Collective delivers coal-free message with mural

A complex piece of art, nearly impossible to decipher with the naked eye, told the story of coal’s history in the United States.

“The True Cost of Coal,” a narrative illustration brought to IU by the Beehive Collective, sat in the Collins LLC courtyard Monday night.

“This event took a lot of planning, and we hope that it will make a difference in the lives of future IU students,” Coal Free IU President Megan Anderson said.

Free Culture at Indiana University sponsored the event in an effort to reduce coal usage by IU’s Central Heating Plant.

Members of the collective spent three months traveling through the Appalachian Mountains, gathering stories and narratives from local citizens to create the piece. The entire project took three years to complete.

Students gathered around the courtyard as members of the collective, who use “Bee” as their last names to work anonymously, explained the details of coal’s history. The group explored the foundations of coal usage, the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the incidence mountaintop removal.

Tyler Bee explained how coal companies harm lands with their use of mountaintop removal and disturb the natural order of the world through this practice.

“These companies have no regard for the people who live there,” Tyler Bee said. “Their machines shake the grounds and pollute the air with toxins.”

Another member of the collective, Nikki Bee, went on to note that those same pollutants will remain in Bloomington’s air as long as IU continues to be powered by a coal plant.

“Every breath you take, whether walking to class or having lunch with your friends, contains dangerous pollutants from coal,” she said.

The event took place at night, with only the lighting behind the artwork keeping it visible. Viewers of the mural gathered around the campfire-like setting, some of whom, like sophomore Chris Wiesler, were interested in improving the University’s energy usage.

“It’s very important that we get this progressive university to change its ways,” Wiesler said. “This affects the health of every IU student trying to get an education here.”

Beyond the art exhibit, members of CFIU offered free hair screenings for mercury to all who attended. They sold patches, posters and buttons in support of their goal.

They also encouraged students to sign a petition encouraging President McRobbie to commit to finding renewable energy sources.

“Nothing is going to change around here until it is the students and the community that step forward and do something,” Wiesler said.