Speak No Evil

One of the co-founders of Greenpeace, Patrick Moore, says that the environmental organization is wrong for calling nuclear energy "evil." He says, "We made the mistake of lumping nuclear energy in with nuclear weapons, as if all things nuclear were evil."

Moore, who left the organization in 1986 after 15 years of service, also lashed out at the movement he helped create saying, "That's why I left Greenpeace: I could see that my fellow directors were taking the organization into what I call 'pop environmentalism' which uses sensationalism, misinformation, fear tactics to deal with people on an emotional level rather than an intellectual level."

Better late than never....

He's been saying that for years and years and years.

He's been saying that for years and years and years.
Yeah, he's written articles in national and local newspapers espousing the same post-epiphany message of pragmatism. It is kind of ironic that the nuclear rennaissance going on around the world today has some of the technology's strongest former opponents on its side, but given its history of shitty representation in the public arena, they are changes long needed.

Of course, the small problem which everyone tries to avoid thinking about is that if you do put in place a widespread worldwide program of nuclear power generation, it will vastly increase the potential for nuclear material to get into the hands of terrorists. And if you've spent the past few years frightening everyone to death about that sort of possibility, the last thing you want to do is make it more possible.

70% percent of France gets its energy from nuclear energy. They have an outstanding safety record. Maybe America should let France build their nuclear generating units using French technology.

70% percent of France gets its energy from nuclear energy. They have an outstanding safety record. Maybe America should let France build their nuclear generating units using French technology.

French technology is no different from American technology. It is the People, Politics and Process of managing the production.....

THe modern designs of muclear reactor are truly failsafe. Here in Scotland we'll need at least one in order to keep things going over the next 20 to 30 years. BUt there is nor eason we can't get much of our power from the Atlantic waves.

England will need several more stations, as well as a program of efficiency drives.

French technology is no different from American technology. It is the People, Politics and Process of managing the production.....
True.

Incidentally, the European Pressurized Reactor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Pressurized_Reactor) is primarily a French design. It is one of the three third-generation reactors that will be part of the nuclear revival here in the US (along with the Westinghouse AP600/1000 and GE ESBWR) and currently there are something like three sites under review with the NRC for construction of US-EPR plants. Using only a few common form factors like this, rather than customizing a reactor for each individual construction site, is going to cut down startup costs, build times, and regulatory red tape substantially.

Italy Joins European Nuclear Power Revival

With the new Italian government saying it wants to pave the way to construct new nuclear power plants, Germany's chancellor says its time for Berlin to rethink its energy policies. It "doesn't make sense," Merkel argues, to take Germany's nuclear plants offline.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,554969,00.html

It will be interesting to see what happens when oil hits $300 per barrel...

Germany's chancellor says its time for Berlin to rethink its energy policies. It "doesn't make sense," Merkel argues, to take Germany's nuclear plants offline.
Oh for the halcyon days of 2003...

Greens Environment Minister Juergen Trittin said Friday's closure showed nuclear power had no future in Germany.

"No country is pulling out as quickly as Germany. Up until 2020 one nuclear power plant will be closed on average every year in Germany," he said in a speech

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1115-05.htm

I love watching idealists run into the cold hard wall that is reality. Somewhere, Ned Ludd is turning in his grave.

This happens when witch doctors do brain surgery. Results are inevitable....