Comments on: Nuclear power pundit Patrick Moore in SA

By: Christine Garbett

Christine Garbett — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:15:27 +0000

If we are apathetic about the proposed nuclear programme in SA – we will get what we deserve – a very bleak radioactive future. The only upside of nuclear power will be found in the pockets of corrupt politicians (but what’s a few million lost among the 800 billion earmarked for the big nuclear spend). Even if the nuclear industry are correct in their gamble (with our lives and our environment) that there are no accidents – we will still have to deal with even more dangerous radon gas from uranium mining – this lethal concoction of heavier than air radon gas moves at ground level on the surface of the planet. If the nuclear industry is wrong, we stand to loose (apart from our lives, our health and maybe our Mother City) more than a major chunk of our tourist industry and along with it hundreds of thousands of jobs. And then there’s the insurance question – nuclear liability insurance cover may cover the first few hundred metres beyond Koeburg after that Capetonians please take note – there is no cover. Liability cover is way too expensive for the nuclear industry to pay for anywhere in the world (that must be because it has so little risk!!!) – in most countries the government is the insurer of last resort. Even if that were the case in SA (and its not) to pay fair market value for our properties would bankrupt the state.

By: kim

kim — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:28:17 +0000

i am definetely going as i would love to hear what he has to say . . . especially as he is being brought out be NIASA (nuclear indsutry association of south africa) . . . . .

By: Kano

Kano — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:25:37 +0000

Nuclear is awesome
I <3 fast breeder reactors

By: david lewis

david lewis — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:43:44 +0000

Went to the Eskom “Presentation” at the Vineyard Hotel. Turns out, it was an opportunity for a bunch of spin-doctors to corner anyone with a “question”. So there I was surrounded by three industry types when I ask the question. “What is Eskom doing to eliminate the emissions from Koeberg, and will a new plant increase the level of risk, etc?”

Nobody had an answer. A woman writes my question down on a piece of paper and tell’s me it will be addressed in the scoping report. Next thing I’m being dumped on by a woman who once worked with the A-bomb programe. Great. Now I’m probably radioactive and glowing in the dark.

By: Duncan Drennan

Duncan Drennan — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:50:02 +0000

Drop me a line on the day, and let me know.

By: Andreas

Andreas — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:47:14 +0000

Duncan, I’m not sure yet… have got fairly complicated time constraints on that Thursday (looking after the kids in the afternoon and leaving for the Drakensberg early the next day), so I’ll probably only be able to decide on the day…

Andreas

By: Duncan Drennan

Duncan Drennan — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:42:47 +0000

Andreas, I’m thinking of going to one of the CT talks – which one are you planning on attending?

By: Andreas

Andreas — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:34:20 +0000

I know what you mean. Best not to have heros in the first place then. We’re all just fallible humans after all.

Good news about the ocean seeding project, but very disturbing stuff re Greenpeace…

I’ll try to make it to one of the CT talks, for sure.

By: Audrey

Audrey — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:26:59 +0000

It hurts when heros fall.

You probably heard that Planktos’ ocean iron-sprinkling carbon-offsets scheme has been derailed by what they call “A highly effective disinformation campaign waged by anti-offset crusaders”. They’ve had to call it off, lack of funds. While this at least is good news, it’s interesting that the founder, president and CEO of Planktos, “get rich by saving the planet” George Russ, was once a Greenpeace volunteer.

Greenpeace is currently supporting the notion of “sustainable” industrial logging of primary and old growth forests, in partnership with The Forest Stewardship Council which is notoriously riddled with corruption and other certification issues. The fact is that primary forests just can’t be logged at all without damage and must be left alone completely. Why Greenpeace would support this naive “sustainable” primary forest logging thing at all is mysterious, and why they’d want to be associated with the FSC is even more so.

I’d go along to Moore’s talk but will be in CT when he’s in JHB and in JHB when he’s in CT. Argh. You’ll go won’t you Andreas? To ask the billion buck questions? This “media outreach” is churning out pro-nuclear converts at a steady rate of knots – find them at a dinner table near you, trotting out the message obediently. Very alarming indeed.