By Kellie Doligale

The Ale-8-One bottling company could have a new neighbor, but opponents of coal disapprove of the move-in.

UK’s Greenthumb Environmental Club will attend a rally at Cheapside Park on Tuesday to protest the East Kentucky Power Cooperative’s proposed construction of a new coal ash storage facility. The planned location is upstream from Lexington along the Kentucky River, near the Ale-8-One factory in Winchester.

Matt Kramer, a secondary English education senior and coordinator of Greenthumb, said the club is participating in “Don’t Contaminate Our Ale-8” rally because of the campus’ use of coal.

“Ninety percent of UK’s campus is powered from coal,” Kramer said.  “Coal is a dirty energy … and horrible for the atmosphere.”

The Cumberland Chapter of the activist environmental group, the Sierra Club, is hosting the rally as part of a national day of action against coal. Greenthumb, UK’s only environmental student organization, is planning to attend this event as part of its weekly meeting.

Kramer said anyone is invited to meet in the Center for Student Involvement in the Student Center at 6:00 p.m.  From there, participants will walk to Cheapside Park.  Students should dress in formal or business attire.

“We know we’re not going to be able to turn from coal to clean energy overnight, but that’s why it’s important to look into those clean energies,” Kramer said. “We need to stop relying on coal for everything.”