Nuclear power has always been seen as a “safe” alternative energy to burning fossil fuels. So much so they today is accounts for about twenty-five percent of worldwide power generation. But here are 7 reasons why nuclear power sucks:

1 – Extremely Expensive To Install:

Nuclear power plants are definitely not a cheap investment. At around six to twelve billion dollars each – just for installation – taxpayers have subsidized billions of dollars to keep the utilities afloat. This money could have been invested in cleaner renewable energies instead.

2 – It causes global warming:

Once seen as the solution to global climate change, nuclear power is far from it. Everywhere along the nuclear chain – from the mining of uranium to its transportation to the construction of the power plant – greenhouse gases are emitted.

What’s more is these reactors take years to be fully operational – wasting precious time in our fight against global warming. We could have used that time and money more wisely, such as improved research and development in solar and wind power.

3 – Radioactive waste:

20 to 30 tonnes of highly radioactive waste is produced by just one nuclear plant every year. This excludes what the authorities like to call “low” level radioactive waste produced in the rest of the supply chain – such as during the enrichment process.

4 – A damaged reactor could lead to a catastrophe:

Nuclear power plants are not as safe as they are said to be. They could easily be attacked and even if an accident happened, there are no realistic evacuation measures in place. Furthermore, thanks to the Price-Anderson Act, a utility company is liable for only $10.8 billion as opposed to the real potential damage of $600 billion! Who will be picking up the rest of the bill? The working-class taxpayers – that’s who!

5 – Increased risk of cancer:

Nuclear supporters are completely wrong in believing that radiation levels near reactors are “safe”. What they do not know is that these level are only “safe” for healthy, white men. Children, who are more prone to cancer from radiation, are not even considered.

The current solution for the “disposal” or “storage” of this waste is unacceptable. There is no scientifically safe place to dump this waste, and new reactors would exacerbate the problem. Additional “low” level radioactive waste would have to be dumped in landfills or incinerated, polluting the water and air.

6 – Where there’s nuclear power, there’s war and terrorism:

If you look back at Israel’s bombing of Syria’s suspected nuclear site in 2007, and America worried about Iran’s nuclear program, nuclear development brings about the threat of a nuclear attack. Just imagine how tensions would rise as more countries increase their nuclear deployment. Not to mention the fact that the more reactors there are, the easier it is for terrorists to get their hands on nuclear materials.

7 – There are cleaner alternatives:

There already so many better, cheaper, “greener’ ways to produce electricity today, that we are surprised nuclear power is still invested in so heavily. Why not spend those billions of dollars building more wind farms and solar power stations instead, and invest more in the technological advancement of these renewable energies?

The good thing is we do not have to wait for the utilities to switch to renewable energy. We can do it ourselves at home right now. It is actually rather straightforward and affordable to build your own working solar and wind power system at home. All it takes is some initiative.