Nuclear Energy Is Not the Answer - 1093 Words

In our modern world of today, we use increasingly more energy every day. According to the most recent study done by the US Energy Information Administration in 2008, the world uses 493 quadrillion BTUs or energy a year, and 82% of the energy is generated from fossil fuels. This source makes clear, that fossil fuels are a big part of life, and as they run out, it is more and more important to find a solution. In the midst of a polluted world, what we need is a powerful, sustainable, and clean energy source. Solar power, wind power, geothermal heating/cooling, biomass burning, and hydro-electric turbines all seem like good solutions. At first glance, nuclear power does too. Its powerful, sustainable, and will last a long time right? However, if you take a closer look, and you can see that nuclear energy is not the answer. Nuclear power is not safe. An accident is likely to occur every 10-20 years. For example, a European study from Science Daily stated that, â€Å"Based on the operati ng hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number of nuclear meltdowns that have occurred, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz have calculated that such events may occur once every 10 to 20 years.† This evidence demonstrates that, nuclear accidents happen more often than we think they do. The dangerous aspect of a nuclear accident is the amount of radiation that is spewed into the atmosphere and the surrounding environment. Radiation causes sickness, cancer, mutations,Show MoreRelatedIs Nuclear Energy Answer to the Energy Crisis by Albert You1571 Words   |  7 Pages(Albert) Is nuclear power the answer to the energy crisis? 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