Angela Ferr
3.17.11
10:00PM
Nuclear power plants are a huge environmental disaster in many different ways. It can be seen today with the huge problem Japan is having aster the devastating earthquake that just hit. The problem is not just in Japan though, it can happen all over the world. Over 30 countries today use nuclear-generated power. It is in environmental problem for many reasons. One is it contaminates water supplies. There have been a number of cases where radioactive substances have been found in water, river, streams and wells. There is also no safe way of storing, getting or processing nuclear material. The risk of an accident and exposure to the nuclear substances increase exponentially through each step in the process, from getting it out of mines, transporting it, storing it and the use of it.
Nuclear power also increases Carbon Emissions into the atmosphere. The problem Japan is facing now is that exposure to the radioactive material is deadly. It can cause serious health problems and cancer, not just immediately but also for the next generation. It even affects people and animals that are far away from the original site of a nuclear meltdown. The Philippines is going through safety procedures now to make sure that they do not get affected by the nuclear power plants in Japan if something happens. America is one of the countries who uses nuclear power as well, and after seeing what Japan is going through, Americans hope to find better safety measures in case something drastic does happen.
There are other sources of clean renewable energy that do exist and can be used in place of nuclear power. We already have the technology today so we can use safer energy that is even cheaper than nuclear power. Wind and solar energy are two ways that can be used in place of nuclear energy.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/18/japan-quake-snapshot-idUSL3E7EF28320110318
1 comment:
This is a really scary yet realistic problem. I think what is most frightening is that there really is no safe way to store it.I think it is good that society is looking for other ways to replace our use of nuclear energy.
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