What is nuclear energy and how it is obtained


 

Look After your Planet!

Look  After  Your  Planet!partly off rechargeable batteries, and a new
fuel  called  "biodiesel"
It seems that nearly every day we hear
something about Global Warming. Australia'sIndividual actions make a difference, too.
drought is now the worst in our history.Try cutting down on petrol consumption by
Intense storm cells lashing parts of Southusing public transportation or carpooling
East Queensland, frequent Category 4 and 5with friends and coworkers. When possible,
tropical storms worldwide, fierce bushfires,ride a bike or walk to your destinationyou'll
melting glaziers, flooding, the list goes on.be keeping the planet and the economy healthy
With the ever increasing threat of globaland  also  yourself  too!
warming, we need to know how we can look
after the planet as it is the only one weNuclear  Australia
have. If we don't make changes now, what hope
will our young children have for their futureAustralia is the owner of the world's largest
on  this  planet?uranium reserves. Most of the energy in
Australia is supplied by burning coal or
Electricity causes 35 per cent of Australia'spetrol. Currently, 78 per cent of Australia's
greenhouse pollution which makes it thewater is boiled by coal. Coal, is a fossil
biggest single source of Australia'sfuel and creates greenhouse emissions.
greenhouse  pollution.Nuclear energy is a way to boil water without
producing  greenhouse  emissions.
Here are a few tips on what we can do to help
cool  our  planet.All of the uranium mined in Australia is
exported. Every country that buys uranium
Switch off the TV, VCR, microwave and stereofrom Australia must sign an agreement that
at the power point instead of leaving them inthe uranium will be used only for peaceful
stand-by  power  mode.purposes  (like  generating  energy).
Purchase appliances with the highest EnergyWhy  aren't  we  using  our  own  uranium?
Star  rating.
A great debate has recently opened up in
Run air-conditioning units only when neededParliament on Australia's nuclear policy.
and adjust the temperature control to 25John Howard has suggested an inquiry into
degrees.Australia's energy uses, including the
proposal  of  going  nuclear.
Defrost the freezer regularly and set the
temperature  to  -18°C.Those who are for a nuclear Australia argue
that the introduction of nuclear energy is
Only  use  your  dishwasher  when it is full.cleaner. It could possibly reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and help the environment.
Consider solar lighting for your porch andNuclear energy could also provide a cheaper
garden.solution to rising petrol prices and could
create  jobs  for  thousands  of  people.
Decorative solar garden lights are now
available  in  inexpensive  kits.Scientists say that only five per cent of
emissions would be cut by 2050, which is well
Dry washing on a clothesline. Your clothesbelow the target number that has been set to
will smell fresh, look better and wearreduce climate change. The opposition doesn't
longer.forget the nuclear disaster of the Chernobyl
power plant meltdown in 1986. They argue that
Replace light bulbs with compactsuch a disaster could happen again. Others
fluorescents. They provide just as much lightworry that if Australia goes nuclear, our
and  they  use  75  per  cent  less  power.uranium supply could run out in less than 60
years.
Install movement sensors in outdoor areas,
they provide security while saving money andPersonally I am against the idea of Nuclear
energy.Power in Australia. It has some benefits but
the overall risk of a nuclear disaster and
Turn off your hot water system when you go onthe possibility of it falling into the wrong
holidays.hands to make nuclear weapons are too much of
a risk. There must be a better and safer
Switch off the light when you leave the room.solution.
Greenpeace believes the problem that we faceThe Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster on April 25th
is that the burning of fossil fuels (coal,-26th 1986 is the world's worst nuclear power
oil and gas) for energy, which is changingaccident. It occurred at Chernobyl in the
the climate. The fossil fuel industry isformer USSR now know as Ukraine. The
resisting change, funneling millions ofChernobyl nuclear power plant was located 80
dollars into advertising and campaigns tomiles north of Kiev. It had 4 reactors and
oppose  global  warming  solutions.whilst testing reactor number 4 numerous
safety procedures were disregarded. At 1:23am
What's worse, our governments are listeninga chain reaction in the reactor became out of
to  them!control creating explosions and a fireball
which blew off the reactor's heavy steel and
Climate change is caused by human activity;concrete  lid.
it is the warming of our planet. It's the
worst environmental and economic problem weThe Chernobyl accident killed more than 30
face today. Most scientists and governmentspeople immediately, and as a result of the
around the world now agree that climatehigh radiation levels in the surrounding
change will damage or destroy many natural20-mile radius, 135,000 people had to be
ecosystems  and  human  communities.evacuated.
Our atmosphere is made up of a balancedHealth  Effects  from the Chernobyl Disaster-
blanket of gases. The gas blanket traps in
the earth's heat and sustains life on earth.The five years (1981-1986) before the
This is known as the greenhouse effect.accident, the average thyroid cancer rate in
Industrial activities create more greenhouseyoung children aged between birth and 15
gases, disrupting the natural balance andyears old was 4-6 incidents per million. The
increasing  greenhouse  warming.incidents rose from 4-6 per million to 45
incidents  per million between 1986 and 1997.
It's like we're putting a thicker blanket
