Greenpeace-Team+Chernobyl

Greenpeace 

ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE COMES FROM THE SUN.....NOT URANIUM!!!

www.greenpeace.org

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Mike's Page

Katie's Page**//


 *   Nuclear energy brings about numerous problems that should not be placed upon a small quaint town as that of Punxsutawney!

Numero Uno--> Nuclear Waste! What can be done with the spent fuel rods? That's a good question, most of them are temporally stored in pools of boric acid which held to absorb the radiation. These rods are only supposed to be stored for about 6 months, however, they often stay there for years. This is no good! http://library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/nuclear_waste_storage/nuclear_waste_storage.html

Problem 2--> The Cost! While it is true that it takes very little Uranium to produce a plethora of energy, it takes a MINIMUM of 2 billion dollars to build a new power plant. The cost of merely doubling the output of nuclear energy in the US (which currently stands at 20% of the nation's power) would cost over half a TRILLION dollars. Just to pay for these unsafe facilities, everyone would have to pay higher taxes, and possibly higher energy bills. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of building these plants? ([|http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0929-33.htm)]

In addition, just look at what else can be said about nuclear energy... **  To make a dent in our global warming pollution, we would have to build a new nuclear power plant every two weeks until 2030, each costing billions of taxpayer dollars, and each a potential terrorist target. Other accident at a nuclear plant like Three Mile Island could devastate communities large and small. The radioactive waste that comes out of these power plants will last for thousands of generations. There is a better way. Every dollar spent on energy efficiency and alternative energy like wind and solar goes 7-10 times further than nuclear in reducing our global warming pollution, and brings jobs to our communities instead of radioactive waste. ([|http://us.greenpeace.org/site/PageNavigator/PHS_Dangerous_Distractions)]P

If nuclear energy in the United States were to remain at the present 20% fraction of electricity supply through the end of this century, the spent fuel in a once through scenario would need nine repositories of the capacity of the one proposed at Yucca Mountain. If the number of reactors in the U.S. increases by mid-century to the 300 GWe projected in the MIT study, a new Yucca Mountain would have to open every six or seven years. This would be quite a challenge since we have not been able to open the first one. In the world of expanded use of nuclear power, the once-through cycle does not seem workable. (http://www.euronuclear.org/e-news/e-news-12/burton-richter.htm) This also relates to the issue of waste..what are we to do with it? We simply cannot afford to keep up with it, even if a safe place to store it was found !

Problem 3--> Demand According to International Atomic Energy Agency in 2001 known uranium resources could fail to meet demand as early as 2026. New depostits could be found, or more effective ways of using the uranium could be found, but then again, these discoveries may not be made. Why pour the money and time into building these new facilites if they will be inadequate in less than 20 years? Nuclear power is not the solution to our problems. It is merely a patch. ([|http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0929-33.htm)] Problem 4--> Security Even if you build the safest plant in the world, it is still not safe enough. Aside from the possibility that a meltdown, or other dangerous event, could occur no matter what you do, a nuclear power plant is a prime target for terrorists. Our town does not need to become a target for an attack.

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http://library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/nuclear_waste_storage/nuclear_waste_storage.html



***Note how the poor Punxsutawney Phil is so genetically modified that the words HELP ME!!! come out backwards and almost unreadable!! Would you like to be the cause of such destruction??*

  

PLEASE PLEASE Prevent this from happening! Remember..... Energy for the future comes from the sun...NOT URANIUM!!!