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After being the victim of a fake website, coal giant Peabody Energy responded with some "interesting" stats about the benefits of energy use. Yesterday the world's largest privately held coal company, Peabody Coal , was hoaxed by Coal Cares , a Yes Men -sponsored website that promised free inhalers for children with asthma from coal plants. As has become typical with these things, the hoax was revealed and the company issued a statement denying any connection to the satirical site.

Does a new website from the world's largest coal company gives away Justin Bieber-themed inhalers to combat asthma from coal? Today, Peabody Energy --the largest private coal company in the world--launched Coal Cares , a website giving away free, Justin Bieber-themed inhalers to asthmatic children and providing other, pro-coal info to kids everywhere. Yes, coal gives people asthma, but it's still the "safest energy out there." There are word searches, a Kidz Koal Korner , and a promise that "for every 1,000 inhaler actuators donated via Coal Cares™, Peabody will make a $500 donation towards the cost of one lung-replacement therapy." It's also totally fake.

Coal may be the most loathed energy source among sustainability advocates, but it isn't going anywhere, especially now that governments are investing billions in carbon capture and sequestration projects for coal plants. Any country with significant coal reserves and a government that pays little attention to safety and environmental hazards stands to profit handsomely.