Coal Vs Nuclear Energy Essay

Disposal of the high level nuclear waste that comes from nuclear power plants continues to be a big problem. It has been challenging and costly to find safe ways to store this waste. According to a report from the U.S National Academy of Sciences, it will take 3 million years for radioactive waste stored in the U.S. as of 1983 to decay to background levels (thinkquest.org). Who wants this amount of waste stored in the environment where they live? Currently in the U.S. nuclear power plants produce 3,000 tons of this high level waste each year (thinkquest.org). If nuclear power continues to be produced, this amount of waste will only continue to increase, causing a bigger dilemma as to what to do with the waste. As the waste is removed from the plant it still contains a high level of radiation. Exposure to radiation whether it occurs in the moving process or leakage from storage not only has a negative impact on the environment but also can pose a major health threat to humans. Based on the level of exposure, symptoms to humans can range from nausea and headaches to damage of nerve cells, loss of white blood cells and even death (think .org). The potential risk of exposure is not worth human life.

The use of nuclear power plants is a more efficient energy source compared to coal power plants. Coal has high emissions of greenhouse gases, especially SO2 which leads to acid rain formation, smog, health impairments, radioactivity and climate change. Nuclear power plants emit little to no harmful pollutants or gases, and if properly managed should not contribute to atmospheric climate change (AIU Online, 2016).

The first advantage of nuclear energy is that it is one of the cleanest sources of energy available to us now. The process of fission doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases or emissions that are linked to global warming. Nuclear energy is currently the largest clean air energy source. It currently occupies 63.3 percent of the emission free electricity in the United States, and this must continue to get expanded upon. With increased use of nuclear energy comes a decreased use in fossil fuels, which would result in a lower carbon footprint for the U.S. This would help slow down the impact of global warming and climate change.

There are many different opinions on whether we should continue to create nuclear energy or we should stop it. Some of the positive aspects are there has been no fatalities at nuclear power plants. Another one is nuclear power plants generate 20% of today power. Also nuclear energy is a clean power source with no pollution. Some negative aspects are creating these plants cost a lot of money. Another problem is we are running out of places to store waste. The waste puts off nuclear radiation

Firstly, the usage of nuclear power is consistent and plentiful. As we know, the reaction of nuclear can emit a great power of energy, it can support vast of families’ and enormous plants’ working. In addition, unlike solar energy and wind power, which depend on external factors, nuclear power is consistent generate at anytime and anywhere. Secondly, since the nuclear power is easy to produce and it also can generate a huge amount of power, it is much cheaper to use it. What’s more, like Hill’s saying, “with the cost of natural gas and oil soaring”, the nuclear plants have return back to work and produce massive energy. Lastly, nuclear power benefits to environment: not only because it does not produce the carbon emissions, which can alleviates the global warming; but also it reduces the noxious byproducts, like sulfur dioxide, which is main reason of air pollution. Therefore, using the nuclear power is an ideal energy resource for human

Nuclear power is a much greener option than others, and can help prevent the devastating effects of fossil fuels on the environment. Burning fossil fuels releases thousands of tons of GHGs (greenhouse gasses) into the air that cause a variety of serious environmental problems. The emissions cause global warming which leads to the melting of polar ice caps and the raising of oceans. This also causes acid rain and air pollution which pollutes water sources, accelerates erosion and damages ecosystems (Pacific

The advantage of of Nuclear Power is that it doesn’t depend on fossil fuels and is not affected by the erratic oil and gas prices. Coal and natural gas in other power plants emit carbon dioxide, whereas nuclear power plants emit minimal carbon dioxide. Nuclear fission produces a million times more energy per unit weight than fossil fuel alternatives.

Chernobyl, Fukushima and Three Mile Island — all known as major nuclear power disasters. Nuclear power might be a good source of power, but in the long run it can be a real hazard and should be banned. If we rely on nuclear power to be our primary power source, it will cause major problems to humans and the environment. Nuclear power is hard to dispose of, expensive to run, and the reactors can easily be disrupted and cause the release of massive amounts of radiation.

Uranium being radioactive substance, general risk perception is that people living around the nuclear power generation are prone to cancers. However, research has shown that Coal-fired industry has a higher leukaemia incidence risk when compared to the nuclear industry. However, there is no credible documentation regarding the health effects of nuclear power plant operation facilities.

The potential and economic effects of Nuclear power can be devastating. Just look at Chernobyl. And everywhere that has Nuclear power. Where does all the radioactive and toxic waste go? We just put it in a huge barrel, and bury them in deep caves. It doesn’t get rid of the problem, it makes a bigger one. What happens if there’s an earthquake, and all of that spills and gets into our water system, or our oceans, or kills off our animals? It’s not safe.

With the growing need for a safe,and reliable source of energy people need to consider nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is one of the most efficient sources of energy in the world. Nuclear energy can be an extremely reliable source of energy. It can be cost efficient, safe,, and a reliable source of energy. Though nuclear energy may not a perfect source of energy it will be necessary for the future. No other energy alternative is better than nuclear energy. The benefits of nuclear energy far outway any possible risk associated with the usage of nuclear energy as an energy source.

Therefore, nuclear energy is not as bad as it is made out to be. Should the world convert completely to nuclear energy? Absolutely not, there are

If everybody changed their mind soon enough everybody will be wanting nuclear power plants. Another good thing that comes out of nuclear energy is it would cost 2.10 cents per kilowatt and petroleum was 21.56 cents. Scientist have figured out what is causing global warming and that is greenhouse gasses. A great number of people think that nuclear energy contributes to a number of greenhouse gasses. Those people are wrong because nuclear energy only let's a fraction of what oil or coal does. Situations can happen with any sort of energy making machine, but luckily nuclear has the best security out of all of them. Over the past years, they have added plan after plan for emergencies and procedures.

With any large energy producing facility there are risks. The truth is that accidents do happen at nuclear power plants and at other facilities all the time. An example of this was the accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania where there was a partial meltdown in March 1979. More recently was the worst nuclear accident at Chernobyl. Statistical data for 1995, released by the International Atomic Energy Agency early in 1996, indicated that there were a total of 437 operational nuclear power stations in 31 countries with years of experience. Chernobyl was the only plant that injured the public. Thus, judging by the data, that is a good record for a source of energy.

A primary reason nuclear power is bad is it emits radiation. The radiation can make people become very sick and damage their health. “There are growing concerns that living near nuclear plants increases the risk for childhood leukemia and other forms of cancer” (Green America, 2012). For example, the Fukushima disaster on March 11, 2011 led to many people becoming sick due to the huge amount of radiation in the air. The radiation doesn’t just affect the place where the nuclear disaster happened. It could affect everyone else because the radiation could spread. Furthermore, nuclear power comes with nuclear waste. Nuclear power plants uses uranium to power the plant and mining for uranium is bad for our health. “Uranium mining can also endanger the health of miners and people living near mines, as well as the environment, as radioactive ore waste has been shown to contaminate surface and groundwater” (Schlesinger, 2009). Nuclear waste