The Sierra Club “weighed in” (“Our answer: Nuclear is dangerous and unnecessary,” May 9) on nuclear energy, declaring it unnecessary; survival of the planet assured with solar, wind, and conservation to fill the void of a fossil-fuel-addicted planet. No, they didn’t say that; and I didn’t say that nuclear energy is “perfectly safe.” New age nuclear is not the panacea of “fusion,” but new age reactors using new technology to burn cleaner fuel are safe. Thorium, a radioactive rare earth element, will fire modern liquid salt reactors. This reactor will not need cooling water, and will produce waste with a hundred year half-life.
Living in a world with abundant energy supplied by the sun, free to everyone, just as plants use it, would be ideal. We may get there someday; for now, we need to change course on carbon production as fast as possible.
Telling your kids you’re sorry you didn’t do more won’t help—when going outside requires a hazmat suit to breathe.
-- David Deick - Atascadero
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