A Nuclear Solution for the Future For forty years the United States has encountered increased prices and demand for energy. So what has been done to end the energy crisis? Numerous government agencies, such as, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have researched and made recommendations, but no systems are in place to resolve this situation. The U.S. has resources and technologies capable of solving these issues within the next 30 years, yet politicians struggle with the topic for fear of voter reprisal. Environmentalist, special interest, and big business influence politics, even so, elected officials are responsible for improving the quality of life for Americans, and ending foreign influence on energy. According to the University of South Carolina, College of Engineering, “the U.S. imports twenty-seven percent of its total energy, and is expected to reach thirty-five percent by 2025.” Furthermore, “transportation energy is expected to increase to seventy-nine percent up from sixty-six percent.” In addition, “Americans use energy at five times the per capita rate of the rest of the world.” The ratio between projected population increases to energy use is another reason for concern. With this inevitability lingering, the country must act now to resolve its energy problems. Now what should be done? Nuclear power is the most logical way to eliminate the United States energy crisis. Environmental and health concerns, cost of nuclear reactors, and the availability of renewable energy sources, make nuclear power the least desirable choice for solving the American energy crisis. An article by John McCarthy titled Nuclear Now, stated “almost all environmental organizations oppose nuclear energy”... ... middle of paper ... ...ve electricity and reliance on foreign entities to supply the demand. At this time, the dependence on foreign oil is crippling the economy, and nothing is being done to change this. The countries that supply power in the future will rule the world. America needs nuclear power regardless of what some say about its safety. The U.S. has led the world in innovation from the beginning, and should advance its development of nuclear energy as an example for the world. If the U.S. does not move forward in this matter the rest of the world will not stop advancing their programs. For success America must stand on its own two feet and supply its people with an energy source that is environmentally safe, poses no health concerns, offers affordability, and is available in the quantities necessary to move forward. Nuclear power is the answer.
Non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels have been used up by society on a daily basis and have forced the world to find a new, clean energy source. The rising price of oil and the constant emission of carbon dioxide are proof that in the future our lives will be much harder to live. One answer to this problem is nuclear power, which has shown its efficiency during the times of World War II but has not been used commercially due to the challenges of dealing with nuclear waste and proliferation. In today?s modern era, nuclear power has been used in liquid metal fast breeder reactors, reactors that use uranium-238 to produce plutonium-239.
Smil, V. (2010).Myths in the Headlines: Nuclear Power, Energy: Myths and Realities: Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate (pp. 150-157). Washington, D.C.: Publisher for the American Enterprise Institute.
(Action): If we don’t do our part to stop the expansion of nuclear power plants, the future of our planet will be bleaker. Every year, thousands of more pounds of nuclear waste will be buried underground and the damage to our environment increases. There are more efficient energy sources other than nuclear power and we must do our part today to prevent a catastrophic future for our children. The dangers that nuclear power plants pose for the United States are very real. There are many alternative renewable sources of energy available to us such as wind and solar power, which provide a much safer and efficient alternative to nuclear power. You alone have the power to speak up and act against the expansion of this dangerous energy. The future of our environment’s safety and our nation’s energy supply lies in your hands.
The world's natural resources are being consumed at an alarming rate. As these resources diminish, people will be seeking alternative sources by which to generate electricity for heat and light. The only practical short-term solution for the energy/pollution crisis should be nuclear power because it is available, cleaner and safer.
When someone thinks of problems plaguing the world, nuclear energy is not the first thing that comes to peoples minds these days.[1]Nuclear power was once deemed the new energy of the future.[2]However, numerous nuclear power plant accidents around the world put a damper on that notion.The United States considers itself one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, but 103 nuclear reactors currently operating within her borders, one was bound to fail sometime or another.[3]
Nuclear Energy has many proponents and much opposition. Many of the groups that oppose nuclear power have legitimate concerns, mainly with the dangers of nuclear material in relation with human health concerns and environmental troubles that are risked by allowing nuclear power plants to increase in number. Yet, many of these opposition groups have made outspoken and radical claims about the “hidden” motives of why nuclear power is promoted and subsidized by our federal government. For example, The Nuclear Information and Resource Service claim that the federal government has the intention of committing genocide against Native Americans because uranium mining is predominantly done on reservations. Another cry out by nuclear power opponents is the constant reliving of the few nuclear mishaps that occurred decades ago, at Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. No doubt, past accidents have happened worldwide and are important reminders to not play around with nuclear material, but technology has improved as well, a fact opponents fail to consider. Many of these organizations feel that other sources should be used to supply America’s energy needs. These types of statements tag many opponents to nuclear energy as misinformed, out of touch with scientific facts, or just closed minded to the whole concept of nuclear power. On the other hand, the proponents of nuclear energy like President Bush see it as cheap, and environmentally friendly. As a result, President Bush passed the Comprehensive Energy Bill in 2005 that would increase production of all types of energy, including nuclear, by giving subsidies and tax breaks to nuclear power producers. Keeping safe America’s capabilities for generating electric power by way of nuclear e...
