geekosystem

Peabody Energy, the world's largest coal energy company, has been the target of an ingenious prank called "Coal Cares." The site claims it is giving away free "cool" inhalers featuring the likenesses of Justin Bieber, My Little Pony, and others for kids who live within 200 miles of a coal-fire power plant. It also offers "fun" games and activities, likely chosen to help kids remain inside and asthma free. The site is actually the work of prankster activists Coal is Killing Kids, who aim to counteract the lobbying efforts they claim Peabody is making to gut the Clean Air Act. That specific agenda aside, the Coal Cares website is a spot-on parody of the recent efforts the coal industry has made to paint itself as a green company. The soulless, questionable copy and generic clipart is dead on; you can almost hear a vaccuous wind blowing through where the faux-author's heart used to be. Read on after the break for a few choice quotes, and images from the ersatz campaign.