Mountaintop removal, or also known as mountaintop mining, is the act of removing land from the summit of a mountain by explosives or other machinery and pushing it into a valley or nearby stream. This method of mining has been used since the 70's. This was also the era in which the environmental movement took place. There are many pros and cons to mountaintop removal. The most popular con is that it is cheap and time efficient. Here is why we should stop this type of mining.

1. It causes a large amount of deforestation.

Deforestation is the permanent removal of large amounts of forests. These forests are homes to many different plants and animals. Even some endangered species. This can result in the extinction of certain species.

2. Most of the trees cut are wasted.

The trees that are cut down are not used for anything. Instead, they are put into a pile and are either burned or illegally dumped into a valley. This creates a problem with headwater streams being buried by trees and other waste in valleys.

3. It produces air pollution.

When they blow apart these mountaintops with explosives it can release airborne contamination's that can travel into the surrounding communities and if inhaled can be devastating to the lungs. It can cause anything from breathing problems to even death.

4. It can cause serious water quality issues.

Because these mining companies like to dump their waste into what they call "valley fills" and some streams, they are contributing to the destroying of water quality. This can also have an effect on the aquatic life of a stream which helps keep out streams clean. This toxic waste can also be consumed by humans in our drinking water.

5. It can destroy human health and safety.

This is probably the reason people care about the most because it affects them directly. Mountaintop removal can affect anyone who lives near it. Whether it's through air pollution or your drinking water it can affect your health greatly. Even the men working on these sites have a huge safety risk they are taking especially if something goes wrong.

So let's stop mountaintop removal and keep our beautiful mountain scenery because topless mountains are obscene!