The Associated Press reported, “Gov. Kate Brown signed into law legislation that would eliminate coal-generated energy, making Oregon the first state to do so. … ‘Coal costs us all - it's hurting our climate, our economy, and our communities,’ said Doug Moore, OLCV Executive Director, ‘Oregonians want clean energy, not dirty coal, and this is a day our community will remember.’ ” (Banchiri).
Coal energy is a problem, not only to Americans, but to the environment as well. Coal contributes to much of the atmospherically problems that will weigh on the upcoming generations. Therefore, we need a safe and green alternative before the damage caused by coal becomes irreversible. There are many alternatives, but most of them are not efficient and are not able to provide large quantities of energy. Nuclear energy is a rapidly developing industry, that could solve the problems posed by coal. The US Department of Energy and citizens should enact laws that encourage nuclear power as a replacement to coal energy, in order to have a cleaner environment and have a long-lasting energy reservoir.
Nuclear power is a better alternative to standard coal and gas power for a variety of reasons. Nuclear impact can be measured by how beneficial it is to the world. According to the California Environment Protection Agency Air Resources Board, “In California, the closing of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in 2012 contributed to a 24 percent increase in carbon emissions from the
Although nuclear power cost the least for the amount of power it makes, it is still very expensive. To make nuclear power you have to build a nuclear power plant. To build a nuclear power you need millions of dollars. Not only that, you have to also run the nuclear power plant. To run a nuclear power plant you need to either mine the uranium and then refine yourself, or buy the uranium from another company. Once you have done this you need to run everything in the power plant, which cost money, and then pay your workers. Also when creating nuclear energy you create radioactive waste which need to be stored far away somewhere, under surveillance, to make sure that it does not ruin the environment. The owner of exelon, the one who owns Three Mile Island, said that they have lost around 800 million dollars in recent years. If exelon decided to change their mind they would end up losing even more money and eventually have to shut down.
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
Nuclear power is seen as an alternative energy source but it does, however, release a huge amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is, however, an alternative energy source but it does have its pros and cons which must weighed up against each other into making a decision as to
Throughout this world, we use various equipment that need certain energy requirements in order for them to run properly. Two of the utmost imperative sources of energy in our world today come from coal and nuclear power. Still, a great deal of citizens of this world are unaware of the impacts of nuclear power whether it be positive or negative due to the fact that nuclear power has not existed as long as coal power has. However, as nuclear power becomes a major resource of energy, we as citizens must determine which is more fitting for not only us, but our environment. As this report continues on, you will come to find the history of each of these resources along with the advantages and disadvantages of each. Concluded from this research was the concept that nuclear power is worthier for America as a whole. Included below are the specific points as to why nuclear power is far superior for American citizens and our environment. However, the main notion to be taken from this report is the view that we need to become further educated on the energy resources present in this world and be able to determine how we can become more efficient and contribute less to climate change in the long run.
Preview of the Thesis & Main Points: For these reasons, the United States government should slowly disintegrate the fossil fuel powered plants and move to nuclear energy.
Society is always looking for alternative ways to meet our energy needs. Fifty percent of New Jersey’s energy comes from three Nuclear Power Plants. The other fifty percent comes from fossil fuels, which are contributing factors to climate change. Nuclear energy is the best choice as an alternative source of energy. Both nuclear and renewable energy share one thing in common and that is they both polluted the Earth. Yes, having only renewable energy would benefit us due to the fact that it has a continual source of energy but developmental costs would increase drastically. Having only nuclear energy as a source of energy, it would produce gas emissions during the build up of electricity as compared to traditional sources like coal power plants. Nuclear energy allows us to have a low pollution rate, low budgeting cost, and a more efficient source of energy.
“A tiny speck of plutonium-239, as little as three millionths of a gram, can cause lung cancer. One pound of plutonium-239 contains enough specks to kill nine billion people instantly” (Pringle 26). Plutonium-239 is a human-made element, also known as the most dangerous substance on earth. As a by-product of uranium fission, plutonium-239 is created by generating electricity from nuclear sources. Contrary to popular belief, nuclear energy is hazardous and threatening to health. The use of nuclear energy should be banned as evidenced by the number of accidents, health effects, and global impact.
Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear energy has the lowest impact on the environment since it does not release any gases like carbon dioxide, methane which are largely responsible for
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.
The disastrous meltdowns that cause whole cities to become uninhabitable, as well as leaving families homeless and laborers without jobs, have defined the negative perspective of what people see in nuclear power. However, even after such catastrophes, the pure raw energy output makes nuclear power essential for the future of the human race. As time passes, the world’s energy usage has grown an increasingly massive size every year due to the consumption swell of energy. Despite nuclear plants being a heavily controversial topic internationally, its advantages are very well recognized and it’s causing nuclear plants to slowly become the basis of our growing society.
As each year passes, more and more electricity will be made as a result of increased nuclear power plants around the world. The economic benefits of nuclear energy are equally advantageous as the environmental aspects.
The world's natural resources are being consumed at an alarming rate. As these resources diminish, people will be seeking alternative sources by which to generate electricity for heat and light. The only practical short-term solution for the energy/pollution crisis should be nuclear power because it is available, cleaner and safer.
coal” (Connor). Nuclear energy has been a matter of hot debate ever since the first few
Global demand and consumption of energy is at an all time high; the world needs a safe, efficient, clean, and high producing source of energy production. The solution is something we already use for energy production, Nuclear power. From the beginning of nuclear energy there has been concerns over the safety of the power plants and its impact on the environment. With climate change and more accurate information on nuclear power the tide is shifting in its favor. This paper will explore the positives of nuclear power, political change on nuclear power, safety of the energy source and new technologies associated with the nuclear power process. Most importantly are the risks associated with nuclear power worth it? Research suggests that nuclear power is safer now more than ever and has less of an impact on the environment than coal or oil. Public support and misconceptions over the years have been up and down due to political agendas and those who are misinformed about nuclear power. Individuals who are involved in the energy field are in favor of nuclear power and building more plants with newer technology.
Nuclear power has been around for decades and can be easily utilized to help meet America’s energy needs. With energy