Yesterday, Japanese authorities declared the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant a level 7 event on the international scale for nuclear disasters – the highest level, putting it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Officials said the amount of radioactive iodine released so far has been fifteen times the volume needed to be designated a level 7 disaster. According to officials, a level 7 disaster involves a “major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects”. The disaster in Japan has been one of the worst the world has ever known and my heart and prayers go out to the Japanese people. To donate to the relief effort, click here: http://www.redcross.org/
The Japanese disaster got me thinking about our own nuclear problems right here in America. Did you know that spent nuclear fuel is the by-product of producing electric power at nuclear power plants? Currently the United States has over 70,000 metric tons of nuclear waste stored at 121 sites across the country. This spent fuel waste is both thermally and radioactively hot, and is initially placed in "spent fuel pools" at the nuclear reactor sites to cool down. When the pools and on-site storage are full, the cooled spent fuel must be stored somewhere else. So, what should we do with all this waste?
The Yucca Mountain Repository was approved by Congress as the site to store spent nuclear reactor fuel and other radioactive waste in 2002. Amid much controversy, the funding was terminated in 2010. The nuclear industry is pushing Congress for funding to establish Yucca Mountain as the nation's permanent storage site. If they are successful, 100,000 shipments of high-level radioactive waste will be transported through 43 states. As the "Crossroads of America" much of that waste would be transported through Indiana, which currently has no nuclear reactors. Click here to see a map of the nuclear reactor sites in the United States. http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/map-power-reactors.html
Supporters of the Yucca mountain project say nuclear energy is cheap and clean and the transportation of the nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain will be safe and secure. The waste has to go somewhere and leaving it at the power plants across the country could be a security issue. Opponents of this plan say Yucca Mountain is not geologically stable and that transporting nuclear waste across country will lead to nuclear accidents. So my questions to you this week is, "Do you agree or disagree with the Yucca Mountain Repository as a place to hold our nation's nuclear waste? Would you want these shipments coming through Indiana? Do you think we should continue to use nuclear power? Why or why not?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, April 19th, 2011.
Gabrielle Banks
ReplyDeleteThurs AM
I personally don't support the use of nuclear power, e.g. the incident in Japan. If a nuclear accident occurs the whole country and many other countries could be affected by radiation. I think we should find a safer and more economic and environmental friendly solution.
That being said, I don't think dumping nuclear waste in the Yucca Mountains is safe or smart for the environment. Alongside with transporting the shipments through India adds another big risk of a possible spill
My thoughts on this "NO"! But what can you do the Government have already made up their minds so you should try to come up with a better plan only to be shut down by the Government. The only thing is to figure out a way to protest make noise walk around Washingtion D.C. Stand up because the same thing happen over in Japan can happen here. No One is safe from a Earthquake.
ReplyDeletetuesday morning
ReplyDeletepersonally, I'm not for or against the US using nuclear power. I do, however, think there needs to be another way to be looked into to properly get rid of the waste. Obviously, it is a hard topic to tackle or else we would already have a better solution. There are so many plants on the map listed above that it would be impossible to shut down all of them and move them to one location. It is so dangerous to move any waste that in my eyes it wouldn't be safe to move any large loads across any state.
I agree mostly with what Danielle M. said. I am not pro or anti nuclear power. I don't know if I even have enough information to go to bat on either one side of this issue. Do I think that we should be transporting anything nuclear at a large mass across state line never the less Indiana,No. I think that every single opions of where and how we should handle the US nuclear power should be examed before anything is finaly decided. I also think that the government should be taking a long hard look at what is happening in Japan and to be taking notes on how we can safely protect our people and country from a nuclear issues.
ReplyDeleteBethany Hackman.
ReplyDeleteTuesday morning.
I'm undecided about nuclear power. Like said above, I don't know much about it to really say anything on the issue. But, I wouldn't want these shipments to go through. It would lead to nuclear accidents - It's not safe. But, at the same time I don't like how there are so many nuclear waste sites! Some of them, I feel, need to be shut down. I don't see the reason to have so many so close to each other. So in that case, maybe the Mountain Repository is a good idea? I don't know.
But, I totally agree with what Tiffany said. The government better think of ways to protect our country from nuclear disasters/accidents.
Natasha Hill
ReplyDeleteThursday moring class
Iam not pro or anti nuclear power.
I really don't know much about this either but the goverment should be taking a look at what is happening in Japan.
