Nuclear Power: So Green It Glows

I like Nuclear Energy. Maybe it's childhood sci-fi nostalgia, but it does sound a lot less environmentally hazardous than coal and other fossil fuels when you listen to the right people.

Yes, meltdowns are very dangerous. Yes, radioactive waste lasts a long time. But, meltdowns are supposed to be occuring less; and waste (unlike CO2 and other emissions from convential power plants) can be sealed away and dumped somewhere out of the way (BUT hopefully recorded, announced and marked). It can be contained until we develop a solution. Carbon emissions aren't containable in quite the same way.

Stephen Gloor, in his environmental blog, addresses some problems he thinks arise from implementing Nuclear Energy - in response to recent resurgence in Nuclear possibility in Australia. He asserts that nuclear energy is a distraction from the real problems of energy consumption and climate change. Nuclear power gives some people the idea that they don't have to worry about energy conservation, after we've fucked up the environment, we can just switch nuclear and nothing si going to change. I'm agreeing that is a dangerous attitude.

But, it's an education problem. It's solved by educating what the reality is (nuclear won't be a quick fix), not by just pushing Nuclear out of the picture because we can't be assed dealing with complications.

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