Nuclear Power, Nuisance or Necessity?

Nuclear power is being mislabeled as the climate change problem of the past few decades. This idea comes from big disasters such as Chornobyl, which, when combined with misinformation from the media, leads to nuclear energy being put on the chopping block. In reality, nuclear energy is safe and efficient, contributing to 16 percent of the world’s electricity, and minimal carbon emissions (Pearson).

Uranium-238, is the heart of the plant, being extremely radioactive when exposed to air, leading all sources of media to label nuclear energy as dangerous. However, when placed under a ton of concrete, Uranium is completely safe (Rich). The radioactivity of the element, a key in the electric process, led to many misinformed groups rising. The Three Mile Island incident is a great example, where a radio station was misinformed about the problem before the facts could be presented, leading to unnecessary public backlash (Pell). In the past, many families shared similar positions when it comes to nuclear energy, which Elizabeth Doody, a local mother of Souderton also shares, stating “Three Mile Island made you think, I don’t want it in my backyard.”

On the other hand, the process of creating energy in a nuclear power plant is surprisingly simple and safe. The process is environmentally friendly, with nuclear energy being 43 times safer than coal, and 52 times safer than oil, while also releasing a radioactivity level less than 100 times that of coal plants (Pearson; Rich). These types of statistics, as well as increased safety protocols and technology, lead AP Chemistry teacher Kimberly Destefano to state, “When I was growing up…people were very afraid, but people now are a lot less afraid than they used to be.” Nuclear energy has been proven to be one of the safest energy production methods, with the largest outputs, and should be promoted as the energy for front of the future.

Sources

Pearson, John, and Chuck Goodwin. “Point: Nuclear Power Plants Are Safe, Clean, and Cost Effective.” Points of View: Nuclear Power, Mar. 2016, p. 2. EBSCOhost, www.search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=12455689&site=pov-live

Pell, Hannah. “Three Mile Island and Lessons in Crisis Communication.” Physics Today, 5 May 2020, www.physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/pt.6.4.20200505a/full/. Accessed 11 Jan. 2023.

Rich, Alex K., and Tom Warhol. “Nuclear Power: An Overview.” Points of View: Nuclear Power, Mar. 2016, p. 1. EBSCOhost, www.search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=23413836&site=pov-live