when u burn coal, mercury goes up into the atmosphere.  the mercury stays up in the atmosphere for up to one year.  it comes down when it rains.  plants absorb the mercury, fish eat this new form of mercury, and so begins the process of poisoning the food chain which stops with us.. the power/govt monopolies could use solar power in az and calif, yet they refuse.  china plans to build 2,200 more coal burning plants over the next decade.