Spring Break
Nuclear Fission Deserves Its Day In The Sun
Bryan Murphy
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Commentary
What would you think if you were told that there was a green energy source, available immediately, time-tested and proven safe, that was entirely carbon-neutral, cost-competitive with coal and endorsed by leading thinkers and green advocates worldwide, including Greenpeace co-founder, Patrick Moore?
Let's sweeten the deal - let's say that this hypothetical miracle energy was only in the infancy of its technological life-cycle, and had nothing to do except grow cheaper, safer and more efficient; let's say this perfect green energy could be produced entirely from American raw materials, thus assuring American energy independence. Let's say that this minor miracle is nuclear energy.
Forget Anita Hill, carbs and protein, Neanderthals and Betamax - never has a thing been more unfairly maligned than nuclear energy. Considered the de-facto energy of the future during the '50s, '60s and '70s, nuclear energy figuratively exploded until 1979, when Three Mile Island literally melted. The construction of nuclear generators in the United States all but ceased, as nuclear power became a national bogeyman.
The funny thing about Three Mile Island, though, is that it was a textbook example of nuclear safeguards done right. The worst possible thing that can go wrong at a nuclear reactor went wrong at Three Mile Island - the reactor core suffered a critical meltdown. Yet, the radioactive waste was held safely inside the plant by the containment buildings constructed over all U.S. nuclear generators specifically to deal with such meltdowns. No one was killed or even injured, and the surrounding area was exposed to a level of radioactivity equal to - gasp! - one-third of a medical X-ray. This was the tragedy which merited the condemnation of an industry?
There is an incredible perception that nuclear energy is the be-all and end-all of risk and waste, when nothing could be further from the truth. Nuclear energy emits no carbon dioxide. A reactor meltdown physically cannot produce the sort of apocalyptic explosion and fall-out which haunts the mass consciousness. Nuclear fission produces about 15-20 percent of America's electricity, yet there has not been a single fatality attributable to nuclear power in the last 40 years.
Let's sweeten the deal - let's say that this hypothetical miracle energy was only in the infancy of its technological life-cycle, and had nothing to do except grow cheaper, safer and more efficient; let's say this perfect green energy could be produced entirely from American raw materials, thus assuring American energy independence. Let's say that this minor miracle is nuclear energy.
Forget Anita Hill, carbs and protein, Neanderthals and Betamax - never has a thing been more unfairly maligned than nuclear energy. Considered the de-facto energy of the future during the '50s, '60s and '70s, nuclear energy figuratively exploded until 1979, when Three Mile Island literally melted. The construction of nuclear generators in the United States all but ceased, as nuclear power became a national bogeyman.
The funny thing about Three Mile Island, though, is that it was a textbook example of nuclear safeguards done right. The worst possible thing that can go wrong at a nuclear reactor went wrong at Three Mile Island - the reactor core suffered a critical meltdown. Yet, the radioactive waste was held safely inside the plant by the containment buildings constructed over all U.S. nuclear generators specifically to deal with such meltdowns. No one was killed or even injured, and the surrounding area was exposed to a level of radioactivity equal to - gasp! - one-third of a medical X-ray. This was the tragedy which merited the condemnation of an industry?
There is an incredible perception that nuclear energy is the be-all and end-all of risk and waste, when nothing could be further from the truth. Nuclear energy emits no carbon dioxide. A reactor meltdown physically cannot produce the sort of apocalyptic explosion and fall-out which haunts the mass consciousness. Nuclear fission produces about 15-20 percent of America's electricity, yet there has not been a single fatality attributable to nuclear power in the last 40 years.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
abalone alliance archivist
posted 11/17/07 @ 5:00 PM EST
Sorry buddy, but no matter hard to try and spin the sale your, people everywhere are backing off on your hot deal.
1. Patrick Moore is not the co-founder of Greenpeace. (Continued…)
gouiy mcmooy
posted 2/16/09 @ 11:11 AM EST
I LIKE CHEESE AND EGGS AND CATSUP TOGERHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MU HAA HAA
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