| Is clean efficient energy in your future? If so, | | | | environmental footprint except for the waste |
| what is clean and what is alternative and which is | | | | that results from burning the nuclear material. |
| more energy efficient and which is better. Let's | | | | That waste will be radioactive for generations and |
| start with the basics. | | | | must be secured for centuries. This disposal is a |
| Energy is everywhere. So why do we use the | | | | real problem as no community wants a nuclear |
| carbon belching sources for energy if there is | | | | waste facility in their backyard. Their currently |
| ample energy available. Short answer. Because the | | | | exists no solution to this waste, except to secure |
| infrastructure has been built and it is currently the | | | | it far underground. The other issue with nuclear |
| cheapest energy. If at the beginning of the | | | | energy is safety. As we have seen at several |
| industrial revolution some great inventor had | | | | major nuclear accidents the fall-out from a nuclear |
| discovered how to convert sunshine to electricity | | | | plant accident can be very catastrophic. |
| instead of burning fossil fuels, solar energy would | | | | Alternative energies such as hydroelectric, wind |
| most likely be our main source of energy. As we | | | | and solar are environmentally positive compared |
| know, that didn't happen, so let's take a look at | | | | to the fossil or nuclear based energy solutions. |
| some of the current and possible future sources. | | | | However, they do have one primary issue. They |
| Our main source of energy is currently derived | | | | still cost, for the most part, more than coal or |
| from fossil fuels, unless you live in France where it | | | | gas to manufacture and distribute. One of the |
| is nuclear. Of these fossil sources, coal has the | | | | main reasons is that the infrastructure for |
| largest share followed by natural gas. There is | | | | generating alternative sources of energy is not |
| some oil fired, wood fired, and trash fired sources | | | | developed to the same scale as the more |
| of energy. In all these sources the fuel is burned | | | | traditional forms of power generation. This means |
| to create steam which turns an electric turbine | | | | the economies of scale do not exist and the price |
| which puts electricity on the grid. This is the | | | | is higher. |
| energy you use when you turn on your hair dryer | | | | However, this not need be a long term situation. |
| or other appliance. All these, to one degree or | | | | Just as the cost of new Plasma screen televisions |
| another, emit carbon dioxide and other | | | | were very high, as the manufacturing and |
| environmentally harmful gases. Coal is the worst | | | | distribution systems become more efficient the |
| of these and natural gas the cleanest. | | | | prices dropped. The same can happen with |
| Nuclear energy is different. It produces no harmful | | | | alternative energies. |
| carbon dioxide and has a very clean | | | | |