There isn’t really a question. Not only are gas and coal power stations choking the environment but we are running out of these non-renewable resources. We have to go nuclear.
That said, it’s also not the whole answer. We have to pursue all energy solutions at the same time, finding local solutions. A little bit of wind, a bit of solar, maybe some hydro, and wave harnessing technology. All of these things though, currently aren’t enough to fulfil our needs (or not without ruining huge swathes of countryside with wind turbines) so we have to have a return to nuclear at the core. And with nuclear maybe we can develop hydrogen fuel cells as an economical alternative to petrol/diesel in cars and busses. Won’t do much for plane travel but we could do something about our roads.
And while we are at it, the place that we can put wind turbines are in ports, they look good in there with the rest of the port furniture and cranes and ther like. Oh, and while we are at it, where could be a better place for a wind turbine but on top of a nuclear power station – you’ve got a big, ugly box on the horizon anyhow, so put a few wind turbines around it.
And whilst we replace non-renewable, and carbon ommitting energy, energy just as fast as we can with nuclear, lets not forget to pursue all those other energy solutions at the same time along with one’s that we may not have thought of yet.
Nuclear power is also not nenewable. In addition to that, it will heavily deplete our resources of platinum. In addition to that there is currently a rush to produce nuclear power stations around the world and not enough uranium being produced to supply them all.
Lastly it doesn’t set a good example to places like Iran that want to build their own nuke stations but which the u.k. is probably not so keen that they do.
Oh and I almost forgot, the u.k. still hasn’t resolved what it is going to do with its existing spent nuclear fuel.
It’s better to do without I think. 🙁
love
Freya
My thoughts are pretty similar. I think there’s a good chance that we are just going to have to go without. And the world will change dramatically.
A lot of that change will be good, too.
We’re definitely going to have to be more responsible in our use of energy. I guess, my point was (and I’m taking my lead here a bit from what my dad says – and he works in climate science so I do kind of believe him) is that there is no single answer to all of this.
We have to persue all alternatives at the same time, whilst cutting down/cutting out the big, carbon polluting one’s. Oh, and cutting out the flying people out to big meetings, when video conference technologies are getting all the more developed – seeings as the plane travel is the real BIG polluter and not much alternative for powering it :\
… there is no single answer to all of this
Yes, I’m totally with you there!
And the flying thing is very strange. I have friends who get sent to the US on business every 2 weeks or so – I really wonder what on earth about their jobs is so bizarre that it means that they HAVE to be in two places almost at once!
The one I couldn’t understand, was I think, just before Christmas they had a big conference somewhere or other to discuss climate change, but they flew everyone in, most of whom didn’t know anything, just so that they could be seen to be attending the thing, and then nothing was actually decided?!!!
Surely someone should be designing some decent virtual reality conference technology…
Also – my pet peeve – flying fruits and vegies around the world so that we can have (for eg) peaches in Amsterdam in January. They taste disgusting, they’ve been to more countries than I have, and whatever is wrong with sticking to stuff that’s in season? Better for you anyway imho!
Honestly, I do get angry when I see these exotic summer fruits in the middle of winter. All flashy colours and no flavour, apart from anything else 😛
my pet peeve – flying fruits and vegies around the world
Yup! I’m with you there definitely. I’m not saying I’ve got this one cracked completely but I am striving towards trying to eat more regionally and seasonally. I’m not pro-Organic for everything, but try to eat real food, grown and raised well.
I also by Fairtrade bananas/coffee/chocolate/tea etc. on the grounds that if I’m going to have my food flown in then I’m at least going to try and make sure it does ‘some’ good (or at least that’s what I hope…)
Of course all of this does mean that around this time of year I do get to get a bit tired of sprouts, carrots and broccoli, but at least I get to appreciate my fresh peas and beans when they are in season! 🙂
I can’t claim to be perfect on the food front yet either (and I am a big big fan of raw food, so I do like my variety), but as long as we’re trying, it’s better than nothing. I think that it’s important not to be overwhelmed – it’s true, I can’t save the world on my own, but I can definitely make a start.
I had the most DELICIOUS broccoli soup at a cafe yesterday, mmmmm. Very thick and tasty with lots of texture, very tender broccoli in it. And I juice a lot of carrots too, this morning I had a bunch of carrots and a cucumber. We do grow lots of things like that in hothouses here in NL, which isn’t actually my excuse but perhaps it could be 😛
I have a great greengrocer, well, two – Morgan and Petra, on the girlsguide site. They give me lots of advice about what’s good in their shop (of course, if it’s not nice, they don’t stock it!)