Energy consumption and the environment


Nuclear Energy - A Non-Renewable Resource

Nuclear Energy has been touted as anhas been carried out since the bombing of
alternative to mainstream electricityHiroshima and Nagasaki in World War Two, and
production from fossil fuel sources. But howthat many millions of casualties have
does Nuclear compare to fossil fuels in theoccurred in conventional warfare since that
long  run?same  time.
Undoubtedly fossil fuels have serious issuesThe reality for us though is that nuclear
associated with them. Peak Oil production ispower relies upon supplies of Uranium and
one such problem which will very soon makePlutonium that are themselves limited. While
its presence felt at both the national andthese resources may have only begun to be
individual level. Another even more seriousexploited, it is certain that if our current
concern is the possibility of serious andlevel of increase of energy consumption
perhaps irreversible climate change broughtcontinues then Nuclear fuel will also face
about by pollution primarily in the form ofthe prospect of its own peak production
Carbon Dioxide emissions from the burning oflevel.
fossil  fuels.
It cannot be a responsible decision to
So how does Nuclear energy stand up as anreplace fossil fuels with another energy
alternative to fossil fuels in terms of asource that is also doomed to run out in the
sustainable source of electricity production?foreseeable future. While those proponents of
There are several concerns about NuclearNuclear power proclaim it as the salvation of
energy that have given it a bad name. Reactorour current situation they are not looking
problems such as those that caused the Threefar  enough  into  the  future.
Mile Island and Chernobyl incidents, along
with several others, are far fewer in numberTo make correct, responsible decisions that
relative to the scale of electricitytake into account not only our own welfare
production than compared to casualties in thebut also that of our children and their
mining  sector  associated with oil and coal.children, we need to adopt wide scale
renewable energy in the form of Solar and
Storage of Nuclear waste is also largely anWind power. These proven technologies have
issue of the past with technology nowthe capacity to meet our energy demands TODAY
available to store Nuclear waste in solidwith no adverse future effects, assuming they
form, reducing virtually to zero theare  implemented  in  an  intelligent  way.
possibility of leakage, ground water
contamination  and  so  forth.It is time for Governments around the world
to stop looking for excuses and start making
Use of fuel enrichment to produce weaponsmoves that assure the coming generations a
grade nuclear materials such as Plutonium-239safe, energy rich and pollution free world.
is an unfortunate but essential part of theWe need to begin implementing massive scale
economical use of nuclear fuel. It is worthrenewable energy immediately.
remembering that no aggressive nuclear strike



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