Non Renewable Energy In The United States

Nuclear energy is the world's largest source of emission-free energy. Nuclear power plants produce no controlled air pollutants, such as sulfur and particulates, or greenhouse gases. "Renewables" like solar, wind and biomass can help. But only nuclear power offers clean, environmentally friendly energy on a massive scale. The use of nuclear energy in place of other energy sources helps to keep the air clean, preserve the Earth's climate, avoid ground-level ozone formation and prevent acid rain. “Currently, there are 103 commercial nuclear power plants producing electricity in the United States, located at 64 sites in 31 states. They are, on average, 24 years old, and

•     Waste from nuclear energy stays radioactive for thousands of years. Great care has to be taken in storing this waste safely.

Using conventional fission, nuclear power plants generate electricity without creating air pollution from stack emissions as the energy is released from the breaking of the nucleus rather than the combustion of the organic compounds in the fossil fuels that create carbon dioxide . In contrast, combusting coal, oil, or natural gas emits sulfur dioxide(fossil fuels contain both organic and non organic compounds that contain sulphur) that contributes to acidic deposition, particulate matter that threatens human health, and carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.One might consider the indirect greenhouse emission of actually building a nuclear fission reactor and also the resources that are required to obtain and purify the uranium essential for the plant to run. Even after considering all the steps involved in building plants and generating power, researchers from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have calculated that nuclear power lowers emissions 4–150 times below the emissions from fossil fuel combustion . IAEA scientists estimate that at current global rates of usage, nuclear

The production of nuclear energy is not as safe and clean as some say that it is. The Oxford Research Group released a report providing evidence that supports this point. It is clear that nuclear power plants do not produce a lot of carbon dioxide when they operate, but it is the mining of uranium and the storing of waste that produces the carbon dioxide pollution.

One significant advantage of nuclear energy through the mining of Uranium is its carbon neutral energy production property (3). However, during a meltdown or another catastrophe, Nuclear reactors have the capacity to release significant amounts of toxic radioactive isotopes, such as Strontium 90, Cadmium 113 and Caesium 137, which has the potential to cause significant harm to health (2) and biodiversity (11). Coal on the other hand is a well-documented releaser of greenhouse gasses, with one tonne of coal generating 2.6 tonnes of CO2 alone. Globally, this accounts for 6.4 billion tonnes of CO2 per year, with this value progressively increasing (5). Further, the use of coal in electricity production results in the release of particulates into surrounding areas. Particularly in third world and developing nations where regulation on pollution is lax, this causes major tangible health risks to those who live near the plants- a report by the World Health Organisation estimates that deaths directly related to outdoor pollution from Coal-based electricity generation amounts to approximately 2 million deaths per year

One of the key issues with fossil fuels is the fact that they are non-renewable. Humans consume fossil fuels at a faster rate than it is produced. With humans consuming more and more fossil fuels as more countries develop and increase their energy needs, the need for renewables like nuclear energy becomes greater. One of the large

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

Most Americans probably don’t think that it’s that big of a deal to conserve energy, but it’s a pretty big deal. If we started conserving energy more than it would possibly improve our national security because we won’t have to depend on the other foreign countries. Also if we started using energy efficiency we would save energy resources.

People need energy, it’s a fact. We need it for our cars, for our televisions and for our iPods. We need it all the time, every day. The simple fact is though, we are running out. Carbon based fuels are being used at an alarming rate every day. And every day our demand increases as our society becomes more and more reliant on technology.

In 2013, a study conducted by NASA shows that nuclear energy has “prevented 1.84 million deaths from 1971 to 2009 with an average of 79,000 deaths (prevented)/ year from 2000 to 2009 (Kharecha and Hansen, 3). Even if one were to include the death tolls from both Chernobyl and Fukushima, nuclear energy ranks last in death per unit generated per year (see fig. 2). And although nuclear waste is toxic and harmful to humans (as it can cause cancer and death), it is usually stored in a safe location away from other resources and most importantly, away from humans. On the other hand, the toxic byproducts of fossil fuels are being released into the air every day. And by reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned, countless cases of cancer and lung disease as well as coal mining accidents have been avoided. For as long as nations use fossil fuels, nuclear energy saves much more lives than it

What do we know about our energy sources and how our energy choices affect the environment? Many people still do not put much though into this topic or pay any attention to the amount of energy they use or where it comes from. For some it is just willful negligence, but for many others it may be due to a lack of knowledge on the subject. Perhaps it is a good idea to pay closer attention and educate ourselves so we can make informed decisions that may lead to less stress on our wallets and on our environment. In order to make a change, we should observe our currently used energy sources in everyday life, the impact of increasing energy uses, and observe all of the alternative options available to us.

Pollution is another topic with both pros and cons. Fossil fuels release harmful pollutants into the air such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Nuclear power does not release any of those toxins into the atmosphere. However, a pollution problem with nuclear energy is thermal pollution, where a plant’s “hot effluents” are put into a nearby body of water, and raise the temperature by a small amount but enough to cause a disturbance in the ecosystem of the lake or reservoir. Nevertheless, this could easily be solved by cooling the effluents before releasing them into the water. The other problem facing nuclear energy is waste disposal. Nuclear waste is radioactive and very dangerous. Therefore, it must be kept buried and sealed up for a long period of time until the radioactivity dies [Plasma-Material]. One positive fact about nuclear energy that is not disputed is its abundance.

If humans are to solve the vast energy crisis that has been set upon humanity as a whole, they will be successful only if long term energy sources are acknowledged, for fossil fuels are simply a temporary source and will run out. Such alternatives to fossil fuels, excluding nuclear energy, include wind power, solar energy, biomass accumulation using vegetation, geothermal energy, and hydropower. These sources are generally regarded as being the most reasonable for long-term use by many, but, great opposition exists towards their use as well. Nuclear energy has proved to be of great importance within energy production, for it releases no harmful carbon emissions into the environment, and provides clean, affordable energy that never ceases, no matter the external influences of the surrounding environment. It is of great concern to many the vulnerability that stands between the environment and nuclear energy, for past catastrophes have shown that the improper use and operation of these technologies can lead to the utter destruction of local environments, such as the Chernobyl accident of 1986 or the Fukushima accident of 2011. Yet, advances in nuclear technology and the proper dissolution of wastes

The United States consumes more energy than needed, compared to the rest of the world. However, to properly address such an issue as over consumption of energy, one first must understand what “energy” is.

As a whole, reliance on fossil fuels contributes to climate change, which will lead to disastrous consequences in the future. One of the many changes that can be made is to use cleaner sources of energy, of which nuclear is one of them.