- Capitalism and Alternatives -

Frenchy, go play with U-235...

Posted by: Farinata ( L'inferno ) on December 10, 1999 at 15:45:20:

In Reply to: Environmentalists are door stops. posted by Frenchy on December 10, 1999 at 15:09:58:

: : : Today the computer industry is based on silicone, sand, and a healthy dose of human capital; imagination, initiative, and risk taking.

: : Wrong. It's based ultimately on power. Electricity. Without it, there is no power to make injection-moulded bits of plastic; no power to light up cathode-ray tubes; no power to power the telephone lines.

: : Take the combustion of biomass away and you've got a big and complicated paperweight.

Note: Frenchy makes no attempt to actually debate the points I've raised. Can I take that as tacit acceptance that I am actually correct in my points, Frenchy?

: Hold on...what about nukes? France is powered to the tune of 80% by good ol' nuclear power. Yeah, that sounds like a win/win.

No it doesn't. Do you have any idea of how much damage a meltdown can do?

Nuclear power stations need a) a lot of energy used to produce fuel, b) a very very thorough safety procedure and c) produce waste that hangs around pretty much forever.

The seagulls around the THORP plant in Sellafield are now officially classified as 'radioactive waste'; the mildly radioactive coolant water used in the power station flows straight out to sea and collects in the biosphere; mainly in protozoa, who are eaten by fish, who are eaten by seagulls.

And the Irish Sea is now officially a nuclear disaster area according to concentration of Tc-99; which is 40 times the recommended maximum, thanks to nuclear power.

It takes someone with the brains of Homer Simpson to believe that nuclear power is a real, sustainable solution.

And as soon as someone tries to maximise profit by cutting corners on safety, *foom*; and you can kiss goodbye to a couple of hundred square miles of arable land.

There is ultimately no techno-fix; the only real solution is to moderate consumption.

Farinata.

Now, are you going to try and argue my points, or are you just going to cover up your ignominious retreat with a few cheap jibes?


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