The correct answer is c) 16%. Coal use has declined in the U.S. for years. Why? Because it can’t compete — renewable energy is now cheaper. In 2024, solar and wind power combined produced more electricity than coal. Nearly half of the coal-fired generation fleet has retired, and the plants that remain are old and past retirement age. No new coal plant has come online in more than a decade; the average age of existing plants is 53 years.

The correct answer is a) 460,000 deaths. Coal is downright dirty. One study found coal pollution is costing us $13-26 billion a year in additional ER visits, more strokes and cardiac events, and a greater prevalence and severity of childhood asthma events.

The correct answer is e) all of the above. Burning coal pollutes the air we breathe. Coal-fired power plants are among the most polluting industrial facilities. They produce staggering amounts of greenhouse gases and pollute the air with sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, all of which can cause respiratory problems.

The correct answer is b) False. Cleaner energy sources have become cheaper than fossil fuels like coal. Coal has been on a long decline in the U.S. because it’s not competitive with cleaner sources. A recent analysis shows that 99% of coal plants are more expensive to run than renewable energy. Last year, 93% of the new electricity generation was solar, wind or battery power – because they produce clean, affordable energy.