Persuasive Essay On Nuclear Power Plant
Ariel Gazell
Mr. Atkins
2nd Period English III Honors
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Pick Your Poison
Nuclear power plant or coal-burning power plant? There’s no denying the controversy that arises any time power plants come into discussion, but there are many recent discoveries causing more people to sway in one direction. We must take all factors such as emissions and other environmental effects into consideration. Upon doing research, it is clear that nuclear power is far safer, and could benefit the state more than burning coal ever could.
Nuclear power plants are much safer for people and the environment. Between 1971 and 2009, nuclear power prevented an average of over 1.8 million net deaths. It has also reduced carbon emissions by 64 gigatonnes over the same period, generated by coal power worldwide. (Kharecha) So many deaths occur due to coal power because of the mining process, on top of all the wastes produced after combustion. Along with being the main contributor to carbon dioxide emissions, coal combustion wastes also result in acid rain. (Olive) The popula tion in areas around coal-burning facilities are susceptible to lung and …show more content…
When coal is burned into fly ash, uranium and thorium are concentrated at up to 10 times their original radioactive levels. (Hvistendahl) According to a report published by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the average public exposure to radiation caused by a coal-fired power plant is 100 times greater than that of a nuclear power plant of comparable power output under normal operating conditions. (Fast) If we exclude contained waste and ignore unintentional releases from nuclear plants, coal-plants carry more radioactive wastes into the environment than nuclear plants, producing the same amount of energy. Although much less, nuclear power plants still produce their fair amount of radioactive
Mr. Atkins
2nd Period English III Honors
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Pick Your Poison
Nuclear power plant or coal-burning power plant? There’s no denying the controversy that arises any time power plants come into discussion, but there are many recent discoveries causing more people to sway in one direction. We must take all factors such as emissions and other environmental effects into consideration. Upon doing research, it is clear that nuclear power is far safer, and could benefit the state more than burning coal ever could.
Nuclear power plants are much safer for people and the environment. Between 1971 and 2009, nuclear power prevented an average of over 1.8 million net deaths. It has also reduced carbon emissions by 64 gigatonnes over the same period, generated by coal power worldwide. (Kharecha) So many deaths occur due to coal power because of the mining process, on top of all the wastes produced after combustion. Along with being the main contributor to carbon dioxide emissions, coal combustion wastes also result in acid rain. (Olive) The popula tion in areas around coal-burning facilities are susceptible to lung and …show more content…
When coal is burned into fly ash, uranium and thorium are concentrated at up to 10 times their original radioactive levels. (Hvistendahl) According to a report published by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the average public exposure to radiation caused by a coal-fired power plant is 100 times greater than that of a nuclear power plant of comparable power output under normal operating conditions. (Fast) If we exclude contained waste and ignore unintentional releases from nuclear plants, coal-plants carry more radioactive wastes into the environment than nuclear plants, producing the same amount of energy. Although much less, nuclear power plants still produce their fair amount of radioactive