But then Three Mile Island, and Chernobyl, and Love Canal, and the rise of a shortsighted environmental movement that would block solar panels in the desert because they threaten a seasonal moss, and we come to today, with the widespread vilification of all nuclear energy. Thus:
Nuclear power can be incredibly safe - far more than a coal plant, for example. And for propulsion in space? Can't be beat! Look at the Voyagers, who are on the verge of leaving the solar system on the backs of tiny nuclear power plants.
But we can't have a reasonable discussion about nuclear power at all, thanks to forces both on the Right and the Left. At least in America, this truly is a "Both sides do it" issue.
Don't fear the atom, man!
4 comments:
I'm not opposed to it entirely, but what do we do with all the waste? It seems like there hasn't been a good solution to that, but I'm not entirely up on the latest in news.
Modern nuclear power plants produce little waste. What is needed to be concreted can be vacuum sealed then shipped to Yucca.
Couple years ago, I wrote practice exam questions about natural resources. Trying to come up with a way in which nuclear was worst (and hence, was the correct answer), I went down the list.
Costliest disasters? Coal.
Most radiation contamination? Coal.
Most dead workers? Coal.
Most potential to damage environment? Coalcoal.
Amazed me. There is literally no category in which nuclear is worst. Maybe "costliest individual disaster," but you'd have to take things like the Deepwater Horizon spill into account.
It's true. A very safe power source, and one that could save us from the worst affects of Global Warming. Alas, too many interests against it - coal, oil, and OHNOESATOMS! people.
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