During last night’s democratic debates, the subject of nuclear power came up. A few of the candidates questioned answered that they thought it was fine to continue using nuclear power. Tom Steyer was the only candidate on the debate stage who understands the gravity of the problems we are facing due to climate change. He reminded us that we have infinite solar and wind power available to us, for free, so how can anyone justify the ongoing use of nuclear power?
Nuclear power is dangerous and we should be protesting it as strongly as we protest fracking. The resulting waste that is generated by nuclear reactors is stored above ground, in barrels, where it will be viable for hundreds of thousands of years. The availability of nuclear power and it’s potentiality to fall into the wrong hands, makes it a risk of immeasurable proportion. Those wrong hands can use this power in the creation of weapons of mass destruction. This in turn threatens national security and world security, due to the potential release of radioactive materials. The possibility of human and even accidental error can result in massive explosions. The long term effects, after the death of human lives and surrounding flora and fauna, is cancer that shows up many years later in those who have been exposed. Uranium, which has been shown to be cancer causing, is required in the production of nuclear power and like many other minerals, is not renewable. One of the requirements of a nuclear power plant is that it must be near water, but there are fewer and fewer areas available to build them. The possibility of hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes also increases the possibility of accidents. The costs involved in building nuclear plants are high and it robs money that could better be utilized in the creation of renewable wind and solar.
The United States must lead the way in renewable energy and mentor less prosperous countries to do the same. Climate change is without a doubt, the most serious challenge facing not only the United States, but our entire planet. We cannot afford to ignore the problems for even a minute longer. We must stand up against the continued use of fossil fuels and demand clean, renewable energy for the sake of the next generation!