over  the  planet,  causing  it  to overheat.There have also been reports of increases of
specific cancers in certain populations
Our greenhouse gas pollution comes fromliving in contaminated areas and among those
burning coal and gas to make energy.who  helped with the cleanup of the accident.
Deforestation also releases large amounts of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. After30 lives were lost during the accident or
that, changes in our climate may becomewithin a few months after it. Figures from
rapid,  unpredictable  and  irreversible.the Ukraine Radiological Institute suggest
that over 2,500 deaths were caused by the
Coal provides nearly 90 per cent ofChernobyl  disaster.
Australia's electricity and is also
destroying the environment. Coal use alsoPsychological  Consequences-
causes significant health problems. Studies
around the world show worrying incidences ofThere have been significant increases in
asthma, lung diseases and cancers. We mustpsychological health disorders and incidence
stop our use of coal powered electricity!such  as:
Clean, renewable energy is the solution to
climate  change  and  to  a  better  planet.Anxiety
Just as we rely on coal in Australia, we feedDepression
other countries in our region. We export
about three times as much coal as weHelplessness and despair leading to, social
currently use. The Newcastle port has morewithdrawal  and  loss of hope for the future.
coal leaving from there every day than our
entire  country  uses.Other disorders attributable to mental stress
The world relies on crude oil and it'sThe stress and trauma of the people involved
running  out!during the evacuation and their concerns
about their children's health came from the
The world's transportation and commercialresult of the lack of public information
industries rely heavily on oil.available after the accident. There is much
Unfortunately, in recent years, we've beenunderstandable skepticism over official
consuming much more oil than we've beenstatements as people were not told the truth
discovering. Some scientists are suggestinguntil  several  years  after  the  accident.
that the Earth may have reached its peak oil.
Following the accident 116,000 people had to
"Peak oil" is the point at which we consumebe evacuated and between 1990 and 1995 an
more petroleum per year than we produce, andadditional 210,000 people were resettled. A
when peak oil happens worldwide, it will nonew town was named for the personnel of the
longer be worth the time or money it takes toChernobyl  power  plant.
find new oil reserves. Some people believe
there will be a war as the result of a battleVillages had to be decontaminated and major
to gain control over the world's last oilwork had to be carried out on infrastructure
reserves. Saudi Arabia possesses both theof water and gas. The closure of Reactor 4
world's largest oil reserves and produces theand the "freeze" on construction of new
largest amount of the world's oil. The Middlereactors reduced the availability of
East has about 50 per cent of the knownelectricity  supplies.
remaining  world  oil  reserves.
Demographic indications in 'contaminated'
The truth is, peak oil could affect you moreareas suggest that these areas are
than you realize. The average Australianexperiencing a decline in birth rate. The
consumes six and a half litres of oil everywork force has moved to uncontaminated areas
day, three quarters of that is being used forresulting in a shortage of labour and
transportation.professional  staff.
Australia passed peak oil as a nation inThe affected areas suffered major disruption
2000, and now imports 30% of all its oil. Byto normal life and economic activity in
2010, it's estimated that that figure will beagriculture  and  forestry  production.
closer  to  50%.
After the Chernobyl accident radioactive
It's hard to say exactly what will happenmaterial was widely dispersed and was
once peak oil hits across the globe. Somemeasured over a vast area. The effects have
scientists say that it will be the end ofbeen felt over the whole of the northern
civilization as we know it, while othershemisphere.
claim there will really be no difference at
all due to recent advances in energyIn some local ecosystems within a 10 km
technology.radius of the reactor lethal doses were
reached particularly with trees and small
No one can say exactly when the world's peakmammals. However in 1989 the natural
oil will occur, estimates say sometime aroundenvironment of these ecosystems began to
2015. The United States Energy Informationrecover but there is still the possibility of
Administration believes the world supply oflong  term  genetic  effects.
oil shale to be 2.6 trillion barrels of
usable oilthat's approximately 66 years worthWith today's ongoing risk of terrorist
of  fuel  at  current  consumption  rates.attacks worldwide and the growing threat of
an attack in Australia, it seems going
The problem is, by relying on oil shale andnuclear could be a disaster waiting to
other such sources of petroleum, we're merelyhappen. Nuclear power does have its
delaying the problem. If we don't investigateadvantages but in an unstable world as we
other types of energy, we'll have the samelive in today I'm not sure it is a good idea.
problem we do now in half a century. AlthoughHowever we need to do something now to help
we can stretch our supply for a while longer,fight the growing concerns of global warming
we  will  eventually  run  out  of  oil.and climate change. Our children deserve the
rights for us to find a solution so they can
There are currently efforts underway tolive in stable and safe environment in the
reduce or eliminate oil consumption. Autofuture.
companies are developing hybrid cars that run



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