Appalachia’s long history of resource extraction and absentee ownership has created a legacy of environmental degradation and economic depression in the region. Women have been at the forefront of efforts to combat the negative impacts of the coal industry in Appalachia, indicating that they perceive coal mining negatively. This research investigates how gender and social dynamics shape women’s perceptions of the environmental and economic consequences of coal mining in Appalachian Ohio. Using in-depth interviews with 20 women in Glouster, Ohio, I demonstrate that life experience, connection to the coal industry, generational ties to community, and political views all contribute to perceptions of local environmental quality. Participants express their views about the local environment in terms of “quality of life” and point out that excessive litter, poor water quality, and unemployment are some of the most troubling local issues. Women in Glouster voice concern about a wide variety of local environmental and economic concerns, indicating that even women with relatively similar backgrounds experience their local environment in very different ways.