Of all the pictures I've seen since the disaster at Fukushima commenced in March of 2011 it was one of a small child being scanned with a Geiger counter that affected me most. This is my version with a photograph of the Number 4 reactor building in the background.
I'm not going to rant about the dangers of nuclear power but to say we never did 'harness the atom'; what we did instead was to catch the biggest tiger we ever met by its slashing tail.
I'll also mention, just in case you haven't heard, that Tepco is planning to try to remove the spent fuel rods from the damaged reactor Number 4 building beginning in November.
It's true that something needs to be done but I'm not confident Tepco can be counted on to get this right. Neither is Crow.
♡
I promise to return to my usual light-hearted topics next month.
Another example of so-called 'foolproof' technology - the consequences of failure are far worse than the original dangers to the environment. As you may know, we are fighting agains the shipping of heavy bitumen from the tar sands across BC's mountainous terrain to the wild Pacific coast and into Asian bound ships. There's no fool proof technology against oil spills, nor for the cleanup, and the costs of such a disaster would be borne by the taxpayer not the oil companies.
ReplyDeleteI pity the little kids like the one you've drawn and possibly many more in the future that may be affected by Fukushima and other environmental disasters. All for corporate and petrostate greed. Your tiger by the tail analogy is a good one. Don't ever apologize for bringing up 'real' issues, instead I thank you for doing so in your articulate way, Susan.
It's true that no technology is foolproof unless it can be controlled all the way through its cycle. Even after thousands of years of experience we can't even honestly say we have control of fire.
DeleteYes, I'm very familiar with the problems of shipping the products of the tar sands through BC and onwards. There have already been thousands of low level spillage incidents even without the ocean transport. It's disgusting enough as it is, but all the worse because its not the profiteers who pay to remediate the environments they despoil or the people whose homes and livelihoods they destroy.
Thanks for your encouragement. This has been much on my mind for a long time.
I think Tepco have mismanaged the situation from day one. The leakages from the plant were not contained and this has lead to contamination of the environment and food chain.
ReplyDeleteI had hopes in August when PM Abe of Japan said the government would take over the cleanup that an international task force would be called in. The fact that it hasn't happened is very disappointing. Tepco has been awful.
DeleteI'm happy you've been by to visit Cherry.
Don't worry, once we figure out all that UFO tech, it'll be smooth sailing.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, how could I have forgotten the Singularity?
DeleteI just don't understand why we aren't harnessing the solar power instead. It doesn't ever make sense to me why we want to play with fire or tiger's tail instead.
ReplyDeleteWe both know they should be, but from what I can understand the major oil companies aren't interested in doing something else instead while they can still dig stuff up. The nuclear industry has never been able to fund its own power plants - they can't be insured either so governments have to foot the entire bill. Guess who collects the profits?
DeleteI could comment at length about your posting, susan. Sufficient to say that you are right. And is it OK for me to take that button? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and Bear hugs.
You need say no more and, yes, you're welcome to the button :)
ReplyDeleteA touching image
ReplyDeleteThanks, Andrew.
DeleteTo cut it short, I am echoing Andrew.
ReplyDeleteMore gratitude conveyed :)
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