Interestingly, the overwhelming majority of cartoonists, globally, are opposed to nuclear power. In South Africa, I’m yet to find one who, like me, is “in the pocket of the nuclear industry”, as one of my mates jokingly told me over the phone. Ironically, more than 90% of South Africa’s power is driven by fossil fuels and numerous deaths occur every year as a direct result.
The common argument lobbed by the hippies is that nuclear power is potentially devastating if something goes wrong. Which is true but, as pointed out by Popular Mechanics,
comparing modern nuclear plants to Chernobyl—the Ukrainian reactor that directly caused 56 deaths after a 1986 meltdown—is like comparing World War I fighter planes to the F/A-18. Newer nuclear plants, including the fast reactor now being developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), contain multiple auto-shutoff mechanisms that reduce the odds of a meltdown exponentially—even in a worst-case scenario.
Next thing you know, the angry lefties will be campaigning against tall buildings, which are also potentially devastating if something goes wrong. Like an aeroplane flying into them.
Of course, this is not to say that other renewable energies should be ignored. They’re just generally expensive, unreliable and still being researched. But that will change over the coming decades.
you must be the most un-pc cartoonist I’ve seen in months. i love your work but i’ll admit that i’m one of those hippies who opposes nuclear probably for the emotional reasons rather than factual reasons.
i dunno, i still don’t like the idea of nuclear power…
You make a good point.
Hear, hear! So much shit in the media about nuclear while everyone ignores coal which is far more dangerous.
Tall buildings, LOL!
Jerm, funny cartoon and a good point, I suppose, but hard to swallow…
I don’t have strong feelings either way; however, I do know what radiation damage can do, the worst being that it can affect generations after the incident.
the point the toon is making that fossil fuels kill more people than nuclear (which are very few), and it’s ongoing. you don’t think this is a problem?
from http://en.wikipedia......ing#Safety
Historically, coal mining has been a very dangerous activity and the list of historical coal mining disasters is a long one. In the U.S. alone, more than 100,000 coal miners were killed in accidents over the past century
However, in lesser developed countries and some developing countries, many miners continue to die annually, either through direct accidents in coal mines or through adverse health consequences from working under poor conditions. China, in particular, has the highest number of coal mining related deaths in the world, with official statistic 6,027 deaths in 2004.[19] To compare, 28 deaths were reported in the U.S. in the same year.
the truth hurts
Setting aside the insulting-yet-satirical tone coming through from the cartoon and blog, the truth is that this is a fair comment (“a good point”).
The damage that fossil fuels is causing is certainly going to be catastrophic for future generations unless we start cutting back on the CO2 emissions and hazardous coal mining. Jacoba, nuclear energy might have adverse affects on future generations, but fossil fuels ARE having adverse affects on us right now and will do the same to our children and grandchildren.
Nuclear is factually safer and cleaner and, as Jerm said, will die out as renewable sources get better and cheaper.
I don’t care
Re-think your comment!
The proposed nuclear plant planned for Thyspunt, Eastern Cape, is being met by strong opposition – primarily by the surfer community in J-Bay and Cape St Francis. Their point of view is quite right (although there is a strong stigma that nuclear energy is dangerous and ‘dirty’ – which is incorrect considering today’s standards in technology and safety protocol) in saying that the environmental impact of having a nuclear plant built on such a ecologically-sensitive area will influence the natural beauty of the area, as well as the fishing industry which will be affected by the construction process and which sea water being used as a coolant in the plant.
I am not opposed to Nuclear power, however it would be a shame to plonk an eye-sore in such a beautiful part of the country.
http://www.environme.....cerns.html
100% right, Matt. JBay is stunning and will terrible with a big power plant!
“People, who are easily offended, offend me.”
- http://jeremynell.co.....isclaimer/
feeling insulted is probably more material for jerm…
Thunk?
Got sent a link to your cartoon. Brilliant. Jerm you’re a genius and deserve congratulations for sticking your nose (pen?) into an area where almost EVERYONE is going to firebomb you. Too many people believe the money hungry news reports and not the facts.
Going to look at your other cartoons now…
you have a good point
Jeremy makes a valid point, that on paper nuclear energy is in fact the safer and cleaner option. Where the problem really lies is the general fear that when things go wrong with nuclear power, it has the potential to be disastrous, with the effect being generational (rather than situational). Chernobyl being the best and most quoted example.
PS: In case you’re wondering, I am a greenie myself, but when it comes to nuclear energy, we really need to look at the situation factually rather than emotionally. What are the alternatives to nuclear energy, and are they reasonable? How will alternative energy meet all our demands, especially for us living in the developing world?
> on paper nuclear energy is in fact the safer and cleaner option.
Not just on paper, in practise too. How many deaths have happened at Koeberg in the last 30 years? Zero. How many deaths have happened in coal mines and power stations in the last 30 years? Too many. How much pollution has Koeberg caused? How much pollution have our coal stations caused?…
Where do you get your ideas from, Jeremy?
http://6000.co.za/th.....ein-danke/
;-)
6000, you make a good point.
@ Anon – I’m a little touchy about radiation since my oncologist was rather enthusiastic with his radiation treatment about 15 years ago & I’m living with nerve damage to my feet & lower legs; to say that it’s uncomfortable is an understatement and it’s impossible to sue a doctor in South Africa. Let’s not be flippant about radiation … that said, I’m not against nuclear energy at all as long as we build the reactors properly and and in areas where the environment isn’t affected adversely in any way plus we take every eventuality into account. It’s certainly a safer better than fossil fuels …. I think (I”m not a scientist).
> that said, I’m not against nuclear energy at all as long as we build the reactors properly and and in areas where the environment isn’t affected adversely in any way plus we take every eventuality into account
Why is this kind of comment so often made when nuclear power comes up and not when coal power comes up? How many people have died because of Koeberg? It’s been around for nearly 40 years and I’d like to see a single report about its related deaths or environmental destruction.
I feel exactly the same about coal power and have a list of criticism on coal power as long as my arm.
Koeberg hasn’t faced a massive tsunami and earthquake (Sendai registered 8,9 on the Moment Magnitude Scale & also on the Richter Scale which actually isn’t used anymore but is the same thing), nor has it faced a series of earthquakes thereafter. The Japanese quake had a destructive power 9,000 times as much as the New Zealand quake even though the New Zealand quake was 6,6.
Let’s see Koeberg cope with that and then we talk. Speculation is always just that, speculation.
Koeberg probably won’t handle the impact. That said, it just might. No one knows. But the fact remains that it’s been our safest source of power for four decades, as have Japan’s nuclear power stations been their safest source of power for decades.
Meanwhile, coal miners face earthquakes regularly; get stuck; die; and so on. Hundreds die annually, in SA.
Like I’ve said, stop building tall buildings because of eventualities. The collapse of the WTC killed more people than Chernobyl.
I think we need to take more care in everything we do and take into account that the planet is not as stable as it was; mommy earth is unstable at the moment – whether she’s just having a stretch or throwing a tantrum because we’ve abused her isn’t important – what is important is that we take this into account when we build; developers will just have to be satisfied with smaller profits and stop cutting corners.
The same goes for building mines – I’m pretty sure many corners are cut and I”m even more sure that the miners aren’t being taken care of in the way they should.