When we first heard of the earthquake, many things went through my mind, including "maybe it's not that serious and people will come round this soon". With the progression of the blasts at the nuclear plants and news of "insufficient body bags around", this is getting worrying although I have heard that the Japanese people are very calm and are taking this in stride. Their unity in building up their nation at a pleasantly alarming rate got my fist clenched up and you may have heard me cheering on if you're within a mile. We know their road to recovery would be much easier and faster than any other economy but even then, my heart goes out to those who have lost their loved ones in the episode. The stoic Japanese with their calmness handling this turmoil gained my utmost respect.
For people around me, I haven't been specifically advocating nuclear energy but before you start ranting on, please read this article taken from Reuters. Of the entire article, I would like you to pay special attention to this part of the article:
Atomic power causes significantly less harm than fossil fuel.
In 2010, 11 people were killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling explosion while 29 people died in a coal mine in West Virginia. Nothing so bad has ever happened at an atomic power plant in the United States or European Union. Annually, coal mining and oil refining accidents kill several hundred people: annual worker deaths at atomic power plants, and in uranium mining, are much lower. Fossil fuel generates greenhouse gases that are causing climate change: atomic power production is just shy of zero-emission for greenhouse gases. Smog from coal burning in the developing world causes respiratory diseases and tens of thousands of premature deaths each year: no similar problem is associated with atomic power.
This morning, Reuters said the Fukushima situation is “the world’s most serious nuclear accident since the Chernobyl meltdown in Ukraine in 1986”. That statement surely is true, but think what it means — a quarter century of atomic power did no harm at all, and now the major problem in Japan may be resolved with only minor public harm. In the same 25 years, oil and coal use worldwide have killed many thousands of people while triggering global warming.
I do admit that this disaster could be prevented if more care have been taken during the construction of the plant. But do not deny that nuclear energy is much cleaner than other forms of energy given the current technology to extract reasonable amount of energy. If we can commercially utilise solar energy without manufacturing solar panels which are actually harmful to the environment and be all over our heads just to light up a room, I will support it fully with all of my means.
My message across if to urge all of you people not to be narrow minded and judgemental before you know the entire story or if you're not an expert in a certain area. Of course, you will have the right to your own opinion (Read: The ignorant Chinese citizens who thinks this entire earthquake is karma for the Japanese for the atrocities the Japanese have done during the WWII) but please, every life is innocent until the day that specific being have killed or destroyed someone who meant anything to you. And if you truly believe in karma, your words will hit you one day. What irony!
My heart goes out to those who are in distress (and not despair) over the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Lastly, please go your part and donate what you can. Please click here or the World Vision logo on the right and do what your part as a world citizen.
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