Bio-energy versus Nuclear

[SurlyPIG]

I agree with a lot of what's been said.  And with the waste problems of nuclear power, it's kind of a chicken-and-egg complex.  Nobody wants to put very much money into researching ways to treat the waste (or to use fusion and eliminate it entirely) until we start using nuclear energy as our main source of electricity, but nobody wants to use nuclear energy until the waste can be better disposed of or eliminated entirely.

Like Earthnuker said in his thread, the waste can be cut down to a danger-period of 500 years, which is a hell of a lot less than I thought.  That's actually a tangible amount of time to deal with.

I don't think we can afford NOT to switch to nuclear power ASAP (with the modern treatment tech, of course).  Forget global warming.  The greenhouse effect theory is crap, as of yet.  I'm just going on the air pollutants released into the air when we burn our fuels.  Combustion for energy is killing the planet and it's killing us.  And I'm saying that despite the fact that practically half of my city is employed directly or indirectly by the oil industry, including my pops.  I dare anybody who disagrees with this to go for a run outside in upper Los Angeles on a hot, dry day and tell me that we can afford to keep burning fossil fuels.  I DARE you.  That was the only time I've ever thrown up after a run.  And that's despite the increased oxygenation from the change in elevation...

Asthma has been on the rise for years and it's not slowing down.  Despite new knowledge and new treatments you're more likely to die of respiratory problems than ever before.  The acid rain from nitrogen oxides alone is really harming the environment.  What we need is a total, global conversion of energy.  And I mean total.  We need to scrap the internal combustion engine.  It's a century old and it's not getting any younger.  Electric cars are the way to go.  Batteries used to be the main problem, but that's changing.  The electrochemistry behind electric cells is moving in leaps in bounds.  Lithium ion batteries, and metal hydride batteries are taking things to a new level.  I have nickel metal hydride batteries (NiMH) with no memory effect like nickel-cadmium batteries that can fully recharge in fifteen minutes flat because of batter-side charge control instead of timer-side charge control.  Now that just plain kicks the ass of any alkaline battery money can buy.  There's just no comparison from any perspective, be it economical or environmental.  It's like Vitali Klitschko fighting Steve Urcal.  Game over.

To sum it up, nuclear energy is the way of the future, and cold fusion is the future of the future...

[Wolf]

Is there any economical way to convert fully from ICE to Atomic in the timeframe you're talking about?

[SurlyPIG]

Well, I didn't suggest a timeframe, I just said as soon as possible, but the electric grids should be done very fast.

[Inoculator9]

The problem ACE, is no one with the resources and initiative is willing to do anything of what you outlined. It's all about what makes the most money, now.

[Acriku]

The government could initiate certain projects to begin the process, because it doesn't act like a business and isn't as concerned with profits.

[Emperor Harkonnen]

soon we will be off this planet anyway. so why care so much about the enviroment. do like the harkonnens did. they manged perfectly ;D

[Egeides]

I think that the blue planet will still be a place where some can live and don't believe 6B people will make the trip to elsewhere :P

[Dante]

soon we will be off this planet anyway. so why care so much about the enviroment. do like the harkonnens did. they manged perfectly ;D

I shudder to think what squalour we would be sitting in if that were the prevalent attitude...

[Leto le Juste]

Gieidi Prime is a polluated planet because there are no nuclear power plant. Cole is not the solution: it is a source of pollution of the air. If you take care of your nuclear power plant, you will have no pollution in a short term and in long term, because you will invest a lot in security

[Anathema]

soon we will be off this planet anyway. so why care so much about the enviroment. do like the harkonnens did. they manged perfectly ;D

1) Dune is fiction, and has nothing to do with it.

2) "soon"? All we can do at this point is send little pods with a few guys in it to not-so-distant objects like the moon. That's a far cry from sending the people and requirements needed for a colony to a distant planet with suitable conditions, and honestly, there is no such place in our solar system, other then the blue sphere where living on right now.

[Dude_Doc]

You forgot Mars...

[Dante]

Mars is uninhabitable without vast expenditure for tiny gain. The money used to put one person on Mars would be far better served cleaning up our own planet.

In any case, the difficulties render it a forlorn hope. Again, with little real gain.

[Leto le Juste]

The best propulsion's system in order to go to Mars is a nuclear one. Because there is no need place to transport oil.. U or P allow to gain place in the vehicle.