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RandomNumbers

(18,825 posts)

77. The problem with nuclear as a panacea

Sun Jul 6, 2025, 03:41 PM

Jul 6

Last edited Sun Jul 6, 2025, 04:18 PM - Edit history (1)

is that it implies we can solve the problem just by making enough energy from non-dirty sources.

To your point, the waste issue of nuclear itself has never been dealt with. Then there is all the other waste from living "business as usual", as if what we do just doesn't matter as long as the temperature doesn't rise too much.

One thing that bothers me in the climate change debate, is that temperature rise and weather effects are only one piece of the environmental damage that humans and our habits are inflicting on the planetary ecosystem. It seems humans can only be brought to care about an issue if it can be described as harming humans directly. (and at that we only get a too small percentage to care) Never mind that biodiversity loss is also potentially catastrophic for humans, if even harder to connect the dots - but it is definitely tragic for all the beauty and wonder that is being lost, whether it impacts humanity directly or not.

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love_katz Envirogal

136 replies

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Highlight:

It's too late': David Suzuki says the fight against climate change is lost. [View all] bronxiteforever Jul 6 OP

hem AllaN01Bear Jul 6 #1

We didn't lose the fight. The politicians threw the fight, they were well paid too. Autumn Jul 6 #2

Agree with all you said. Brenda Jul 6 #6

I agree with you but... llmart Jul 6 #26

Younger generations have been stepping up since the 1980's. haele Jul 6 #58

I don't think that's true for most of them. Brenda Jul 6 #62

I don't think most of them are well aware of how far the climate has gone south. llmart Jul 6 #71

While I truly appreciate your perspective Brenda Jul 6 #75

You are incorrect about college students being mostly from upper middle class families. llmart Jul 6 #81

NYT article says otherwise. Brenda Jul 6 #85

"First time in US history college graduates cannot find jobs." OldBaldy1701E Jul 6 #98

The 80s? The hippies were devoted to a return to the land and a sustainable form of life. But their numbers were too few Martin68 Jul 6 #83

I grew up during the 60's also, and my dad was a teacher. haele Jul 6 #87

I believed this when GWB was installed along with Cheney. "Drill baby, drill" was their mantra. SharonAnn Jul 6 #45

I agree. We're toast. Republicans killed the planet surfered Jul 6 #3

+1. We definitely lost 4 years because of Trump, and 4 more dalton99a Jul 6 #8

We lost 8 years because of GWB, 8 years obama had to deal with the financial collapse, 4 years of Trump, a GOP congress SharonAnn Jul 6 #46

China sealed the deal when its economy exploded Kaleva Jul 6 #67

Yup gerryatwork Jul 6 #88

Agree Kaleva Jul 6 #93

Not the planet - it will eventually recover. Republicans have killed human civilization. ms liberty Jul 6 #49

Human civilization. Aristus Jul 6 #65

We will be a short lived species, defacto7 Jul 6 #92

We're an extinction species misanthrope Jul 6 #101

Just yesterday I watched a couple of videos featuring George Carlin. RT_Fanatic Jul 6 #91

Nope..... Lovie777 Jul 6 #4

Nope, to what exactly? That it's lost? LymphocyteLover Jul 6 #56

not sure, but the "bright side" is Krasnov is killing so many people that we may naturally course correct cadoman Jul 6 #86

Sounds like a dystopian movie newdeal2 Jul 6 #5

It'll be isolated communities struggling to survive Kaleva Jul 6 #39

I'm afraid so. Susan Calvin Jul 6 #41

You may want to watch "2073" on max. Prairie_Seagull Jul 7 #125

The one insurmountable for me is the dwindling amount of fresh water DFW Jul 6 #7

Our area is in a multi year drought. Reservoirs are down to 15% of capacity and were under severe water restrictions. surfered Jul 6 #9

I know that the Clinton Global Initiative was seeking funding for desalinization plants almost 20 years ago. DFW Jul 6 #13

