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Weapons-grade byproducts, radiation leaks, Homer Simpson, Chernobyl, Fukushima...list goes on. People have all sorts of deep seated fears about fission. They d

Weapons-grade byproducts, radiation leaks, Homer Simpson, Chernobyl, Fukushima...list goes on. People have all sorts of deep seated fears about fission. They don't have to be accurate to be afraid. Knowledgeable people are aware that more people have died falling off of roofs trying to install solar panels than have ever died from a nuclear power plant. The problem is insufficient propaganda from the nuclear fission industry. The tech works fine, but people don't believe it.

icebraining 9y ago
It doesn't help that governments seem hellbent into destroying its credibility. When the Health Ministry starts distributing iodine tablets "just in case"[1], is it any wonder that people get scared? [1] http://www.dw.com/en/belgium-says-its-nuclear-plants-are-safe-but-here-are-some-iodine-pills-just-in-case/a-19223966 http://www.dw.com/en/belgium-says-its-nuclear-plants-are-saf...
- altrus 9y ago
  The contingency plans in place to respond to radiation hazards generally focus on the sheltering and evacuation of affected people. Depending on the local geography, population distribution, and infrastructure, it might take several days to evacuate the impacted population, or it might be challenging to ensure comprehensive and uniform resource distribution. Because of the time required to evacuate people from the impacted areas, one of the objectives of a response plan would be to minimize radiation exposure due to contaminated food and water. Providing iodine tablets before an accident is intended to minimize radioactive exposure due to contaminated food and water sources from the time the hazard is discovered to the time you are evacuated, and allows planners to apply those resources that would otherwise be spent distributing those supplies to helping evacuate more people, or responding to the incident.
  - icebraining 9y ago
    Right, and if everyone near got a supply from the start of the operation of the plant, that'd be OK. But when they've been living there with the reactor for 40 years and suddenly they get tablets, then something's changed, and it's normal for people to get scared. And since that's normal and predictable, it should never happen except in cases of major force, like earthquakes and tsunamis. A government should be able to resolve the situation would letting the risk rise to this point.
fsloth 9y ago
"The problem is insufficient propaganda from the nuclear fission industry. " And nutty counter-propaganda from the environmental movement.
throw2016 9y ago
Are you comparing solar installation accidents to the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters?
- Broken_Hippo 9y ago
  Yes and no. They aren't the same thing at all, obviously. But that said, it is much more likely that someone die from installing or servicing solar panels than someone die from a nuclear incident. We tend to be afraid of abnormal but possibly fatal or maiming events - the ones that are newsworthy - compared to the risks we face on a daily basis. Which is why we are cautious when climbing a ladder twice a year but not when we get into the shower as an older adult, even though shower accidents, including broken hips, are incredibly common. The poster is putting the actual risk into perspective.
- GVIrish 9y ago
  Why not? The point is not that a Fukushima or Chernobyl should be considered to have the same impact as falling off roofs, clearly that's not true. The point is that the risk of death with nuclear plants isn't nearly as high as people feel it is, even when factoring in the high-profile accidents that have occurred. Right now, a lot of people have an irrationally over-inflated perception of the risk posed by nuclear power.
  - throw2016 9y ago
    This is reductive. It's not reasonable to simply ignore the devastating fallout of nuclear accidents beyond human causalities. This doesn't engage with the real world consequences of nuclear accidents that are devastating to life and the environment, long lasting and extremely expensive and complex to cleanup.
    - Nomentatus 9y ago
      Wonderful way to create wildlife refuges, though.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
nickik 9y ago
Maybe instead of continue spreading them you could help inform people. If you can offer cheap power people will usually take it.

icebraining 9y ago

It doesn't help that governments seem hellbent into destroying its credibility. When the Health Ministry starts distributing iodine tablets "just in case"[1], is it any wonder that people get scared? [1] http://www.dw.com/en/belgium-says-its-nuclear-plants-are-safe-but-here-are-some-iodine-pills-just-in-case/a-19223966 http://www.dw.com/en/belgium-says-its-nuclear-plants-are-saf...

altrus 9y ago
The contingency plans in place to respond to radiation hazards generally focus on the sheltering and evacuation of affected people. Depending on the local geography, population distribution, and infrastructure, it might take several days to evacuate the impacted population, or it might be challenging to ensure comprehensive and uniform resource distribution. Because of the time required to evacuate people from the impacted areas, one of the objectives of a response plan would be to minimize radiation exposure due to contaminated food and water. Providing iodine tablets before an accident is intended to minimize radioactive exposure due to contaminated food and water sources from the time the hazard is discovered to the time you are evacuated, and allows planners to apply those resources that would otherwise be spent distributing those supplies to helping evacuate more people, or responding to the incident.
- icebraining 9y ago
  Right, and if everyone near got a supply from the start of the operation of the plant, that'd be OK. But when they've been living there with the reactor for 40 years and suddenly they get tablets, then something's changed, and it's normal for people to get scared. And since that's normal and predictable, it should never happen except in cases of major force, like earthquakes and tsunamis. A government should be able to resolve the situation would letting the risk rise to this point.

fsloth 9y ago

"The problem is insufficient propaganda from the nuclear fission industry. " And nutty counter-propaganda from the environmental movement.

throw2016 9y ago

Are you comparing solar installation accidents to the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters?

Broken_Hippo 9y ago
Yes and no. They aren't the same thing at all, obviously. But that said, it is much more likely that someone die from installing or servicing solar panels than someone die from a nuclear incident. We tend to be afraid of abnormal but possibly fatal or maiming events - the ones that are newsworthy - compared to the risks we face on a daily basis. Which is why we are cautious when climbing a ladder twice a year but not when we get into the shower as an older adult, even though shower accidents, including broken hips, are incredibly common. The poster is putting the actual risk into perspective.
GVIrish 9y ago
Why not? The point is not that a Fukushima or Chernobyl should be considered to have the same impact as falling off roofs, clearly that's not true. The point is that the risk of death with nuclear plants isn't nearly as high as people feel it is, even when factoring in the high-profile accidents that have occurred. Right now, a lot of people have an irrationally over-inflated perception of the risk posed by nuclear power.
- throw2016 9y ago
  This is reductive. It's not reasonable to simply ignore the devastating fallout of nuclear accidents beyond human causalities. This doesn't engage with the real world consequences of nuclear accidents that are devastating to life and the environment, long lasting and extremely expensive and complex to cleanup.
  - Nomentatus 9y ago
    Wonderful way to create wildlife refuges, though.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]

nickik 9y ago

Maybe instead of continue spreading them you could help inform people. If you can offer cheap power people will usually take it.