Editor:
The recent tragedy in Japan is causing Islanders to reconsider our involvement in the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant, which is now $1 billion over budget.
Citizens across the world are calling for an end to the waste created by nuclear power — and not just the tons of radioactive waste from uranium mining and power plants, which needs to be contained and stored securely for thousands of years. These carcinogenic radioactive elements, which are tasteless, odorless and invisible, concentrate in the food chain and are especially harmful to children. It is profoundly unjust that future generations will bear the brunt of those burdens.
More immediately, there is also the waste of money and resources being used for hugely expensive and dangerous centralized nuclear technology that encourages over-consumption. We need those resources to develop conservation, efficiency and decentralized, safer renewable energy sources as soon as possible, so we can minimize the burning of fossil fuels. In 'Systems for Change: Nuclear Power vs. Energy Efficiency + Renewables' (http://www.boell.org/downloads/HBS-Frogatt_web.pdf) the authors prove that building nuclear power plants, for example in France, hinders the expansion of efficiency and renewable energies. Meanwhile Scandinavians use about half as much energy as Canadians, but have the same standard of living because they invest much more in energy efficiency.
Earth Hour last weekend reminded us that all the energy we use carries an environmental cost. We should work to minimize those costs for us and our grandchildren, instead of increasing stockpiles of dangerous wastes to fuel consumption that we really don't need.
For more information, please go to www.atlantic.sierraclub.ca or www.ecopei.ca/energyproject.htm or contact us.
Tony Reddin,
ECOPEI energy project co-ordinator,
Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition,
Charlottetown
