The dark side of future technology

[UM-Bot]

As far as anyone knows, the plight of civilization is nowhere near as dire as in the opening pages of Douglas Adams's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," where alien spaceships are poised to destroy Earth to make way for an interstellar highway.

Still, with resource consumption and environmental destruction rising at unsustainable rates, plenty of people view the future with alarm.

View: Full Article | Source: New York Times

[SureFire]

I for one support the whole idea, I think that nuclear power is the way to go. Yea the one problem the utility industry has had was a massive one, I still believe that it is the correct way to go in the "near" future, everywhere. With our oil prices the way they are, Nuclear just seems right, since we cannot produce enough hydroelectric power to sustain our economy. All in all yea there are some dangers but what good thing doesn't have risks?

[WoDoByMe]

My concern with nuclear technology is all the radioactive waste that is producted when it is mined. Uranium ore is often only 0.5 percent pure although it does get up to 25% pure, which means for every Kg of ore there can be as little as 50g of usable uranium, and the other 995 g is highly radio active sludge that gets put into large lakes, that have been known to spill or over flow contaminating the natural ground water in the area for eternity.

[ROGER]

I have to agree that Nuclear Power is a stop gap measure only. Burying the waste simply leaves a mess for future generations to deal with. In my area Wind Mill Farms and Alternative Fuels are trying to get a start. But are being blocked by people who don't want any thing in "Their Back Yards". And the Regulations imposed by the Government adds unnecessary rules and regulations that make Energy Advances very difficult. Tax cuts and sales incentives are needed to get all people helping to save and make energy. Don't depend on "Them" to do it for you. They are more concerned with short term profits.

Put up Wind mill Generators in pastures and open land areas. Talk to your local power companies about solar heating of your homes and water. And push local and State Governments to help.

I just bought a used 3 wheel Scooter for around town. I get only 15 miles on a charge but that's enough for local short trips for small jobs. And it costs pennies a day to recharge. I don't need a big SUV just to go 10 city blocks.

[AztecInca]

Our PM whos currently over in Canada was telling the media that it was indeed inevitable that Australia will have power generated by Nuclear power stations. Even with most of the world's know uranium deposits and resources we still do not derive any power from nuclear energy we just sell our uranium to all you fine folks overseas. Our other deposits of natural, gas, coal and oil are keeping our energy needs met. I would personally rather see us using nuclear power now as the damage we are currently doing to the environment is gigantic but saying that I wouldn`t want nuclear energy as a long-term option for our energy needs.

Edited May 21, 2006 by AztecInca