation of advanced technologies that will make it possible to reduce regulated emissions even further (to near-zero levels) and capture and store greenhouse gases.

(Point out) the facts and opinions in each article.

(Point out) value/judgment words.

Characterize the attitude and position of each article by using the connotation given off by the value words and the selection and use of facts,

Coal may have been essential in powering the Industrial Revolution, but now its time has passed.  We must now bring about a revolution of another sort - one powered by clean, sustainable energy solutions that will protect our climate, health and environment now and for generations to come. Coal is dirty and is the single greatest threat to our climate. Coal contributes more to climate vary than any other fossil fuel.  Across the planet, 11 billion tons of CO2 come from coal-fired power generation every year. In 2005, this made up around 41 percent of all CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. If current plans to build new coal-fired power plants, across the world, go ahead – then coal will be responsible for 60 percent of CO2 emissions by 2030. Those pedaling technological fixes - such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) create a dangerous distraction.  It is only by quitting coal and increasing energy efficiency and production of renewable energy that we will prevent a catastrophe. Tackling climate change means quitting coal and embracing a clean energy future.  Our own Energy [R]evolution report provides how the world can cut emissions 50% by 2050 and meet energy needs with a combination of with energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Greenpeace is the contributor of this article 

We are committed to making coal a clean energy source. Given the abundance of coal and the huge role it plays in helping us meet our electricity demands, it is important that we make sure it is a clean energy source. For those who doubt the industry’s commitment to clean, let us look at the facts.

Clean coal technology refers not to any one project but to an entire suite of advanced technologies. For example, there are more than 300 research projects around the country where several billion dollars are being devoted to clean coal technology, each one breaking new ground and helping pave the way for an energy independent future.

Over the last 30 years, America’s coal-based electricity providers have invested over $50 billion in technologies to reduce emissions – while at the same time providing affordable, reliable electricity to meet growing energy needs. Because of that commitment, today’s coal-based generating fleet is 70% cleaner because of regulated emissions per unit of energy produced. Some say that is a real accomplishment. We say it is a great start.

Today, energy companies are working with the federal government to develop, demonstrate, and deploy the next generation of advanced technologies that will make it possible to reduce regulated emissions even

AmericasPower.org is the contributor this article.

If we reread the mission statements of the two organizations we understand that each source is interested in serving our nation, and yet AmericasPower supports coal and clean technology, while Greenpeace is fervently behind renewables.

Where does a critical thinker go next?

What does the group suggest?

Take a few minutes to discuss the options.

might continue the discussion or begin to discuss the issue with your classmates, your parents, or teachers and listen to their views.

continue research on this particular issue.

explore how this and other issues affect you, your family, and your community.

In your exploration you might also try to read about issues written by organizations and groups that promise to be unbiased or neutral.

Our Mission FactCheck.org is a bipartisan, nonprofit

"consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.

We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.

Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

Can coal can be "clean" in the future? Is "clean coal" a laudable, achievable goal as Obama and the coal miners and electric utilities would have us believe? Or is it a ridiculous oxymoron on par with "controlled chaos," as Gore and other environmental groups suggest? This is partly a matter of opinion, and it's certainly a matter of speculation. We don't know what the future will bring. But we expect to see this debate play out in months to come, and we can offer some basic facts about what research has produced so far. Still, a significant bloc of observers, including many environmental activists, believe that getting the carbon dioxide out of coal doesn't do enough to address the problems with that plentiful fossil fuel. There remain issues such as mountaintop removal, for instance, in which mountain peaks are literally blasted off to get to the coal beneath, with the detritus dumped in valleys and streams of states like West Virginia. For these critics, coal will never be "clean," and pursuing that illusion will only take time, attention and dollars away from development of renewable sources of energy that are inherently "cleaner." The several environmental groups that cooperated with industry in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership were cast as traitors to the green movement by many of their ardent colleagues. They have a point, too.

And we take no position on the merits of CCS technology and the other issues involved in getting coal to burn without creating a carbon dioxide problem; as we noted earlier, we can only say that it's possible to do, though the cost will be high. But it's worth noting that, given coal's domestic abundance, the influence of huge corporations that are invested in the stuff, and the importance of coal-producing states – think Pennsylvania and Ohio, for starters – in the political process, it's likely to be around as an energy source for a long time

.

What are the views of FactCheck.org on the topic of clean coal technology? Can you articulate those views?

Do you feel that FactCheck.org is discussing the issue in a fair and unbiased way?

Do you feel that FactCheck.org is neutral? Do you detect any kind of particular leaning?

The presentation ends here, but as critical readers and thinkers, our work is never done.

We cannot be lazy and accept the first wave of information on an issue as being truthful or complete.

The energy issues facing America are complex and diverse.

Before you take a stand, educate yourself, and make a well-informed decision.