View the TV ad at: www.thisisreality.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 4, 2008CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384  "Reality" Coalition Launches CampaignDebunking "Clean Coal" Myth  Calls on Coal Industry to Live up to the Promise of So-Called "Clean Coal"  Menlo Park, Calif.-- Today, the Alliance for Climate Protection, League ofConservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Natural ResourcesDefense Council, and Sierra Club launched the "Reality" Coalition, anational grassroots and advertising effort to tell a simple truth: inreality, there is no such thing as "clean coal."  Environmental experts agree that coal is the dirtiest fuel America uses toproduce electricity. The "Reality" Coalition, then, is challenging the coalindustry to come clean in its advertising and in its operations. Coalcannot be considered clean until its carbon dioxide emissions are capturedand stored.  "The reality is that there's not a single home or business in America todaypowered by clean coal," said Brian Hardwick of the Alliance for ClimateProtection. "If coal really wants to be part of America's energy future,the industry can start by making a real commitment to eliminating theirpollution that is a leading cause of global warming."  Hardwick continued: "It is high time for the coal industry to come cleanand admit to the American people that today clean coal is not a reality. Nomatter how much they say it in their advertising, coal can't truly be cleanuntil the plants can capture the global warming pollution. With so much atstake, we can't afford to hang our hats on an illusion."  Beginning today, the "Reality" Coalition will launch a multi-million dollarad campaign, running in print, broadcast and online media and supported bythe website, http://www.thisisreality.org/. The ads were designed andproduced by Boulder, Colorado-based Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the agencyresponsible for the ground-breaking "Truth" anti-tobacco campaign.  The first "Reality" print ad shows a solitary door labeled "Clean CoalFacility Entrance." Behind the door, though, lies a barren field. "Inreality, there's no such thing as clean coal," the ad states.  The ad continues: "Coal is one of the leading causes of global warming.But that hasn't stopped the coal industry from advertising clean coal. Yet,the truth is there isn't a single commercial coal plant in America todaythat captures its global warming pollution. Learn more about what the coalindustry is not telling you …"  Reality's first TV ad follows the same premise and can be viewed athttp://www.thisisreality.org/.  "The coal industry has spent hundreds of millions promoting 'clean coal'technology, but in reality, there is not a single large-scale demonstrationproject in the United States for capturing and safely burying all of coal'sCO2 emissions," Vice President Gore said. "The industry must make good itspromise if they truly want to do their part to solve the climate crisis.Until that happens, coal cannot be called 'clean'."  The "Reality" Coalition today echoes the call made by former Vice Presidentand Alliance for Climate Protection Chairman Al Gore in a recent New YorkTimes op-ed that until coal is truly clean, there should be no newcoal-fired power plants built in America.  "The coal industry is running a cynical and dishonest campaign to misleadthe American people, while they stand in the way of real solutions," saidGene Karpinski, President of the League of Conservation Voters. "The'Reality' Coalition is aimed at holding them accountable for theiroutlandish claims."  Added Natural Resources Defense Council President Frances Beinecke: "Bigcoal is spending millions to make us think that coal use today is 'clean.'But all their dirty money can't hide the truth -- coal as it's used todayis the dirtiest climate-killing fuel on earth."  "Everyone has a role to play in creating our clean energy future," saidSierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope. "It's time for the coal industryto stop fighting against efforts to bring about a green economy and insteadstart living up to its clean coal rhetoric."  "We need to clean up coal, not spend billions on a scheme to market coal asclean," said Larry Schweiger, President and CEO of the National WildlifeFederation. "It's time to build a better energy future with existing cleansources like wind and solar that will create jobs, boost our economy andconfront the climate crisis head-on."  About the "Reality" CoalitionThe "Reality" Campaign is sponsored by the Reality Coalition, a jointproject of the Alliance for Climate Protection, League of ConservationVoters, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Wildlife Federation andSierra Club. The Reality Campaign tells the truth about coal today -- itisn't clean. We are challenging the coal industry to come clean -- in itsadvertising and in its operations.  # # #
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