Nuclear waste is only bad because it's very potent, very dangerous stuff. But we work with plenty of other potent, dangerous substances all the time. It can be done.
The burning of coal lets off literally millions of tons of carcinogenic materials into the environment every year. There are trace amounts of radioactive materials, but that adds up real quick when you are talking about such a large scale.
The AMOUNT of nuclear waste is comparatively small. It's extremely potent but not impossible to deal with, and as techniques of production get better we can reasonably expect to see our possibilities open up.
Not to mention the fact that the waste itself is not without possibilities. We used to have a really big problem with the waste left over from gasoline production, but it led to the plastics industry, which has revolutionized life for us. Nuclear waste is very potent stuff; it could easily turn out the same way.
Cycloptichorn
At the present moment the are vast amounts of nuclear waste scheduled to be stored in specially prepared caves in one of our western states. One of the problems aside from the residents not wanting it there is shipping it to that facility. No one wants it to pass thru their state.
As for it being very dangerous and potent add for thousands of years. I doubt there is anything more lastingly dangerous than atomic energy and waste.
Nuclear power IMO should be the last option not the first.
OMG!!! I agree with McGentrix!!
My Mom and I were talking today about deisel engines only needing deisel fuel to start and then being switched over to corn oil. She had read something about this where a truck was sent cross country using vegetable oil from fry vats that had been strained.
I would have to go with wind, solar and vegetable oil. Put our farmers back in business. They deserve a break today!
The problem is that the energy needs of this country are huge and we are really dependent on one source, carbon, in the form of either coal or petroleum. The solution ultimately will be diversity and conservation but we will still need at least on major source of energy. and at the moment nuclear looks to be the only option. None of the choices look good.
