Do we need nuclaer energy?

[Corinna]

I just went through this web site and it just was quite the emotional trip. It did fortify my beleive that it is wrong to build these things. I also can't beleive how quickly the earth repentishes it's self, even if it is a dangerous place to be in. Brave young lady.
www.angelfire.com/extreme4/kiddofspeed/

[Karen]

I do not think nuclear power is bad, I do know that nuclear power plants need to be built carefully and maintained scrupulously.

Chernobyl was caused by human error - several of them, which some may say is inevitable (human error), but I say not. Massachusetts had two functioning nuclear plants, though one has been shut down by now. But people still can live in Rowe, Massachusetts, and in Plymouth Massachusetts. And do. I visted Yankee Rowe when I was in high school, the area around the plant was lovely and green, as it was New England spring when I made my visit. It is a question of standards, safety practices and maintainence.

Someday perhaps we will have safe fusion power and cheap energy for all. Someday perhaps we will generate enough power by renewable resources - wind, solar and other methods that do involve fossil fuels. But generations of coal miners died of black lung, or other related illnesses, to heat homes and cities and fuel industry. We still mine - and burn - coal, though now it is done in a more environmentally friendly way.

Chernobyl should stand as a lesson to all of humanity. It is a horrific tragedy, and images from it haunt me. But it did not need to happen.

[Corinna]

I guess i made a bad title for this I didn't mean it to be an assalt but rather some thing to cause us to reflect on the earth and how it replentishes on its own. I know lots of folks who saw it and called the radio show that had it linked(www.coasttocoastam.com) {art bell is where I learned of this wonderfull place for pets} they were shocked at the devistation. But for me I saw the way mother nature causes the refreshing of her ills. Even though the people can't live there for hundreds of years(safely) . By that time it could be the new garden of eden .

[Miss Meow]

No.

I think it's meddling a bit too much with nature when the byproduct of nuclear energy takes quarter of a million years to break down. There are many other forms of energy that, yes, cost a lot to establish, but provide cleaner forms of energy. For example, a single wind turbine can power hundreds of homes.

There are shiploads of nuclear waste travelling the world's waters every day, because countries want nuclear energy, but don't want the waste sitting in their backyards. I think if you want this sort of energy, you need to be accountable for it from start to finish.

[Lady's Human]

Do we need Nuclear Energy, Absolutely.

Do we need Carbon Pile reactors which haven't been built in the US since the '50s? No. Chernobyl was a catastrophe with soviet fingerprints all over it, which could not happen in the US due to they type of our reactors, the built in fail safes which really work, and a strong regulatory agency. I'd dredge up the paper I wrote on chernobyl for chem, but I don't think I can find a comp to read the disk it's on.

Environmentalists raise the cry for electric cars, electric mass transportation, electric heat.......ad nauseum. WHERE IS THAT ELECTRICITY GOING TO COME FROM????

Without nuclear power, which has easily contained byproducts, the answer becomes coal, oil, LNG, etc, which defeats the purpose. The contaminants from nuclear power are finite and containable. With proper controls in place, the risk of an accident is minimal.

[RICHARD]

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/renewable/wind.html


The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind...

[Lady's Human]

I agree with you, but the same NIMBY crowd that opposes all other forms of power plants are also protesting a wind farm in Nantucket sound. It seems the kennedy's don't like the fact that they'll be abe to see the towers from their hyannisport compund.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Lady's Human
I agree with you, but the same NIMBY crowd that opposes all other forms of power plants are also protesting a wind farm in Nantucket sound. It seems the kennedy's don't like the fact that they'll be abe to see the towers from their hyannisport compund.

We had a problem like that here in L.A. except it was a power plant....

A solution? Offer cheaper rates to the folks in the area......

As far as the Kennedys' go, charge them double, they can afford it...

[Miss Meow]

What's a NIMBY?

Signed
Ignorant Australian (again)

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Miss Meow
What's a NIMBY?

Signed
Enlightened Australian

"Not In My Back Yard"-

It's a catchall name for the people who do not want any kind of developments in their neighborhood....Usually, the worst kind of civic pests......

[Miss Meow]

Ahhhhhhhh

I didn't know you could change other people's quotes in your own post

We have those people, too. Don't mind brothels, but not in my suburb. Like the big freeways, but not through my town. Drug rehab centre, great, but not near me. Cheap power, excellent Smithers, but dump the nuke waste on a poor country ...

[2kitties]

I'm not educated enough to comment on the subject. However, I found the photos fascinating. Thank you for sharing this site.