[Winona Online Democracy] All these ideas remind me of a quote by Martin Luther King Jr.,
"We are technological giants and ethical infants." To seriously consider any of the alternatives listed below is to ignore any sense of morality, responsibility to future generations, or any kind of religous calling. Especially in light of the straightforward and scientifically sound alternatives to the problems that Avory Levins talked about in the video last night. It's insanity to continue down this path. When you walk into a room that is full of water on the floor because of an overflowing sink, instead of getting a mop and figuring out where to dump (or store) the dirty water, common sense would dictate that you first turn off the faucet that is causing the sink to overflow in the first place. There are alternatives. We need the engineers, accountants, and others to be honest with the math and numbers. If so, we are creative and moral enough to find alternatives. Remember the warning by Eisenhower about the threat of a military-industrial complex and what it would do to our country and democracy? One last quote by Dewey, "While saints engage in introspection, burly sinners rule the world." Is this about pure science or arming an empire? Dwayne Voegeli Jan. 20, 2005 ---------- > >[Winona Online Democracy] > >Burying radioactive waste under the ocean floor was considered by scientists >before the Administration made the decision to dump the stuff in Yucca >Mountain, according to publications by the Office of Civilian Radioactive >Waste Management of the United States Department of Energy. Potential >leakage didn't seem to be a significant problem, at least according to the >report. The reasons given for not choosing this method were that the waste >might not be recoverable, that developing regulatory and monitoring methods >would be "challenging," and that the international agreement on radio active >waste, signed at the London Convention in 1993, which remains in force until >2018, bans such disposal. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about the plan in >the future, however. > > >Other options studied and then rejected by scientists were: > > > > 1.. Leaving waste where it is. Rejected because of serious hazards to >environment. > > > 2.. Very deep hole (6 miles at least) disposal. Rejected because >scientists did "not know enough about how radioactive waste would behave >under the exceptionally high pressures and temperatures of very deep holes." > > > 3.. Ice-sheet disposal. Rejected because of unknown effect of future >climate changes, uncertain disposal and retrieval processes, expense, and >the prohibition of disposal of radioactive waste on the Antarctic continent >by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. > > > 4.. Island geologic disposal. Rejected because of risks associated with >ocean transport, geologic structure that would allow water to penetrate >underlying rock and cause corrosion, the possibility of earthquakes and >volcanic activity on many islands, and potential of opposition from nearby >countries even though the islands would be "remote." > > > 5.. Deep-well injection disposal. Rejected because of the need for >mechanical or chemical processing of the spent nuclear fuel prior to >injection and the potential movement of liquid waste outside the porous rock >formation. > > > 6.. Space disposal. Rejected because of possibility of accident during >launch and consequent potential for scattering of radioactive waste, the >great number of launches that would be required, and the problems of >establishing international agreements on how such a program would be >operated and regulated. > > >Reprocessing, done by some nations now, was seen as a good possibility to >reduce volume of nuclear waste, but will not eliminate it and produces >high-level waste as a byproduct. A repository would still be needed. The >Department of Energy "is currently involved in transmutation research and >development, but it will be many decades before it could be used on a >practical scale." So poor Yucca Mountain, a safe "geologic disposal" site, >remains the target, "ultimately necessary" according to the Board of >Radioactive Waste Management. Those interested in more details on the >rationale for the Yucca Mountain Plan should check material from the Office >I mentioned (some available on Web) as well as the report of the Board on >Radioactive Waste Management, National Research Council, National Academy of >Sciences, "Disposition of High-Level waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel: The >Continuing Societal and Technical Challenges" (National Academy Press). Look >at the Department of Energy's "Why Yucca Mountain?" >(http://www.ocrum.doe.gov/ymp/sr/brochure.pdf) > >Roy Nasstrom > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Duane Peterson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "mel rennells" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> >Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 1:41 PM >Subject: RE: [Winona] Using Atomic energy > > >> [Winona Online Democracy] >> >> Why haven't we heard more of this in the main stream media? It sounds >> like >> an ideal solution to the problems we now have with nuclear waste (Prairie >> Island is still in casks). >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Behalf Of mel rennells >> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 3:36 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [Winona] Using Atomic energy >> >> >> [Winona Online Democracy] >> >> In answer of how to solve the idea of global worming. President Bush is >> suggesting the use of more Atomic Power plants. The only waste is radio >> active. The next question is where do we put the waste. >> I propose we dump it in the mid Atlantic or Pacific rift. It will be >> buried >> beneath miles of ocean. >> If you are worried about hurting the environment just do this. Design the >> tank or container >> to desolve or explode at 4 miles down. The radiation will desolve or >> spread >> so it will be no problem . Please note by the time it reaches the surface >> it will be deluted enough to be no problem. The advantage of this method >> is >> it will not be around 10,000 years but will spread itself into the ocean >> until the concentration will be minimal. >> >> Mel Rennells >> Melvin & Mary Rennells >> 131 Oskamp Circle >> Winona MN 55987 >> home 507-454-1155 >> cel 507-458-7971 >> web www.hbci.com/~melr >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy >> All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. >> No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. >> To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit >> http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona >> Any problems or suggestions can be directed to >> mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact >> page >> at >> http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy >> All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. >> No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. >> To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit >> http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona >> Any problems or suggestions can be directed to >> mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact >> page at >> http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org >> > > >_______________________________________________ >This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy >All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. >No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. >To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit >http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona >Any problems or suggestions can be directed to >mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at > http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org > ------------ Dwayne Voegeli Winona County Commissioner (507) 453-9012 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 359 Pleasant Hill Dr. Winona, MN 55987 ------------ _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
