Japan's Radioactive Water Crises

Summary

- After the earthquake and tsunami in Japan many problems with nuclear power plants have emerged
- Cooling systems have been destroyed and water is being relied upon to keep reactor fuel rods cool and prevent a meltdown
- Water used to cool reactor becomes irraditated
- Focus has shifted to safe water removal
- Contaminated water findings led to concerns about escaped radiation
-  Partial meltdown suspected in three of the reactors
- Plutonium, Iodine, and Cesium have all been found in higher than natural doses around the plants
- These are harmful by-products of nuclear fission
- Workers in the plant are under extremely dangerous circumstances
- Nuclear power will still play a large role in future "clean" energy of Japan

CNN Japan Report
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Opinion

Japan's current crises is a prime example of how an astonishingly unlikely series of events can be blown out of perportion and negatively influence the reputation of an otherwise reasonablely effective power source. The event has led to countries who have invested in nuclear power to rethink the safety and worth of this energy source. Before making a final decision in your stance on nuclear power, everyone should consider what preceded the cooling systems of these plants crashing. The likelihood of two natural disasters striking the same place consecutively is very low, and that is exactly what it took to created this situation. Not only that, there has not been any meltdowns to this point and besides relatively small radiation leaks and issues with water the crises has been dealt with extremely well.

For those still skeptical of the safety of nuclear power, this should not be taken as a negative against all renewable energy sources and should encourage the use of fossil fuels, thinking of them as a "safer" alternative. Fossil fuels are destroying the entire planet, not just a few city (not that nuclear power is a consistant threat to any city). Nuclear power has it's positives and negatives, but is an affordable and efficient way to stay powered while we deal with the more powerful, more expensive sources. These sources include mainly solar and fusion each being extremely expensive and difficult to produce efficiently, with regular solar fuel cells being roughly 11% efficient and fusion relying on the heating of basic elements to the point of breaking strong nuclear force bonds, fusing them together. For now we have to rely on what we have, and like it or not at the moment that is nuclear power. Take it or leave it.

Complex

Interrelated and Controversial