『(Introduction)
On October 29th, 2009, one of us, (MHS) attended a lecture
on “Nuclear Responsibility” on the University of California, San
Siego campus. The speaker was Rochelle Becker, Executive Director
of the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility. The information presented
was both revealing and upsetting and is documented extensively
in a pamphlet entitled: “Why a Future for the Nuclear Industry
Is Risky.” These sources emphasized the problems that exist, especially
in the USA. This editorial is based on these sources.
We should all know that: first, investments in nuclear power
are risky as indicated by the fact that Wall Street has chosen
to stay clear; second, nuclear power plants are stated terrorist
targets and carry serious risks of their own; third, nuclear power
will not reduce our dependencies on foreign energy as is sometimes
claimed; fourth, nuclear-generated electricity does not compare
favorably with electricity derived from either the combustion
of fossil fuels or renewable sources such as wind, solar, geothermal,
wave, and tide, and finally, there is currently no good means
of nuclear waste disposal, hence more environmental pollution.』
1. Is nuclear power a good investment?
2. Are nuclear power plants potential targets of terrorism?
3. Will nuclear power relieve our dependency on foreign energy?
4. How does nuclear power compare with traditional and renewable
energy sources?
5. How are we to dispose of nuclear waste?
6. Conclusions
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