When will they give it a rest?

Bison in the neighbourhood of Chernobyl

Once again certain unpopular politicians are seeking to subvert good science and positive environmental developments, by pushing the nuclear power myth for Scotland.

Entirely subjective, but I cannot recall ever having a conversation with anyone who wanted nuclear power. Instead, all environmentalists of my acquaintance are opposed to this and make good cases for relying on renewables to provide Scotland’s electricity needs.

These reports are fair examples of my argument.
http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/publications/power_of_scotland.pdf

http://bellacaledonia.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/labour-goes-nuclear/

I recall the horror of the Chernobyl plant explosion in 1986 which lead to disaster for that area and further afield as prevailing winds blew contaminated dust across so much of Europe. Although I understand that the levels of health and safety as well as good engineering practice were not as high there as those in the UK, I fail to be convinced that humans are infallible and that even the best systems can go wrong.

Leaving aside the dreadful human cost of the tragedy, there is new evidence that the hoped for recovery of plants and animals in the area was an over-estimate. This report today states:

“Researchers also found that animals living near the Chernobyl reactor had more deformities, including discoloration and stunted limbs, than normal.”

I'd far rather live with numerous wind farms and support funding for exciting scientific advances in wave power technology than risk more nuclear accidents. Nothing can persuade me to vote for those who do not care that their proposals bequeath centuries of nuclear waste to future generations.

2 comments:

m said...

My dad is a physicist so when Chenobyl happened we had only skimmed milk for 3 months after my dad insisted. I think we wanted to keep it up for longer but my mother rebelled. There are STILL farms in scotand so radioactive that even though they keep on farming nothing they produce is allowed out of the farm

Jes said...

I haven't looked into any reports on the problem of radioactivity in Scottish farmlands for a while. The nature of this contamination is such that it will take a very long time before it reduces to safe levels.

As regards milk and the reports(proven or unproven) of toxicity eg hormones, in the higher fat levels I try to reduce any potential health risks by buying organic as much as possible. I just wish I could drink coffee without it or with soya milk instead. Seems I can't give up the white stuff! However, I much prefer soya yoghurt, so that is some progress. Just have to deal with the cheese cravings next. But maybe life is too short anyway, to live on pretendy cheese made from processed rice.