Rachel Leigh
ReplyDeleteThurs AM
Scientific knowledge is such a double-edged sword. It's amazing to think that a few centuries ago we had little to no concept of subatomic particles and what they can do. In one sense, our ignorance protected us. So I'm not sure. I think there must be ways of making the energy we need (which, incidentally, may be less than the energy we think we need) without creating such dangerous by-products. It's really the scientists that we have to look to for this, not the government. In general, though, I feel like the government works well in teaming up with scientists for progress. I hope this continues, because we do pretty amazing things these days.
I dont really know much about this issue and i would not be fair to speak and not know much about it. Although now that i know it is an issue i can do some more research on it and based on that form an opinion!
ReplyDeleteRachael Stone
ReplyDeleteTuesday Morning
I don't no a lot about Nuclear Power, but in my opinion we should be putting out more efforts to find safer alternatives.
I dont really have much of an opinion on this one other that i think there needs to be a way to get rid of the waste as in literally destroying it not "storing it". there is still a risk of what has happened in japan to happen to us if we are just "storing it".
ReplyDeleteLeSha Moss
ReplyDeleteTuesday morning
I can't say weather I agree or opposed to even use nuclear fuel. I'm not the most educated on this subject and I'm also not sure what it's all used for however; I do think they should really consider a different way to dispose of the chemical. The obvious is just storing it can potentially cause some issues and concerns. We are so quick to put things out there and not consider all the potential dangers that it can have if ever there were an accident. As far as transporting through Indiana, "NO", they may need to take another route.
And dumping it in the Yucca Mountains couldn't be any safer than dumping in anywhere else could it? I'm sure even if you dump it there, at some point it will eventually effect us because we are all tied together in some way.
I believe we have had some few (but good)examples of how Nuclear Power can jeopardize both our health and the environment (like Chernobyl in 1986 and Japan, more recently). I do not think nuclear power is actually better than any other type, and fortunately there are many other options of energy sources. Besides, the simple action of carrying this huge amount of nuclear waste among so many states represents a serious risk. According to Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power (2011)the waste from nuclear energy is extremely dangerous and it has to be carefully looked after for several thousand years (10,000 years according to United States Environmental Protection Agency standards).
ReplyDeleteWith that in mind, I do not think nuclear waste should be stored in any way, and alternatives to that should be considered.
Reference: Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power.(2011). Retrieved April 18, 2011, from Timeforchange.org: http://www.timeforchange.org/pros-and-cons-of-nuclear-power-and-sustainability
Nicole Gurnick
ReplyDeleteNicole Gurnick
Thursday morning
I really don't approve of the use of nuclear power to begin with but we use it anyway. So my thought is if we use nuclear power we should at least find a proper way to store it. It is our responsibility since we created it to protect the environmentas well as ourselves. Since we have so many resources, or so they say, we should find an alternative source for power.
I don't approve at all,we need to stop using nuclear power.I know it will take some time, but we need to start looking into other types of energy. I have heard a lot about the nuclear power problems and how they have to be stored. many people don't know but we have this waste stored in places you wouldn't even think of. I want my kids to be able to grow up in healthy and beautiful world.
ReplyDeleteSarah Green
ReplyDeleteI feel that using nuclear power is a health risk because of the toxic that it produces,if they decide to it. I think they should use it properly and take precaution about using nuclear power.But I don't think that traveling it through different states, let alone our state.I think it is very dangerous because anything can go wrong.And the government should find a better solution of solving the problem.
Danielle Kraus
ReplyDeleteTuesday Morning
I believe that nuclear power is not the best way of producing energy. Advocates for nuclear power plant say it is clean. If it was clean I believe it would be safe for the environment and not dangerous like it is. I disagree with them being shipped through Indiana. This is a big chance that something can go wrong on their journey and if that happens we will all suffer major consequences. I do not think Nuclear power is the best due to all of the dangerous risks.
Why did the united states as well as other countries decide to use such an unstable substance in the first place, they honestly thought they could contain something they themselfs dont know that much about. they definetly know that it is dangerous. I mean when nuclear energy was first discovered, eyes were wide open at the potential it had for war and mas distruction.
ReplyDeleteIsnt it the equivlent of asking someone who has never steped foot into a kitchen a day in there lives, to fix you supper, I mean what if they think that the cleaning products under your kitchen would be a good ingredient.
NO! I dont want that garbage traveling through my home. I dont want to see people suffering to beggin with. And patching it up solves nothing. Maybe they could throw it in to space, but than again that concept of mine would make me no different from the ones who found its potential, without fully understanding the consequence. Lets play with dynomite kids, BOOM oh thats just a flesh wound, just walk it off you'll be OK.
