"People are terrified of nuclear power (the most scalable form of carbon-free energy) because of images of Three Mile Island (which killed no one), Fukushima (which killed no one; the deaths were caused by the tsunami and a panicked, unnecessary evacuation), and Chernobyl (which killed fewer people than are killed by coal every day). " https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/06/focal-point-harvard-professor-steven-pinker-says-the-truth-lies-in-the-data/ #ecology
@kravietz I wouldn't want coal plants anyway because of carbon emissions. I wouldn't want nuclear in my backyard when there are clean energy alternatives.
@eosoe today and in near future there are no alternatives because solar & wind cannot provide energy 100% of the time and are unstable - the picture shows Germany's energy sources right now and you can see any missing power is supplied from coal, gas and nuclear; if they close all nuclear in 2022 it will be only coal and gas. Now, compare it with CO2 emissions of France...
@kravietz Nuclear may be a stop gap measure for the next century or two but there is only so much uranium and plutonium. Eventually we have to switch to renewable clean energy sources.
@eosoe this is absolutely right. We jest need this centaury to cope with climate change.
@eosoe The whole nuclear industry in US produces 10 kt of waste per 10 years, which is then stored safely underground. Coal industry produces 45 kt of toxic waste per DAY which is dumped on ash piles and released into the atmosphere.