The Benefits of Nuclear Technology Far Overweigh the Disadvantages - Term Paper Example

Module Rebuttal paper: The Benefits of Nuclear Technology far overweigh the Disadvantages Nuclear technology has great uses for human society. This is not often spoken about as much as the problems that it can cause when accidents occur in nuclear facilities. To a great extent, this has been because of the recent incidences that have been constantly reported on by the media. One of the advantages of nuclear energy is that it is a more economic substitute for the provision of clean energy. It can supply electricity without degrading its surrounding environment in any way. It has been established that making use of carbon fuel is more than five times as harmful as nuclear power in using up the ozone layer. In addition, the discharges from the use of carbon will result in negative climate changes in the future due to trapped heat. Such an incidence can result in the production of acid rain which damages different natural resources as well as buildings. If nations begin to use nuclear resources to generate electricity, natural resources such as trees and forests will be preserved. Most developing nations are currently damaging their forests in order to get materials for constructing facilities for hydro electric power. The use of nuclear energy would quickly solve this problem. The generation of nuclear energy can also provide assorted jobs for a large section of any population. Nuclear power plants therefore have the potential of improving entire communities. The majority of nuclear power plants in the developed nations also collaborate with other community establishments to find ways of improving their environments. Nuclear power facilities have job opportunities for all manner of workers. These production facilities require workers such as control room supervisors, administrative personnel, shift workers, system operators, load dispatchers, control room operators, and equipment operators. Many people usually mistakenly assume that only nuclear physicists are needed in these plants. In most nuclear plants, it has been established that only 6% of the workers are nuclear specialists who use nuclear technology in their operations (Wilson 152). Most of the engineers tend to be subcontracted mechanical, civil, or electrical engineers. The largest number of workers comprise of individuals who are skilled in wielding, boiler-making, pipe-fitting, carpentry, and other types of skills in the construction trade. Nuclear facilities can therefore provide work for the communities in which they are established. Another important use of nuclear energy is in the medical field. Medical experts use nuclear energy, specifically, radioactive material, in deciding how to treat numerous illnesses and body disorders such as heart diseases, cancers, endocrine abnormalities, gastrointestinal disorders, and neurological problems. Nuclear technology is incredibly efficient in cases of diagnosis because it can easily spot molecular activity in the human tissue while the disease has not yet ravaged the body organs and thus can be eradicated with little effect. Nuclear energy is also used in the treatment of cancers among other terminal illnesses (Siracusa 63). There are different modes, such as CT scans and X-rays, which are used to treat different illnesses. In the recent past, various media houses have stressed on the disadvantages of maintaining nuclear power facilities. This is probably in reaction to the Fukushima disaster in Japan, in 2011. In 2011, Japan experienced an earthquake that not only destroyed the nuclear facility in Fukushima, but also exposed the surrounding communities to radioactive poisoning when containers holding nuclear matter were compromised. Entire communities had to evacuate quickly in order to save their lives. Japan’s neighbours also expressed concern at the thought of the radioactive fallout affecting their populations. Since then, it would seem that there has been a very definite move to outlaw the production of nuclear energy in all nations that currently have nuclear resources. Moreover, this issue should be viewed as an accident and not as the norm. Life, in general, is rife with accidents that are man-made or caused by natural disasters. Leaders cannot make decisions on the basis of such disasters as that would be irresponsible to some extent. For instance, a large truck being driven through icy roads can collide with another vehicle, with the resulting spillage causing a fire and explosion that claims hundreds of lives. Frozen pipes will further exacerbate the situation as fire fighters will have to bring their own water to fight the fire instead of simply having the choice of connecting their pipes to the local water sources. If the accident takes place in windy conditions, it will also be harder for the fire fighters to control the fire. Fire fighters may also be faced with traffic jams caused by other minor accidents on their way to the scene of the accident. All these factors will worsen the situation and could possibly result in further causalities. The chance of all of these problems happening at the same time is improbable, but it cannot be denied that it could happen (Ferguson 136). Even if a similar accident were to occur, it is unlikely that public officials would start to demand that the transportation of petroleum by road be outlawed. Different authorities and establishments affiliated with the transportation sector would simply pass more stringent rules seeking to ensure that such an accident would not take place again. The world should react in the same way to the Fukushima disaster. At present, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is responsible for ensuring that all nuclear power plants in various localities around the world observe the rules of safety in order to avoid errors. Its officials are also engaged in determining the best way of safeguarding nuclear power plants that are situated in areas that are prone to earthquakes and other natural disasters. Nuclear power is essential for the continued development of different nations of the world (Irvin 71). Oddly, it also plays a role in ensuring peace in the global stage. After nuclear weapons were created, most countries began to look for other ways to settle their differences rather than resorting to war. The realization that a nuclear war would decimate all life on the planet has caused nations to seek for new and more conciliatory ways of resolving differences. Works Cited Ferguson, Charles. Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know. Los Angeles: Oxford University Press, 2011. Irvine, Maxwell. Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Siracusa, Joseph. Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Wilson, Ward. Five Myths about Nuclear Weapons. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. Read More