WOW, I dont know what to say. Perhaps if our government was compared to a constodian, it would be like the guy who swept it all under the rug.
Scientists work your hearts out and find a way to nuetralize the problem thats all I have to say about it. and pray to God they solve a problem to this madness.
I Don't believe that any place, including the Yucca Mountain is a safe place to hold nuclear waste because soon or later a leak will happen and the authorities will always blame the accidental circumstances. Nuclear power is a bad idea because the price payed for the mistakes is too high. I don't want any radioactive waste passing by my community because nobody can guaranty that it's safe 100%. Like I said before blaming the accidental circumstances is the way to go when there is a nuclear crisis. Just an example, let's ask to Japanese people if the Nuclear Power was a good idea after the incidents in the at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been declared as level 7.
ReplyDeleteRyan Pluckebaum
ReplyDeleteThursday Morning
I do not think that nuclear power should be used anywhere. I have two reasons on why it should not be used.
A) You will get radiation.
B) You or your babies will become dumdums.
Now if I were in a town where nuclear power was used I would be scared to have either myself or my babies become dumdum or get radiation. Thats just scary.
Natalie Farrell
ReplyDeleteTuesday Morning Class
I believe that the Yucca Mountain project is a great idea...I would be terrified if something happened in America like the disaster in Japan. We need to be smart and prepare for our future, you can never be to safe. As far as the transportation of the nuclear waste, its a huge risk but I don't think it would be as bad as leaving the waste where it is located now and having a disaster later that hurts a lot of people. I do think it would be awesome if we were to figure out a way to not use nuclear power because it is such a danger to our country and its people, but for now nuclear power is holding up for the time being.
Maurice Burns_ Thursday am
ReplyDeleteI believe that the nuclear waste should be in a central location as opposed to spread all over. It is cost effective to not have to pay forth maintenance of multiple facilities and pitting all cost into one. As far as the transporting through the mid-west it must be done. I hope that the powers that be see to the proper and safest way to do so. Maybe with the money saved research in other means of energy can be expanded. Sometime a bit of evil does a lot of good.
I think that the idea of storring all of the waste in one place is a good idea, not a very popular idea but it seems to be the best one. As for my thoughts on the waste coming through indiana it honestly dosent bother me the people working with these materials are experts if we cannot trust them to handle it who can. I think that we have to keep using nuclear energy, there just isn't another viable replacement for it. Nuclear energy might be risky but for the time being it is a necessary risk.
ReplyDeleteJake Kawaguchi
ReplyDeleteTues. 8pm
Pre note: never type in blogger, save in word cause i've lost two of these posts now.
Any who, On the topic of nuclear energy being bad, it's something you can't be rid of. It's relatively cheap, it's effective, and it can get power to a lot of people. Just saying it's bad and we need to stop using it is wasting your breath. To that my response is how good is the idea of spotty power going on and off due to an inability to provide enough to our energy gobbling country? For frame of reference go play a game of sim city and see how easy it is for you to just "not use" dirty power like coal or nuclear plants.
Do I think dumping waste into a mountain is good? Yes and no. It's better than dumping it into a kiddie pool, but at no point should anyone believe it is an acceptable solution, we must always be striving for new ones.
Do I mind if it's shipped through Indiana? If I didn't have so much contempt for this state I probably would, but as of today; nope truck it right on through, I could go without a little bit of corn and soybeans.
Tuesday Morning.,
ReplyDeleteI Really don't know much about this subject that has to do with Nuclear things, so i'm not against it nor for it. But i am against it doing harm to the environment and if it can be put to use in a positive way then so be it., but the government should be paying a little bit more attention to the Japan disaster and get that sorted out.,
Tuesday Morning Class
ReplyDeleteI personally never thought nuclear power was our best option for the transfer of natural energy into usable energy. With all the other options such as ethanol, wind, or even solar it seems like the disadvantages far out way the benefits. With this being said this problem should have never come up, but seeing as how it did, Here is what I have to say: I don't believe they should be transporting any kind of toxic material to a national site that is "most likely stable". There is no container on earth that I am aware of that can completely contain radioactive mater. With this being said even if it is transported to said site, it should not go by way of any public transit, it should most likely be transported by railway which it an incident would occur there would be minimal human disturbance. I think that instead of paying for all this transportation and nuclear plant development/generation we should invest into making each house/building/structure produce enough energy for it's self. This would solve the crisis at hand amongst many others.
