President Bush says that greater use of nuclear power is the way to reduce greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. Bush said “Nuclear power helps us protect the environment and nuclear power is safe,” in addressing a crowd at the Limerick Generating Station nuclear plant 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Bush said “let’s quit the debate about whether greenhouse gases are caused by mankind or by natural causes. Let’s just focus on technologies that deal with the issue.” Critics believe this sudden shit from immigration to issues concerning global warming is in part a response to Al Gore’s new documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” [you can find a discussion on this documentary here].

 

America has not build any new nuclear power plants since the Chernobyl incident in 1986. This recent call by the President has critics worried. Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) commenting on the Bush speech said “We hope the administration and the Congress will acknowledge the severe threat to our nuclear power plants because of inadequate security, excessive government secrecy and a lack of whistle-blower protections for nuclear plant employees,”

 

Source: Reuters, report by Tabassum Zakaria 

United States is largest supplier of commercial nuclear power in the world, with more than 100 commercial nuclear plants generating about 20 percent of the Nation’s electricity. Nuclear power generation requires the mining, conversion and disposal of material that are radiological and hazardous.

By the end of the day, when we pit nuclear energy against green technologies like solar and wind energy we can clearly see that nuclear power generation is not renewable, not clean and definitely not safe. Increased focus on renewable source of energy and conservation of natural resources is the only path that would lead to sustainable development.

Footnote: Founded in 1981, POGO is an independent nonprofit that investigates and exposes corruption in order to achieve a more accountable federal government.

Photo Courtesy: Nucleartourist.com