The Dangers Of Nuclear Energy
By: Laura Mather
Why do we have nuclear power, energy and warfare? It is very dangerous and is affecting the earth. The radiation is harming animals and huge populated cities. For example, the Chernobyl disaster was the most dangerous and the most worst nuclear disaster in history. It was 200 times more radioactive than the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined! Over 7 million people were affected and till this day more people are dying as a result. Today i'm going to tell you the dangers of nuclear power, energy and warfare.
Nuclear power is a source of energy and power to provide to people's homes and businesses.
In New Zealand, we have our energy and power run by wind, sun, gas and water. New Zealand became nuclear free in 1987 after the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior which was a boat that got struck by an explosive bomb while trying to stop the French doing nuclear testing in the pacific. I am very glad we don't have nuclear power in New Zealand because i would be anxious all the time.
Some examples of accidents nuclear radiation have caused is the two bombs that hit Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Hiroshima's bomb wiped out 90% of the city and immediately killed 80,000 people. Like the book about Sadako, Sadako died of leukemia because of the radiation. Three days later, the city of Nagasaki was bombed and it killed 40,000 people. But, we can't forget about the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine that interested me the most. 51 people died immediately in that disaster, but that is still a lot of people!
You are probably thinking why people can't live near Chernobyl when people can live in Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Now here's why!! The bombs that hit Nagasaki and Hiroshima were called Fat Man and Little boy. Fat Man hit Hiroshima and that had about 14 pounds of plutonium (which is a radioactive chemical). Then, Little Boy hit Nagasaki, and it had had about 140 pounds of plutonium. But… the reactor had about 180 tons of nuclear fuel. When one of the reactors blew up all the other ones did too! Therefore, Chernobyl is more dangerous because the explosion was made up of nuclear fuel and it was not a bomb, it was a power plant. Its really sad how a whole city got wiped out because of a little mistake… That's why i think nuclear power is harming our earth.
Nuclear energy is dangerous, dirty and expensive. Nuclear power (in my opinion) has no future.
There is 30 countries currently using nuclear power, 438 nuclear reactors around the world and there is 67 new nuclear power plants under construction. By this chart i have found out that New Zealand is one of the only countries that are nuclear free. There is a lot of countries that don't use nuclear power, but New Zealand is not going to consider using nuclear power anytime soon.
In an article on http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/assignments/should-we-stay-nuclear-free/9480022/NZ-will-need-nuclear-power
Peoples comments actually sounded like they were leaning towards the idea of nuclear power plants in New Zealand. They compared nuclear plant accidents to car accidents in New Zealand. I am not for it. It's dirty and risky! I was very surprised on how many New Zealanders actually wanted New Zealand to join the other 30 countries that are using nuclear power!
In conclusion, nuclear power is harming our earth. It is a source that won't be on our earth for much longer. Some of the key ideas that come from this article are the examples that nuclear power, energy and warfare have caused because of its many dangers. I feel that nuclear power is harming animals and humans badly; so many accidents have happened with radioactive consequences. I am very grateful that New Zealand is such a peaceful and safe country which isn't ruined by radiation. But, what could happen in the future?
By: Laura Mather.
A nuclear explosion.
A Nuclear power plant in Britain.
A Nuclear bomb.
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