7 Disturbing Facts About Nuclear Power
Nuclear power has always been seen as a “safe” alternative energy to burning fossil fuels. So much so they today is accounts for about twenty-five percent of worldwide power generation. But here are 7 reasons why nuclear power sucks:
1 – Extremely Expensive To Install:
Nuclear power plants are definitely not a cheap investment. At around six to twelve billion dollars each – just for installation – taxpayers have subsidized billions of dollars to keep the utilities afloat. This money could have been invested in cleaner renewable energies instead.
2 – It causes global warming:
Nuclear is seen as a relatively clean alternative energy. But that is complete nonsense! While the reactor may not emit green-house gases, the rest of the activities certainly do. How do you think the uranium is mined and transported? How do you think the reactor was built? And all the building material transported? That’s right – trucks and machines – all of which emit carbon into the air.
Furthermore, their construction takes too long to solve global warming. In fact, investing in nuclear power deprives other efforts – such as energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy – of further funding and development.
3 – Radioactive waste:
20 to 30 tonnes of highly radioactive waste is produced by just one nuclear plant every year. This excludes what the authorities like to call “low” level radioactive waste produced in the rest of the supply chain – such as during the enrichment process.
4 – It is a nuclear bomb just waiting to be detonated:
A nuclear reactor is so vulnerable to damage or attack it could be considered a nuclear bomb just waiting to be detonated. And if an accident were to happen the precautions in place are ridiculous. Not to mention that the utilities are liable for less than 2% of the actually cost of damage that could be caused. Guess who pays for the remaining 98%? We, the taxpayers, of course.
5 – Has lead to increased cancer cases:
Nuclear supporters are completely wrong in believing that radiation levels near reactors are “safe”. What they do not know is that these level are only “safe” for healthy, white men. Children, who are more prone to cancer from radiation, are not even considered.
The current solution for the “disposal” or “storage” of this waste is unacceptable. There is no scientifically safe place to dump this waste, and new reactors would exacerbate the problem. Additional “low” level radioactive waste would have to be dumped in landfills or incinerated, polluting the water and air.
6 – Nuclear development aids terrorism:
A country’s national security always feels at threat when extremist countries start harnessing nuclear power. Just think about Israel attacking Syria’s so-called nuclear site back in 2007, and how uneasy America was when Iran was developing its own nuclear program. Nuclear power sets the stage for the production of atomic bombs, so as long the number of reactors increases, the likelihood of terrorists getting their hands on nuclear weapons increases.
7 – There are greener energy solutions:
What frustrates us is that we we should rather be spending our time and money on the development of safer, cleaner, renewable energy solutions, such as erecting more solar plants and wind farms. Hopefully with Obama’s administration, nuclear energy will be phased out and largely replaced with the implementation of renewable energy.
But while we wait, it is possible to start harnessing renewable energy at home. What’s more is, it does not cost very much and is rather simple to implement. Various solar and wind power guides have already become available, which you can see in our reviews section.
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