As we prepare to see our families this holiday season, either in person or via Zoom, there’s one conversation topic that may arise: our changing climate.
Enter: Nuclear energy.
While 2020 has been a long and eventful year with plenty to talk about, our country’s largest source of carbon-free electricity doesn’t need to be a point of contention or controversy. Given the increased attention on reducing carbon emissions and protecting the climate, now might be a good time to share why nuclear is a valuable part of our current and future energy mix.
With the holidays right around the corner, here are some tips on how to navigate some questions you or your relatives might have about nuclear energy.
Is Nuclear Even Necessary If We Use Renewables?
When your cousin starts talking about how we don't even need nuclear anymore because we have newer and better energy sources, remind him that there’s more to the story.
Solar and wind are fantastic sources of carbon-free energy and will be an important part of reducing carbon emissions. They can’t do it alone though—and Bill Gates, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the International Energy Agency and many more agree.
Renewable sources are also intermittent: the wind isn't always blowing and the sun isn't always shining. Using wind and solar as well as nuclear energy—which provides clean electricity around-the-clock—ensures that we have a carbon-free grid that’s also reliable.
Is Nuclear Energy Dangerous?
When your great-aunt talks about how dangerous nuclear energy is, you can allay her fears. Nuclear energy is actually one of the safest industrial professions, for workers and the larger local communities.
Many people’s misunderstanding of nuclear energy comes from T.V. and movies. The Simpsons is a great show, but there are a few things they get wrong. Nuclear waste is not the glowing green goo that Homer Simpson works with: it’s a solid ceramic, encased in metal, safely contained on-site in steel-and-concrete casks.
Your brother may bring up HBO’s recent miniseries “Chernobyl,” which dramatizes the tragic 1986 accident in the Soviet Union, but you can explain how the show was really about the dangers of suppressing criticism, not of nuclear energy. In fact, the show’s writer and producer actually supports nuclear.
But what if your uncle chimes in and says he just doesn’t like the idea of having a nuclear power plant in his area?
He may not know it, but he could already have a nuclear power plant in his area, providing 24/7 electricity without any carbon emissions or other harmful air pollutants. There are 94 reactors operating in 28 states that provide the U.S. with nearly 55% percent of its carbon-free energy.
Nuclear power plants are extremely safe and are great additions to any neighborhood because they provide carbon-free energy, cleaner air and well-paying jobs.
Is Carbon-Free Energy Worth It?
When Grandma—who is skeptical of climate change to begin with—starts asking why we should care about carbon-free energy, you can tell her there’s good reason.
A group of leading scientists and experts, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said that we need to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 to prevent the severe effects of climate change and utilize every source of carbon-free energy, such as nuclear, wind and solar, to do so.
Not only will transitioning to carbon-free sources of energy allow us to combat climate change, but it will also improve air quality and reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases like emphysema, COPD, asthma and lung cancer around the world.
Can an Energy Source Really Bring Us Together This Holiday Season?
When your niece and nephew start arguing about politics, nuclear doesn’t have to divide them, too. In fact, it could bring them together. There is recognition of nuclear energy’s value as a carbon-free energy source on both sides of the aisle. And not only that, there have been bipartisan efforts to support nuclear, especially advanced reactors.
Hopefully these points can help you feel equipped to enter the discussion about climate and clean energy at the dinner table. But overall, remember to take a deep breath and stay calm. The holidays can be a very stressful time, especially in a year as eventful as 2020, so do your best to have a relaxing and safe holiday season.
