Changing the Way We Look at Nuclear Energy - Pros and Cons

When someone says nuclear energy, the firstwidely. Some experts say 700 years and other more
thought is often powered by television and cinema.than one billion years.
Radioactive waste has been responsible for zombies,- Nuclear power plants can take between 20 to 30
the undead and wire brush skin scrubs thanks to theyears to plan and build. This means the current
movies. Hollywood has done a great job at promotingnumber of plants is all we have to depend upon for
the negative effects of radiation, but nuclear energyseveral decades.
is not all about the radioactive waste it produces.The Pros of Nuclear Power
The Cons of Nuclear EnergyDespite the negatives, there are still benefits of
Yes, radioactive waste is dangerous and disposing ofnuclear power. These focus mainly on the
this waste is a difficult task. Debates about storageenvironmental impact of producing this type of
and dump sites for radioactive materials are currentlyenergy.
being fought in the United States. These debates are- Low levels of CO2 are emitted from plants.
publicized, but consumers still know very little about- A large amount of electricity can be delivered from
the negative side of nuclear power.one plant.
- Despite security measures in place at all facilities,- The technology is perfected and thus no time is
there is no way to assure 100% safety in terms ofrequired for research.
radioactive leaks. With heightened levels of concernThe facts, figures and news about nuclear energy
due to potential terrorist bombings, the security riskare constantly changing. Keeping up to date on
is even higher.current debates and resolutions is important to
- The source of power is uranium and the estimatesunderstanding this energy source.
of how much uranium is available for use as fuel vary