Appalachian Voices and iLoveMountains.org are pleased to announce the America's Most Endangered Mountains video series and the innovative new Bloggers' Challenge.
We have spent months out in the field talking with and filming people who live in communities endangered by mountaintop removal. They have shared their hopes, their fears, and their amazing stories.
To spread their stories, we decided on a new-fangled grassroots technique called the Bloggers' Challenge to share what mountaintop removal is doing to our beloved mountains and culture.
The cutting edge Bloggers Challenge program will be run through the most powerful communications tools in the world - blogs - and it's success will depend on your participation.
Its easy, just:
Step 1) JOIN the Bloggers' Challenge
Step 2) WRITE a post about mountaintop removal coal-mining using the tools in our blogger's sandbox. You will even get personalized "Spread the Word" widgets for your blog.
Step 3) SPREAD THE WORD using our innovative "Bloggers Round-up" feature, and see who else is writing about mountaintop removal in your neck of the net.
By now, you've seen the TV ads. Coal companies are spending tens of millions of dollars this year to gloss over the damage done by coal to our environment and to communities across the nation.
We can't match the coal companies dollar for dollar. But with your help, we can get the word out about America's Most Endangered Mountains.
By signing up for the Blogger's Challenge, you'll receive a personalized "Spread the Word" widget for your blog, and be able to track your impact on your personalized Spread the Word" map.
In addition, you have dozens of widgets and HUNDREDS of videos about mountaintop removal coal mining at your fingertips
And when you write about mountaintop removal coal mining, your posts will appear on iLoveMountains.org --- and we'll be highlighting the Blogger's Challenge in emails to our membership in the coming weeks.
There's already a thriving community of bloggers taking action to end mountaintop removal coal mining by spreading the word. Click here to see an up-to-the minute list of recent posts.
Also be sure to check out the first stories featured at America's Most Endangered Mountains. The interactive map showcases 10 mountain communities facing a future where their natural heritage is at risk of being blown up by mountaintop removal coal mining, and the stories featured in the videos show the reality on the ground in the Appalachian coalfields.
Have fun, be creative, and enjoy!