In this TEDxBerlin talk, environmental activist Michael Shellenberger explains why he changed from opposing nuclear power to advocating it, after looking at the evidence on Chernobyl, Fukushima and air pollution.
Why Hacker News points people here: Frequently linked in nuclear-power threads as an eye-opening pro-nuclear argument from a former anti-nuclear activist.
“This is a self-professed anti-nuclear hippy giving a talk about how rationally looking at chernobyl and fukushima made him a nuclear power advocate.”HN comment, 2019
Pro-nuclear talk questioning the anti-nuclear narrative
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Nuclear power proponents don’t let emotion and fear get in the way of the facts. Nuclear power kills far far (far far far) less people than other forms of power generation. When it goes wrong it’s super scary looking, terrifying really, but when you dig into the statistics of these accidents they wind up being less scary than is usually made out. It helps to learn about how nuclear power plants work, and visit one if you ever get the chance, once you get your head around it it becomes a lot less scary. For example take a look at the fatalities table here: link PS: A good starting point to start questioning the anti-nuclear narrative is a documentary called Pandora’s Promise, which is on Prime for free. Or perhaps this TED talk: this video
RecommendssmnplkAug 2019
“Checkout this talk”
Talk on nuclear power and public perception
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1. Look into thorium-based nuclear power. Also, I think each country should have its own nuclear waste facilities, not a single barrel of nuclear waste should leave the border. Nuclear power kills fewer people than solar per unit of electricity. 2. Tricky. Educate kids. But of course, I am not delusional about human nature. Checkout this talk this video
Recommendscowmoo728Aug 2019
“This is a self-professed anti-nuclear hippy giving a talk about how rationally looking at chernobyl and fukushima made him a nuclear power advocate.”
Anti-nuclear activist explains why he became a nuclear advocate
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There has been a little bit of an update on views of chernobyl. Despite being considered the worst nuclear accident of all time, the actual death and damage toll from chernobyl is minimal compared to more boring things like coal dust and air pollution. This is a self-professed anti-nuclear hippy giving a talk about how rationally looking at chernobyl and fukushima made him a nuclear power advocate. this video
RecommendsdaenzOct 2019
“it shows a number of ways that nuclear is superior to renewables, coming from someone who was staunchly against nuclear”
Former anti-nuclear speaker argues nuclear beats renewables
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Go into this with an open mind, but it shows a number of ways that nuclear is superior to renewables, coming from someone who was staunchly against nuclear: this video
RecommendspaulintrognonAug 2020
“please see this eye opening TedX talk on the subject”
Eye-opening TEDx talk on nuclear power
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> Renewable energy sources have zero fuel costs. That's not true. It costs fuel to mine the resourses needed, to build the equipments, to install them, to maintain them. The IPCC states that globally, nuclear power emits _less_ greenhouse gases than hydro and solar, and emits about the same as wind. [1] [1] link Table A.III.2, page 1335 For more info, please see this eye opening TedX talk on the subject: this video
RecommendsotikikSep 2021
“Give this a look”
Compares nuclear accident deaths with air pollution deaths
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Give this a look this video The TLDR is: 7 million people die anually from air pollution. Fukushima and Chernobil combined don't even put a dent on that. And solar+wind alone is not enough.
Cites itageofwantJan 2018
“is relevant, in which the fear of the thing killed 1500, while the thing in reality is benign.”
Shows how fear of nuclear caused more harm than the accident
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It's reasonable to assume that a adversary can and will use overreaction against perceived threads as a strategic 'unconventional weapon'. Unconventional defence would include educating a modern populace on critical thinking, thread model evaluation and even things like stoicism. this video is relevant, in which the fear of the thing killed 1500, while the thing in reality is benign.
Cites itageofwantJan 2018
“The use of nuclear power should be encouraged and popularised whenever we can.”
Pro-nuclear talk by a former anti-nuclear activist
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The use of nuclear power should be encouraged and popularised whenever we can. Years of nuclear FUD needs to be unwound and humanity re-educated on the benefits of nuclear power. So much of our current climate change predicament could have been avoided. Its a crying shame. this video
Cites itStreamBrightAug 2019
“He would get my vote because of his views on nuclear too.”
Talk on nuclear views, cited as source of candidate's position
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He would get my vote because of his views on nuclear too. It is a same that people are so uninformed about energy and have a strong view. this video
