A page on energy issues  

Like what happens when you do not go nuclear  this is a page of developing thoughts. Suggestions welcome. Please contact me with them.

A question on Quora recently asked "What can I do to support nuclear power?" I answered "be informed, be brave, be realistic". You can see the rest of my answer at https://www.quora.com/q/nuclearforagreenerus/What-can-I-do-to-support-Nuclear-Power-6 (for the moment at least).

But many other answers have given me a lot to think about. Some of them aggressively anti-nuclear-power of course, and they helped me to better understand why some people are so anti. Others that were aggressively pro nuclear power were less helpful, and these also gave some painful insights into exactly why some people are so anti.

Not a lot of it was surprising. But it all helped me to refine my thoughts, and change them in perhaps small but significant ways. The substance hasn't changed much but the focus has.

So here is a better answer.

Be informed

Several responses, mainly but not only those opposing nuclear power, said some quite ridiculous things. Obviously if they can get away with repeating the old turkeys about bombs, wastes and accidents, and back these bogus claims up with even more bogus information, and get away with it, we have a problem. But we don't just get need to correct them, we also need to be right ourselves. 

Be honest

It's a complex field. Even if you have a PhD in Nuclear Engineering you probably don't know the lot.  Nobody knows the lot.

One of the problems we have is that the nuclear industry is not perfect. Fair go, you say, nobody is perfect but we are better than most. True. But we need to be as good as possible. So don't pretend to know more than you do, or to be right if you realise after having pressed "save" or "submit" that what you said wasn't quite up to the mark. Don't defend the indefensible.

If we are right and nuclear power is good for the environment, then we do not need to lie. And if we're wrong, then again it's better if we are honest.

Either way, it's best that the facts... the true facts... are known sooner rather than later.

Be patient

It will probably require generational change before Greenpeace will allow new nukes in Germany or the USA.

If that's reality, then that's what we need to work with.  

More to follow, watch this space