Thomas, S., & Croft, A. (2016, August 22). Nuclear Developers Have Big Plans
for Pint-Sized Power Plants in UK. Retrieved August 28, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/08/22/business/22reuters-britain-nuclear-smr.html?_r=0
This article is about power plants in London, in which the main topic is aimed the lack of mini-nuclear power plants that could solve “Britain’s looming power crunch.” In these kind of power plants, small modular reactors (SMR) utilize existing or new nuclear technology in order to produce about one-tenth of the amount of electricity produced by well-known businesses and companies. According to critics, the big issue is that it might be very expensive, and that it is not worth the cost.
This article completely leaves out the conversation of pollution. The critics mentioned in the article did not even talk about the effects of pollution, only the cost of the nuclear power plants. The fact that they do not even address the state of pollution underscores the lack of general human concerns for the consequences of the environment. When people read this, they will not even think about the negative effects of the plants because it wasn’t even talked about in the article.
I think the lack of light on pollution reflects how today’s society and governments work. People only focus on the economic aspects of construction, energy consumption, etc. However, it is vital that we think of the environment as well because we are approaching a point of destruction where we can never return to. After all, everything we use comes from the Earth, so we should always be thinking of its needs first.
This shows the harsh reality of how people deal with the environment, and how they put the money before the actual needs of the environment. We need to find more ways in which saving the environment can be rewarded through profits.
I agree with you that we need to think about pollution when establishing power plants and what type they are. Another issue with Nuclear power plants could be NIMBY because many people do not feel safe having them around.
I feel like in these situations the goovernment or enviiornmental protection agencies need to initervene to make up for the cost. Promoting cleaner, more efficient energy is in our best interest, and the govt. should lobby companies that are trying to keep energy green.