Thirtieth Anniversary of Chernobyl

[there4eyeM]

"Lest we forget", the legacy of overambitious technology.
Nuke plants present many problems that are not confronted and are, literally, insurmountable.
Example; what happens when technicians and maintenance people can't or won't get to these and keep them cool? All manner of upheaval and disaster can be imagined, but what is most frightening is what is unforeseen. Fukishima is a clear example.
The appetite for energy exceeds necessity. The fact that so much electricity is used is not a measure of how much is enough for reasonable use.
This extends, of course, to other technologies. We must be wary of nanoparticles, genetic modification, microwave pollution, etc. It isn't that these need to be prohibited, it is that wisdom and moderation are required.
The nuclear industry does not need defenders. It is a powerful economic force that can defend itself. We, who stand to suffer from the next 'accident', have to be vigilant.

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

Its the legacy of crappy Soviet technology along with the failure of Communism and the stupidity of building a plant in a geologically unstable region like the entire country of Japan.

 

[hadit]

Newer power plant designs make meltdowns far less likely, if not outright impossible.

 

[Silhouette]

"Lest we forget", the legacy of overambitious technology.
Nuke plants present many problems that are not confronted and are, literally, insurmountable.
Example; what happens when technicians and maintenance people can't or won't get to these and keep them cool? All manner of upheaval and disaster can be imagined, but what is most frightening is what is unforeseen. Fukishima is a clear example.
The appetite for energy exceeds necessity. The fact that so much electricity is used is not a measure of how much is enough for reasonable use.
This extends, of course, to other technologies. We must be wary of nanoparticles, genetic modification, microwave pollution, etc. It isn't that these need to be prohibited, it is that wisdom and moderation are required.
The nuclear industry does not need defenders. It is a powerful economic force that can defend itself. We, who stand to suffer from the next 'accident', have to be vigilant.

And all that is made so much more ironic by the fact that all nuclear plants do is boil water to run steam turbines. Just like every other megawatt producing electric company does. Only with consequences that run out of control and can destroy entire oceans or regions for 200,000 years from just one tiny power company having human error.

Fukushima sits near geothermal vents that produce steam that could run turbines. These are situated all over Japan. GE told Japan that they shouldn't tap into that steam because it would run the aesthetics of their parks. Well Fukushima is ruining the aesthetics of their big island. And all they had to do was camouflage the housing facilities for geothermal with some of that nice Japanese architecture. I notice Fukushima was built to look like a huge industrial eyesore.

 

[Silhouette]

Newer power plant designs make meltdowns far less likely, if not outright impossible.

Why have them at all when all you're doing is boiling water?

 

[jillian]

Its the legacy of crappy Soviet technology along with the failure of Communism and the stupidity of building a plant in a geologically unstable region like the entire country of Japan.

that's part of it.

but it's also a warning that nuclear energy shouldn't be used until we can assure it's safety.... including the removal of waste.

*edit*

I'll add that three-mile island wasn't a soviet village.

 

[hadit]

Newer power plant designs make meltdowns far less likely, if not outright impossible.

Why have them at all when all you're doing is boiling water?

Don't forget cooling the steam back down into water again. Of course, there's that little thing about electricity coming out of the plant, but if you don't care about that....

 

[Decus]

Nothing greener than molten salt reactors using thorium as fuel. Runs 24/7 irrespective of whether the sun is shinning or the wind is blowing. Also has zero carbon emissions for those concerned about CO2. On top of how safe they are, molten salt reactors can also use nuclear waste as a fuel. An article from MIT regarding molten salt reactors:

"They can run on uranium but are also ideally suited for thorium, an alternative nuclear fuel that is cleaner, safer, and more abundant than uranium."

"Essentially, molten-salt reactors could solve the two problems that have bedeviled the nuclear power industry: safety and waste."

Meltdown-Proof Nuclear Reactors Get a Safety Check in Europe

 

[there4eyeM]

In the age of terrorism, this subject is ignored and reactors are called 'safe'? The presence of uranium itself is a danger. There are much safer solutions, and we all know it. The only thing lacking is reasonable attitudes and rational estimation of 'need'.

 

[Decus]

Solar can't meet demand, and neither can wind. Oil is evil and the lemmings fear nuclear. That leaves geothermal. Seems we can solve the world's energy needs - all we need is for everyone to move to Iceland.

TFF

.

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

Its the legacy of crappy Soviet technology along with the failure of Communism and the stupidity of building a plant in a geologically unstable region like the entire country of Japan.

that's part of it.

but it's also a warning that nuclear energy shouldn't be used until we can assure it's safety.... including the removal of waste.

*edit*

I'll add that three-mile island wasn't a soviet village.

Three-mile Island wasn't the disaster everyone made it out to be.

 

[jillian]

Its the legacy of crappy Soviet technology along with the failure of Communism and the stupidity of building a plant in a geologically unstable region like the entire country of Japan.

that's part of it.

but it's also a warning that nuclear energy shouldn't be used until we can assure it's safety.... including the removal of waste.

*edit*

I'll add that three-mile island wasn't a soviet village.

Three-mile Island wasn't the disaster everyone made it out to be.

so you would live there?

ok....

I wouldn't. but then again, I had a neighbor who came from Chernobyl and we saw him die of cancer because of radiation.

 

[Silhouette]

so you would live there?

ok....

I wouldn't. but then again, I had a neighbor who came from Chernobyl and we saw him die of cancer because of radiation.

Have you seen the photos of kids raised around Chernobyl? They're dead, but I mean before they died...horrible...

 

[jillian]

so you would live there?

ok....

I wouldn't. but then again, I had a neighbor who came from Chernobyl and we saw him die of cancer because of radiation.

Have you seen the photos of kids raised around Chernobyl? They're dead, but I mean before they died...horrible...

I haven't. but I'm not surprised.

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

Its the legacy of crappy Soviet technology along with the failure of Communism and the stupidity of building a plant in a geologically unstable region like the entire country of Japan.

that's part of it.

but it's also a warning that nuclear energy shouldn't be used until we can assure it's safety.... including the removal of waste.

*edit*

I'll add that three-mile island wasn't a soviet village.

Three-mile Island wasn't the disaster everyone made it out to be.

so you would live there?

ok....

I wouldn't. but then again, I had a neighbor who came from Chernobyl and we saw him die of cancer because of radiation.

People do live there.