Stop Mountaintop Removal

"Mountaintop removal is a relatively new type of coal mining that began in Appalachia in the 1970s as an extension of conventional strip mining techniques. Primarily, mountaintop removal is occurring in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. Coal companies in Appalachia are increasingly using this method because it allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams while reducing the number of workers required to a fraction of what conventional methods require." I am sponsoring a bumper sticker design contest to get the attention of everyday citizens about this abusive practice.

Stop Mountaintop Removal Now

There are many organizations that have been drawing attention to this issue including Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and http://www.ilovemountains.org. These organizations have had simple artwork to draw attention to the cause including bumper stickers that say: I heart Mountains and I Don't Like my Mountains Topless! These good-intentioned efforts have not brought the issue to the appropriate level of connection with everyday citizens or encouraged word of mouth demand for the symbols that support the cause.

- Item 1...Artwork and a tagline that fits the art that has an edge and makes a connection beyond special interest folks that fits the aspect ratio of a bumper sticker
- Item 2: Iconic artwork that encourages imitation.
- Item 3: Communicates urgency and a connection to doing what is right
- Item 4: Encourages action rather than making a statement (room for a URL that is TBD)
- Item 5: Jarring logo shapes that grab the eye on a traffic jam

- Item 1...cute phrases like "topless" that may serve to take a serious issue and minimize it.
- Item 2: simple cause appeals that are empty such as "stop this"