And the first thing St. Ronnie Raygun did after he cheated to beat Carter, was remove the solar panels OMGWTF Jul 6 #43

Besides, which candidate would you rather have a beer with, amirite? hatrack Jul 6 #102

Yeah, we heard that a lot in 2000 DFW Jul 6 #110

I understand this water will be used to power solar and AI for their country. What I don't understand is why in2herbs Jul 6 #22

Oil industry currently has money to bribe him with Jerry2144 Jul 6 #30

The Oil Industry is market driven thought crime Jul 6 #44

Our oiligarchs in the oil industry markodochartaigh Jul 6 #54

It's two mutually reinforcing scams . . . . or a highly profitable suicide pact (YMMV) hatrack Jul 6 #106

I read something (in regards to microplastics) where someone commented Tadpole Raisin Jul 6 #29

Water may be a big driver of climate change migration. thought crime Jul 6 #34

Pennsylvania and upstate New York have very good water in sustainable quantities FakeNoose Jul 6 #96

Dems need to decenter the "2+2 equals whatever you want" voices gulliver Jul 6 #10

Frankly it was lost decades ago indusurb Jul 6 #11

sadly, justsomeguy01 Jul 6 #23

Some do, dare I say many, but those who crave power, Mtnmama Jul 6 #57

Welcome to DU, justsomeguy01! calimary Jul 6 #112

the US isn't even close to the prime driver of CO2 increase... WarGamer Jul 6 #97

Reagan made greed and ignorance fashionable Skittles Jul 7 #117

A must read. dalton99a Jul 6 #12

Find your local Transition Town movement RandomNumbers Jul 6 #14

Thank you RandomNumbers for posting this information! bronxiteforever Jul 6 #15

Ironically, approximately 40% of water use in our area is related to the petrochemical industry surfered Jul 6 #16

And 30% is livestock JanMichael Jul 6 #20

I've been saying it's too late for years Iamscrewed Jul 6 #17

It would have taken a world wide effort.... Kaleva Jul 6 #36

I have too. For nearly 20 years. NH Ethylene Jul 7 #113

Imagining the climate migration to the Great Lakes region... EarthFirst Jul 6 #18

Breeding and eating our way to extinction. n/t flvegan Jul 6 #19

The US is now being ruled by oldigarchs who want to take us back to "a better time." They have no idea what time in2herbs Jul 6 #21

It's too late for a lot of things. orangecrush Jul 6 #24

Recommended. H2O Man Jul 6 #25

Is anyone here surprised? NewHendoLib Jul 6 #27

Green consumption and recycling were corporate lies bucolic_frolic Jul 6 #28

Unlimited consumption and disposal were the real culprits Envirogal Jul 6 #47

I've been working on this for the past several years Kaleva Jul 6 #31

It has probably been too late Glaisne Jul 6 #32

2020 taught us that much misanthrope Jul 6 #33

Al Gore was the most environmentally conscious Democratic nominee fpr president, ever. Martin Eden Jul 6 #35

Wait, didn't I hear "not a dime's worth of difference" between Bush and Gore? RandomNumbers Jul 6 #74

The difference was in the $trillions Martin Eden Jul 6 #78

YES. RandomNumbers Jul 6 #79

Another big reason the 'educated' WORLD hates the felon. Justice matters. Jul 6 #37

Somebody give me a cheesburger. twodogsbarking Jul 6 #38

Great line, from the '68 song: "Living In The USA" by Steve Miller Band Dock_Yard Jul 6 #109

The guitar. So many great songs beyond the ones that were "hits". twodogsbarking Jul 7 #120

Mo' people, mo' problems. Envirogal Jul 6 #40

China's economic boom was the clincher Kaleva Jul 7 #116

The US birthrate IS low. What do you propose to do to the countries where its HIGH? Callie1979 Jul 7 #121

Known this for years; Americans disproportionately to blame jimmy the one Jul 6 #42

