Today I was reading a column by Deroy Murdock of Scripps Howard in the Evansville Courier & Press regarding nuclear power. It got me to thinking, is nuclear power really an answer?? The argument by Mr. Murdock was that because nuclear power does not create carbon dioxide, environmentalists should embrace it. After all, if we are really concerned about global warming, why are we not in turn warming ourselves up to the use of nuclear power? France obtains 75% of its power from nuclear energy. Maybe he is right that if we are that concerned about global warming, we should jump on a power source that makes cleaner energy and that is widely used in other parts of the world. However, a part of me still thinks of nuclear plants as the scary type that almost caused a nuclear disaster at Three Mile Island. If that disaster was not averted, areas such as Gettysburgh, Pennsylvania could have been uninhabitable for many years. Even worse, are thoughts of Chernobyl, where disaster was not averted. On the recent anniversary of this disaster, one program stated that the area around Chernobyl will be unsafe to live in for at least one hundred years. Radiation levels there are still off the charts. In addition, some makeshift roof that brave workers put on it after the disaster, is falling apart. It is therefore, hard for me to think of nuclear power as a good alternative, even though plants are probably a great deal safer now in light of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.

Another aspect of nuclear power that is a negative is the waste. Where is all of the radioactive waste going to go?? I don't know of anyone who would be eager to have this waste disposed of in their town or city.

Further, with 9/11 still on our minds, how can we feel excited about nuclear plants that could be a potential terror target? In my mind, such plants would be akin to a bullseye for terrorists, since a disaster at one could have huge immediate and long-term effects on many people in our country.

I agree with Mr. Murdock that those concerned about global warming have to consider every option to alleviate that problem. However, I am hoping we can come up with a fix besides nuclear power.