Dismay over Nuclear ‘Solution’ to Climate Problem
Oh, a tiring fight to me, one I can't face... opposing nuclear power
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/10/1090/ Dismay over Nuclear ‘Solution’ to Climate Problem
I'm afraid I must retreat from my activist friends who "love to hate nuclear", oh, there's too much fear all around, and I don't know about the long term viability of nuclear power, but at least I can not reject it. I mean we have two sources of fundamental energy (1) Nuclear fussion from the sun (2) Nuclear fission from the earth. Both of these will continue for millions of years. To categorically reject nuclear power is surely wrong.
And it simply won't happen because sooner or later people will BEG for power as fossil fuels deplete, so you must either accept a humanity "die off" in the immediate future or nuclear power, and even if a dieoff happens, there will be nuclear power. I mean ultimately it is a survivalist strategy - like all modern power - those who lead with technology will prosper over those who don't.
YES, I'm as outraged as anyone to think my home could be radiated for decades by an accident, but to me this means fighting for good technology, reactors that have passive safety mechanisms which will cool on their own under a system failure.
YES, there are costs, human costs, pollution costs, and risks, but a sensible people faces these with sensible precautions. SURE, I'd be happier with a "low power" future where we can "afford" to live entirely on renewables, and I can FEAR nuclear can help divert R&D in safer, smaller scale solar options that can scale to human needs.
YES, I think humanity is INSANE, and sooner or later a nuclear weapon will likely be used by an insane state or group, and I don't like this reality. I don't like that processing Uranium creates depleted uranium used in ammunition and creating environmental toxicity in battlezones that can't be cleaned up. I wish this can be banned sooner than laster.
Anyway, I'm not an optimist, but I just don't have the will to fight nuclear. Sorry well-meaning friends, just can't do it. Rationalism will fail us, but we need to pick our fights - like Minnesota in 1994 - agreeing for above ground storage of nuclear casks in exchange for expanded wind power. It was a good exchange, and I support many such victories while we muddle towards sustainability.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/10/1090/ Dismay over Nuclear ‘Solution’ to Climate Problem
I'm afraid I must retreat from my activist friends who "love to hate nuclear", oh, there's too much fear all around, and I don't know about the long term viability of nuclear power, but at least I can not reject it. I mean we have two sources of fundamental energy (1) Nuclear fussion from the sun (2) Nuclear fission from the earth. Both of these will continue for millions of years. To categorically reject nuclear power is surely wrong.
And it simply won't happen because sooner or later people will BEG for power as fossil fuels deplete, so you must either accept a humanity "die off" in the immediate future or nuclear power, and even if a dieoff happens, there will be nuclear power. I mean ultimately it is a survivalist strategy - like all modern power - those who lead with technology will prosper over those who don't.
YES, I'm as outraged as anyone to think my home could be radiated for decades by an accident, but to me this means fighting for good technology, reactors that have passive safety mechanisms which will cool on their own under a system failure.
YES, there are costs, human costs, pollution costs, and risks, but a sensible people faces these with sensible precautions. SURE, I'd be happier with a "low power" future where we can "afford" to live entirely on renewables, and I can FEAR nuclear can help divert R&D in safer, smaller scale solar options that can scale to human needs.
YES, I think humanity is INSANE, and sooner or later a nuclear weapon will likely be used by an insane state or group, and I don't like this reality. I don't like that processing Uranium creates depleted uranium used in ammunition and creating environmental toxicity in battlezones that can't be cleaned up. I wish this can be banned sooner than laster.
Anyway, I'm not an optimist, but I just don't have the will to fight nuclear. Sorry well-meaning friends, just can't do it. Rationalism will fail us, but we need to pick our fights - like Minnesota in 1994 - agreeing for above ground storage of nuclear casks in exchange for expanded wind power. It was a good exchange, and I support many such victories while we muddle towards sustainability.
posted by Ares Olympus at 1:44 PM
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