25 febrero, 2007

Nuclear Power: No, thanks?

Two weeks ago, the former vice-president of the USA, Al Gore visited Madrid. He wanted the Spanish people to know that global warming is an increasingly worrying problem. Thus, if CO2 emissions keep on growing, Spain will be 8º C hotter than what it is now in 60 years time.

In order to reduce carbon-energy consumption levels, some scientists have proposed the “so-called” environmentally friendly energies such as solar, wind or sea powers. Many improvements have been developed on that field in the last decades. However, it
does not seem to be enough for a bigger and bigger demand.

There are also voices that have pointed to nuclear power as a solution for global warming since CO2 emissions will be drastically reduced.

What is your opinion? Will nuclear power stations solve the problem? If so, how would you feel with one of these stations next to your home? Finally, what about nuclear wastes?

If you want to know the advantages and the disadvantages of nuclear power, visit Energy Resources, a web page created by the Science teacher Andy Darvill.

3 comentarios:

RobC dijo...

I've been studying this very question and concluded that there's no way to avoid global warming without nuclear energy. Besides, nuclear energy is so much safer and cleaner than fossil fuels there's no reason why we'd want to avoid it. I posted the analysis at http://www.geocities.com/gwperplexed.

There is technology available now that allows nuclear wastes to be "transmuted" into different materials that stay dangerous for much shorter times. All it takes for it to happen is a political decision.

RobC dijo...

Oh, I fogot your second question. I would greatly prefer living next to a nuclear plant than a coal-burning power plant, or an oil refinery. Or a gasoline station, or a parking lot. Nuclear power plants are very safe, but those other things give off dangerous pollutants, many of them carcinogenic.

sharkito dijo...

Robc, thanks a lot for your contribution. As you can see, this is a blog for Spanish students of English. Some of our students have to write compositions to pass their exams at the school and one of the most repeated subjects in their exams is global warming. I'm sure they'll find your information pretty useful. Many thanks again.

By the way, I couldn't agree more.