*The Proliferation TRAP Nuclear plants are bomb factories. Countries with reactors can develop nuclear weapons. As political sands shift, as new threats and conflicts arise, countries may suddenly feel provoked into a need to "deter" dominating powers. As long as nuclear energy is promoted, the elimination of nuclear weapons will be impossible.
*The Terrorism TRAP Nuclear power plants are vulnerable to theft of fissile materials that can be used to make dirty bombs, and are ideal targets for terrorist attacks.
*The Health and Human Rights TRAP - Both uranium mining and living close to nuclear reactors cause devastating health and environmental damage and great suffering to individuals, families, and whole communities, including cancer and birth defects. This denies innocent people, animals, and habitats their true inalienable right to health and safety.
*The Radioactive Waste TRAP Radioactive waste remains dangerous for 240,000 years. With 63,000 tons of nuclear waste in the US alone, and no good solutions for storage, the NPT is encouraging more. There are problems with disposal, transportation, storage, theft and accidents. We trap our descendents for eons.
*The Money TRAP Nuclear power is the most expensive form of energy. Estimated costs don't account for accidents, (which in the US will be borne by the taxpayers) earthquakes, predictable overruns, transportation, storage, and so on.
Consciousness and Courage
Given the overwhelming downside to everything nuclear, and the immediate feasibility of efficiency, conservation, and all forms of safe, clean, nontoxic, renewable, sustainable energy, let's consider weaning ourselves off of toxic radioactive proliferating poison power.
Fortunate countries without a nuclear infrastructure can leapfrog right over this toxic trouble to rely on clean, safe, renewable energy that will create more jobs and improve their security. Countries burdened with a nuclear infrastructure can improve efficiency, reduce wasteful practices, and phase in renewable energy with IRENA The International Renewable Energy Association (www.irena.org), which now has 144 countries signed on. IRENA can supplant the IAEA as we phase out our nuclear infrastructure.
We are responsible to the rising Millennial generation, all future generations, and all species of life. It would be unconscionable to condemn them because we are TRAPped. The first step in liberating ourselves is recognition. Next comes courage. Perhaps the many countries not seduced, and wisely choosing not to take the toxic route can raise their voices, and not collude with the Groupthink. Austria was the only country to pierce through groupthink to verbally renounce nuclear energy in the final speeches at the NPT on May 28, 2010 after adopting the new consensus treaty.
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