You had me until nuclear energy Envirogal Jul 6 #51

The problem with nuclear as a panacea RandomNumbers Jul 6 #77

Cheers, Envirogal jimmy the one Jul 7 #129

So, the plan is to put the foot on the gas? SleeplessinSoCal Jul 6 #48

Democracy and capitalism are human inventions intended to solve the very specific issues... Ol Janx Spirit Jul 6 #50

Voters aren't willing to make the sacrifices MichMan Jul 6 #52

They would if they realized the stakes. Too many just don't believe it thanks to GOP psychopaths LymphocyteLover Jul 6 #59

Fareed Zakaria said this 20 years ago in Newsweek. Mosby Jul 6 #53

it's not so black and white... we can and will do better in the fight against global warming LymphocyteLover Jul 6 #55

China produces as much greenhouse gases .... Kaleva Jul 6 #63

duh. we lost 'normal' in the 80's. i noticed the change + data says the same. pansypoo53219 Jul 6 #60

and activate your community et tu Jul 6 #61

More than a decade ago markodochartaigh Jul 6 #64

Honestly, with how quickly the issue completely dropped from certain voters' priorities... W_HAMILTON Jul 6 #66

I remember reading Gregory Bateson Dave says Jul 6 #68

Thanks to human greed and stupidity Mysterian Jul 6 #69

I'm convinced this is why the US far right wants Canada NickB79 Jul 6 #70

I've been saying it for years... it's time for mitigation. WarGamer Jul 6 #72

K&R UTUSN Jul 6 #73

Texas found that out THE HARD WAY. nt ImNotGod Jul 6 #76

Can we stop saying the falling birth rate is a problem now, please? Scrivener7 Jul 6 #80

Once it was clear that not a single country was willing to do what it takes, it was clear nothing was going to stop the Martin68 Jul 6 #82

I fear he is right. We collectively as a species "blew it." We were warned and now we will bear the consequences of Evolve Dammit Jul 6 #84

Not listening to Mr. Hypocrite. EllieBC Jul 6 #89

This could be devastating to his credibility defacto7 Jul 6 #95

It's been talked about for YEARS. EllieBC Jul 6 #100

He's 89 years old NickB79 Jul 6 #104

He's been preaching it for decades. EllieBC Jul 6 #107

So that makes him wrong about planetary boundaries and our species' overshoot? hatrack Jul 7 #124

It was always too late, even before the election. ananda Jul 6 #90

No, because Rush Limbaugh told me Climate Change was a scam. (SARCASM) artemisia1 Jul 6 #94

The climate crisis is the result of under regulated capitalism. mjvpi Jul 6 #99

It really started with the neolibs in the Reagan administration valleyrogue Jul 6 #108

Yup, the rich set the agenda for the rest of us. Less than 1% set the agenda for 8-9 billion people. Clouds Passing Jul 7 #127

I personally think 1950 was too late Polybius Jul 6 #103

The only chance is for world leaders to urgently develop carbon extraction technology and massive afforestation Doodley Jul 6 #105

It's not too late Barbegazi Jul 6 #111

It would take a level of cooperation never before achieved Kaleva Jul 7 #115

I am more optimistic Barbegazi Jul 8 #133

+1 Kaleva Jul 9 #134

I read a few years ago that we have already baked in a 200 ft sea rise. Old Crank Jul 7 #114

100% correct Botany Jul 7 #118

If Harris had been rightly elected Javaman Jul 7 #119

How? Kaleva Jul 7 #123

I said margin of a chance. Javaman Jul 7 #130

We'll maintain our modest footprint. Torchlight Jul 7 #122

No wonder the rich are acting like greedy goons. They believe they are the only ones who will be saved. Clouds Passing Jul 7 #126

We are just along for the ride now. Snackshack Jul 7 #128

It's a hoax. BlueWavePsych Jul 7 #131

It's been too late since the 70s, at least. No one wanted to admit it. mucholderthandirt Jul 8 #132

I fear that he is quite right, and the MAGATS will boil in their beds Jack Valentino Jul 9 #135

I think you have listed some good ideas fujiyamasan Jul 9 #136