-Brett A. Williams
I think that as long as Yucca Mountain is secure enough to hold nuclear waste that it is our best option for containment of these hazardous materials. However I don't think I feel comfortable with hundreds of thousands of shipments of nuclear waste traveling in the same roads I do, that is scary no matter how "safe" officials say the transport will be. I think that we should invest in wind power and solar power more because they are clean and renewable forms of energy, and because windmills are more fun than toxic waste!
ReplyDelete"Do you agree or disagree with the Yucca Mountain Repository as a place to hold our nation's nuclear waste? Would you want these shipments coming through Indiana? Do you think we should continue to use nuclear power? Why or why not?”
ReplyDeleteDulcie L. Holcomb
Thursday Morning
I absolutely do NOT agree that Yucca Mountain is the place to store nuclear waste, nor do I want to see the waste travel through Indiana. In fact, I canvassed against the Nuclear Waste Transportation Act with CAC during the time when the bill was being proposed. The truck route through Indiana would have taken the waste on I-70 and then around I-465. Were an accident to take place with one of these trucks, the results would have been disastrous. Some of the scientific hypotheses being discussed at the time had to do with the possible outcomes of such an accident - including a disaster area of a minimum fifty mile radius, or the fact that a pregnant woman traveling in her vehicle next to such a truck could find the possibility of birth defects in her unborn child, having been exposed to radiation at a level roughly nine times what would be considered a safe lifetime dosage of radiation. The trucks were not even to be labelled as what they actually were - the government said it was to reduce concern. Yeah, right...
And no, I do NOT agree that nuclear power is the answer. I believe that if our politicians would begin to work for their constituents rather than the people who purchase their seats in office, they might begin to see the logic of green energy.
I really do not think we should be using nuclear power, but we don't have much say in it. The Government has already made up there minds on transporting and putting it in the Yucca Mountains. I am just worried about what if there is a accident, because it would affect our whole country. I especially don't want them transporting it through Indiana though that is a really big concern for me.
ReplyDeleteTemo Morales
ReplyDeleteGE201 8am
I dont think that storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain is even a solution. That makes more problems having so much waste in one concentrated area. What if it began to soak into the soil and affect the environment. They should find a way to make the waste into energy for cars. You cant just keep storing the waste up. Eventually we will run out of room.
Stephanie Harrison
ReplyDeleteThursday morning...
From what I see I would agree with them placing it together until they can figure out what to do with it. I don’t see the harm in moving it thru Indiana if they have moved it before with out problems. I would just want to make sure they had a plan of action in place for anything that could happen with the waste. Nuclear power should not be our only energy source, but I would like to see more research before cutting it out completely.
Taylor Fleeman
ReplyDeleteThursday Morning
I honestly, do not know a lot about this issue, and to be honest I'm not for it or against it. As long as it is safe, and there is no harm to Americans, I'm fine with the United States having nuclear power. But, I feel attention to Japan is what is really needed.
I think much research needs to be done before making a decision. I dont believe that it can be stored there without harming the environment in some way shape or form. These "storage" spots eventually will fill up so I think a lot of research and experiments need to go into finding some way to reuse the waste to just get rid of it, like Temo said with somehow using it as fuel for cars.
ReplyDeleteI do not want these hazardous, nuclear chemicals constantly coming across the country and through Indiana. I personally think that it is just a matter of time before something goes wrong with one of these transport trips and we end up having major radioactive issues on our hands.
ReplyDeleteTo tell you the truth i really can't pick on one hand. They have been passing thought lot of time and nothing happend. But on the other hand what happend if something bad happend in the middle of it. But if i had to pick then i would pick to not pass it thought here if they can find another way to move it then i would be happy with that.
ReplyDeleteJames Thomas
ReplyDeleteTuesday Morning.
I don't think we should keep any nuclear waste on our planet at all. I think that the Earth's nuclear waste should be put into a cheap but durable rocket and shot into the Sun. That will get rid of the entire stock pile. What better place to put nuclear wast that into the biggest nuclear reactor known to man. Our Sun! I don't care if they transport the waste through Indiana I just don't want it to spill here. I think we should continue to use nuclear power and find alternate and safer uses for it. Like for cars and planes. They already use it for submarines and they are perfectly safe so why not a car. All we need is to make it really safe to use and a proper way to dispose of it, i.e. eject it into the Sun. That's all I have to say about that.