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True conservatives recommend renewable energy

Renewable Energy – A Conservative Approach L.A. Progressive by Tracy Emblem  1 December 2009 No new nuclear power plants have been built in the United States since the late 1970s……

Thirty years later, we have not solved the dilemma of storing nuclear waste or the problem of what to do with the weapons-grade plutonium. It only takes about 18 pounds of plutonium to build a nuclear weapon.

In the United States, more than 60,000 metric tons of nuclear waste is stored in temporary storage facilities at 131 civilian and military sites around the country. The current storage solutions are only expected to last 100 years, while nuclear waste can remain lethal for 100,000 years or more. We must also consider the weapons proliferation risk in an age of transnational terrorism in addition to the risk of an environmental accident. These are just some reasons why we must adopt alternative renewable energy standards and use renewable energy sources rather than build 100 more nuclear power plants.

A conservative solution is to invest in clean energy sources that do not pose risks inherent in nuclear energy production and storage…..In the United States , we can rebuild our manufacturing base by investing in renewable energy sources while creating good paying jobs that provide clean energy production. While those in favor of building nuclear power plants claim nuclear energy is inexpensive and cost effective, they have not factored in the costs and risks associated with the building and maintenance of storage facilities for nuclear waste.
The United States should lead the world away from the dangerous expansion of nuclear power plants. We should phase out our nuclear energy plants over the next generation and continue to invest in other renewable energy sources which make energy costs more predictable in the future.

Renewable Energy – A Conservative Approach | The LA Progressive

December 1, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, renewable, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear weapons, radioactive, renewables, wastes | Leave a comment