Thread: Nuclear energy - Opinions on its use as a power source?

I'd like to say most of my views stem from good old common sense.

To me, nuclear is not "green" and probably never will be unless a life form on the planet evolves to being unharmed by radioactivity, has a voracious appetite for radioactive metal and its waste products render said radioactive metals inert. Radioactive emissions are the quintessence of toxicity to life. Some forms of plutonium used in nuclear reactors have a half life of over 300,000 years?!

I've got to tell you. The common sense part of me sees nuclear power as an option in a theoretical world where human life could not exist except with the power generated by nuclear. In such a theoretical world, it would make sense to me but in no other. I would have no problem, for example, if wind turbines became a ubiquitous part of life and landscape.

IMO nuclear power is like Russian Roulette. Everything is OK unless the trigger hits a bullet filled chamber. Life is too unpredictable (natural disasters, human error, mechanical malfunctions, terroristic attack/sabotage, etc) to play such a game for energy created in that manner.

Chris L