It has become increasingly evident that something needs to be done about our gluttonous use of fossil fuels both in terms of conservation and preservation. At one point we thought there were endless reserves, but we now know that is not the case at all. Not only is there a finite supply of fossil fuel at our disposal, we are wreaking irreparable damage to the planet we live on and something needs to be done to conserve fuel for future generations while preserving life as we know it.
Advocates and Opponents of Nuclear Power
One of the areas in which there has been a great deal of controversy in recent decades is the use of nuclear power as an alternative to traditional means of producing electricity. Like anything else in life, conservation with nuclear power has its pros and cons. Before taking a stand, one way or the other, it is vital to weigh the good against the bad so that your stance is based on knowledge as opposed to publicity set forth by lobbyists or activists.
Some Advantages of Conservation with Nuclear Power
One thing that even opponents of nuclear power can agree on is the fact that it does conserve fossil fuel. Among other advantages, albeit controversial advantages, are the facts that:
Nuclear fuel is inexpensive to manufacture
Nuclear fuel has the most compact waste of any source
Nuclear fuel is easy to transport
No greenhouse gasses are emitted
Does not cause acid rain
Most of those advantages would be enough to elicit support of nuclear power as a viable alternative to generating electricity powered by fossil fuels, but there is a downside as well.
Powerful Disadvantages of Conservation with Nuclear Power
While nuclear power is considered a form of renewable energy that does not rely on fossil fuels for producing electricity, there are some pretty weighty disadvantages that can have an even greater impact on the delicate balance of the ecology. Consider these negative aspects:
Both difficult and expensive to contain and dispose of nuclear waste
Potential for being used as nuclear proliferation (nuclear arms)
Nuclear reactors are expensive to build
There are clearly more advantages than disadvantages; however, the weight of each must be taken into consideration. Yes, it is cheaper to manufacture once the nuclear plant is built, but building that plant in the first place is many, many times more expensive than getting a fossil fuel powered plant up and running. Also, although there are no greenhouse gasses or acid rain involved, nuclear waste is still very toxic.
Conservation with nuclear energy is an option, but as a society many of us are unwilling to take the risk of nuclear fallout, or of putting ammunition in the hands of an enemy. Of all the types of renewable energy that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, nuclear energy is by far the most controversial as well as the most potentially dangerous.
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