Outside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway

A Changed Mind on Nuclear Power

Steven L. Taylor

George Monbiot, writing in the Guardian: 

As a result of the disaster at Fukushima, I am no longer nuclear-neutral. I now support the technology.

A crappy old plant with inadequate safety features was hit by a monster earthquake and a vast tsunami. The electricity supply failed, knocking out the cooling system. The reactors began to explode and melt down. The disaster exposed a familiar legacy of poor design and corner-cutting. Yet, as far as we know, no one has yet received a lethal dose of radiation.

Monbiot is, btw, a self-described Green.

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4 responses to “A Changed Mind on Nuclear Power”

  1. Jack Avatar
    Jack

    From The New Scientist – Fossil fuels are far deadlier than nuclear power

    IN THE wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan, Germany has temporarily shut down seven of its reactors and China, which is building more nuclear power plants than the rest of the world combined, has suspended approval for all new facilities. But this reaction may be more motivated by politics than by fear of a catastrophic death toll. It may be little consolation to those living around Fukushima, but nuclear power kills far fewer people than other energy sources, according to a review by the International Energy Agency (IAE).

    “There is no question,” says Joseph Romm, an energy expert at the Center for American Progress in Washington DC. “Nothing is worse than fossil fuels for killing people.”

  2. TG Chicago Avatar
    TG Chicago

    Deja vu…

    https://drjjoyner-cmlud.wpcomstaging.com/fukushima-proves-nuclear-power-awesome/

  3. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    What? You expect me to read everything around here? 🙂

  4. Ivna Avatar
    Ivna

    The nuclear accident in Fukushima bring us to a debate most of governments don`t wanna talk about. It involves more than we can imagine. Energy generation is in a deep crisis; water supplies worldwide are becoming more and more rare, sooner disputes will become stronger. Fossil generated energy is scarce, and it is already a good reason to nations invade other nations, as an excuse. So nuclear generated energy could be a good alternative not to fight with other countries, whether for the domain of oil or for prices control. But it doesn’t count on people’s interest. It counts on industry interest, in Japan, Germany, US, China, India.
    Japan is in the middle of a general crisis; it needs leadership inside its territory, but also needs help. An earthquake, followed by a tsunami, causing a nuclear disaster is a bewildering combination – yet possible, how March 11th had shown us. And makes us rethink about what we call safe or “green”. And till when those energies can be named “harmless”.

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