Sunday, March 13, 2011

Pick Your Poison

You've got a position on nuclear power. We all do. I'm in favor of it because it is reliable, doesn't consume massive quantities of fossil fuels and isn't a ludicrous concept like windmills as far as the eye can see or thousands of acres of solar panels.

So we've just seen a geological event which should make us all recognize the insignificance of man in the total environmental scheme of things. In the process we are watching a nuclear power event unfolding and regardless of your side you can arm yourself with an expert opinion to bolster your pro or con position. You can second guess the Japanese for their dependence upon nuclear energy but that might require denial of their power needs or their fuel resource availability. Do not expect the outcome of the current situation to be a sudden shift to coal or oil dependence for their electrical grid.

What amazes is the plethora of "experts" pronouncing from ten thousand miles away what is occurring within the containment dome at Fukushima. When you read these analyses be sure to look at the organizations which employ the experts. Among the ones I encountered this morning are the Ploughshares Fund and a group called Beyond Nuclear, for example.

Who are they?

Ploughshares Fund Seeking Nuclear-Free World

So, clearly they have an interest in painting the situation in the darkest possible light.

Beyond Nuclear Working For Freedom From Nuclear Power

So, when you encounter the disaster mavens blathering about total meltdowns, be sure to weigh the info carefully. Don't minimize what the possibilities are, but don't simply latch on to the propaganda without question.

The eventual agenda question in the US is still going to be about applications of nuclear power technology. It is inevitable and the debate will have to be conducted free of emotionalism if at all possible.

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