Nuclear Energy Good Or Bad

Fukushima, Chernobyl, Iran and radiation, are the words which come to our mind when we encounter the term nuclear issues. Ironically, despite its widespread use in many countries today, the use of nuclear power continues to be one of the most highly debated topics over the past 80 years since its first use. As seen from these common terms which we relate nuclear energy to, both the good and bad of nuclear power have been well portrayed to us, though the negative images of it have been illustrated to us more strongly by the media than its good. Where did this great controversy stem from, and where does it stand today? Detractors would say that they object the use of nuclear energy based on the devastation it may bring when an accident occurs.

This in turn, is a way to combat global warming. Nuclear energy works on the principle of splitting the nucleus of an atom to smaller nuclei, similar to the idea of splitting a watermelon into smaller pieces. This fission results in the release of large amounts of energy, which is used to turn electric generators to give an equally vast amount of electricity. Uranium is most commonly used for such fission since it is one of the sparingly few fissile isotopes present in the periodic table. Some would say the mining of Uranium for use in nuclear fission is as damaging to the environment as coal, or even more due to the radioactive nature of the materials being mined(Aref, n.d.). However, if we contrast nuclear power with the use of fossil fuel for energy, nuclear power holds much greater superiority as much more energy is produced with the same amount of starting material. With this in mind, the harm done from mining would be minimal in terms of quantity compared to coal. At the same time, almost no carbon emission and carbon dioxide gas is produced from the use of nuclear energy, unlike the use of fossil fuel. In a way, nuclear energy is a step we have to head towards if we want to combat global warming (Lynas, 2012). The great benefits reaped from the use of nuclear power hence accentuate the need of it to continue

Indeed there exist many pros and cons of using nuclear technology where both sides of the spectrum hold arguments which are understandable. It is alright to use nuclear energy, yet without a doubt, we have to be cautious when using it. Failure to do so may lead to the very destruction of ourselves from the something which could ironically, save us in the face of global warming. Hence, despite the risks of accidents, the advocation of the use of nuclear energy remains justified given that these risks and damage can be minimized through apt