7 Reasons Why Nuclear Power is Bad for the Environment and the Nation. December 11, 2009.
...e form burning oil, coal and other fossil fuels. Cavanagh said that “Nuclear power is dying a slow death in the market place, which is what matters in determining its future. Scientist in “Pandora’s Promise” claim that globally consumption could double by 2015. They said that the planet is heating up and the ocean is rising, and if the ice sheets start to disintegrate, then is unstoppable. They said that the best thing to avoid that is nuclear power. Coal is the most source used of electric energy, coal and nuclear energy contribute 50 percent of the power in Texas. Even though nuclear power plants generates like 20% of the electricity in
“By 2050, one-third of the world’s energy will need to come from solar, wind, and other renewable resources” (www.altenergy.org). America can no longer rely so heavily on nuclear energy. America needs to harness the energy found within natural, renewable resources. In fact, nuclear energy needs to be phased out completely because of its negative impact on health, the environment, and its overall cost.
“Where does our power come from?”, when asked, many people would not know the answer to this question. Some might say wind, water, or solar, but the main provider of America’s power are coal plants and nuclear reactors running to keep the lights on. Unfortunately, there is no free energy, it comes with a cost to the environment and its inhabitants. So when the choice arises to change the way humanity looks at our consumption of power, why chose the way we do things. Because the time has come for us as a country and the world to make the switch from the old to the new. We need to switch to nuclear power instead of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Nuclear energy is a clean way to create electricity vesus other ways that produce the same amount
On and off, could it be that simple? Energy is there whenever we need it, so we think. It’s not as simple as turning the light switch, replacing light bulbs, and paying the electric bills. Our energy today is made mostly from coal, natural gas, oil, wind, solar, and nuclear. With depleting natural resources, we must begin to consider what will power our future. Although there are many challenges yet to be encountered and technology yet to be discovered, many say nuclear energy is becoming a major part of our future. However, nuclear meltdowns and disasters have many people and scientists questioning the possibility of having a nuclear powered world. What are the concerns and positive aspects of nuclear energy today? Could nuclear energy become a part of our future energy source?
Even though the consequences of nuclear energy are known by the public, not all people in the society oppose the future development of nuclear energy. Nuclear power is still a safe and clean source of energy...
The use of nuclear power in the mid-1980s was not a popular idea on account of all the fears that it had presented. The public seemed to have rejected it because of the fear of radiation. The Chernobyl accident in the Soviet Union in April of 1986 reinforced the fears, and gave them an international dimension (Cohen 1). Nevertheless, the public has to come to terms that one of the major requirements for sustaining human progress is an adequate source of energy. The current largest sources of energy are the combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas. Fear of radiation may push nuclear power under the carpet but another fear of the unknown is how costly is this going to be? If we as the public have to overcome the fear of radiation and costly project, we first have to understand the details of nuclear energy. The known is a lot less scary then the unknown. If we could put away all the presumptions we have about this new energy source, then maybe we can understand that this would be a good decision for use in the near future.
Media coverage of such cases have made the public less comfortable with the idea of moving further towards nuclear power and they only opt for reducing human activities to reduce global warming. It is true that there have been some notable disasters involving nuclear power, but compared to other power systems, nuclear power has an impressive track record. First, it is less harmful and second, it will be able to cater for the growing world population. Nuclear power produces clean energy and it delivers it at a cost that is competitive in the energy market (Patterson). According to the US Energy Information Administration, there are currently 65 such plants in the Unite States (National Research Council). They produce 19 percent of the total US energy generation.
Though it might seem that the world’s energy supply is secure as of the present, this issue is something that is beginning to worry even the richest states. “Countries as far apart as South Africa and Tajikistan are plagued by power cuts and there have been riots in several nations because of disruptions to electricity” and “rich states [are] no longer strangers to periodic blackouts” (ElBaradei). If we look again at the breakdown of U.S. electricity generation by energy source, it is evident that nuclear power is the next most substantial chunk of energy generation, with other renewables weighing in far behind that. I believe this begs the question, why do we not expand nuclear power to encompa...