There has been a lot of talk lately about alternative fuels and trying to “green” our energy usage. Some of the big talks during the elections and since have been that nuclear fission is somehow safe and green. Yet it’s clearly not either of those things. Nuclear waste is being stockpiled throughout the country with no safe way of storing or disposing of it. On top of that nuclear fission is far from safe but sometimes we forget. Sometimes we need to be reminded of why we don’t do certain things. I came across two different articles recently that highlight not only why nuclear fission is not safe but also why we should be avoiding adding more nuclear plants.
First let’s take a visual tour of Chernobyl today. Along the way you can take a look at the Geiger counter to see how “safe” it is.
Just follow the link below for a tour. It’s actually a real tourist get away and you can book a tour for Chernobyl today at http://www.tourchernobyl.com.
http://www.grcade.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2217
If you did scroll down the pictures I am pretty sure you are feeling what I am feeling right now. There is a real sense of loss. It’s very sobering. I don’t think words can accurately describe how you feel after you view those pictures.
Some might argue oh but that was in Russia and we are much safer here now. Well that sounds reassuring only if it were true. Here in the United States year after year nuclear plants fail safety tests and most of these are brushed aside. We also forget that a nuclear catastrophe happened right here as well. It wasn’t as bad as Chernobyl but it could have been and that’s the scary thing.
Some argue this was a good thing since it made us aware of the potential for disaster in our own backyard. Since then nuclear fission has been basically put on hold and with good reason. Had Chernobyl happened in our backyard would we even consider nuclear fission as an option? I doubt it. This really feels like one of those things where we have to really learn our lesson. But do we need a gigantic concrete dome in your town USA? I hope history has taught us better and we can truly look to safe, alternative fuels.
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More people have died from and more damage to the environment has been caused by Hydro Electric power generation.
The decayed economy of the former Soviet Union is no measure of how things should be, or are done in the rest of the world. It doesnt matter what from that era you inspect, it was all cheaply made product of low standard. I have spent a fair amount of time on a Foxtrot class Russian sub built in the early 80's and was appauled at it's design and contruction. The poor workmanship was evident at every turn, an American WWI era sub was built with better construction techniques.
The entire amount of nuclear waste created in power generation reactors in the entire world could fit inside one large wearhouse. When rational and scientific examination of this matter is done without hyperbole it is clear that Nuclear Power is the safest, cleanest and efficent method for producing electricity the world knows.
Trot out Chernobyl all you like but dont forget about the vast list of breached dams throughout the ages either from poor workmanship, natural disaster or act of war/terrorism. Is the concrete dome you refer to more attractive then the town coal fired generating plant that exisit is so many communites across the United States today?
People see the nuclear symbol and the shape of the cooling tower as icons of evil and death but are they any different then the potential collapse of a concrete dam that could flood out hundreds of thousands while they sleep? The flood washes all away and doesnt leave the standing museum like in Chernobyl but which is worse?
Risk vs Reward, Statistics vs Emotion, Reality vs Utopianism.
Not mad, please take this as an inellectual debate,
cheers
Scott
Actually all the forms of power generation that you listed I would get rid of. Coal is worse than any of them not only mining it but burning it. Hydro has destroyed large parts of Canada. The list goes on. I never suggested any of those as an alterntive. I did however suggest clean renewable energy which we do have the technology for. You cant fit all the nuclear waste in a single warehouse. Maybe the spent fuel rods at best but certainly not all the contaminated water that has touched it. Nor was the situation strictly limited to USSR as I clearly pointed out it happened in USA too. There was also a near meltdown in 2002 in the USA so its not a time thing or a lack of technology from before. Our nuclear power is no safer than the power they use. A fission reactor is relatively safe. But if the cooling system breaks when they are trying to produce more power then thats about all it takes.