THE TRUE COSTS OF NUCLEAR POWER

IF THE JAPANESE CAN’T BUILD A

“SAFE” NUCLEAR REACTOR, WHO CAN?

www.slate.com (Anne Applebaum) - In the aftermath of a disaster, the strengths of any society become immediately visible. The cohesiveness, resilience, technological brilliance, and extraordinary competence of the Japanese are now on full display. One report from Rikuzentakata- a town of 25,000, annihilated by the tsunami- describes volunteer firefighters working to clear rubble and search for survivors; military personnel and police efficiently directing traffic and supplies; survivors not only “calm and pragmatic” but coping “with politeness and sometimes amazingly good cheer.”  Thanks to these strengths, Japan will eventually recover. But at least one Japanese nuclear power complex will not. Three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station appear to have lost their cooling capacity.  Engineers are flooding the plant with seawater - effectively destroying it - then letting off radioactive steam.  There have been several explosions. 

By the time you read this article, the situation may be worse.  Yet Japan’s nuclear power stations were designed with the same care and precision as everything else in the country. Which leads to the unavoidable question: If the competent and technologically brilliant Japanese can’t build a completely safe reactor, who can?  Inevitably, the enormous costs of nuclear waste disposal fall to taxpayers, not the nuclear industry.  The costs of cleanup, even in the wake of a relatively small accident, are eventually borne by the government.  The costs of health care will also be paid by society at large, one way or another.  I hope a near-miss causes people around the world to think twice about the true “price” of nuclear energy.

“If there is true nuclear catastrophe in Japan, the entire world will pay the price.  I hope that this never happens.  I feel nothing but admiration for the Japanese nuclear engineers who have been battling catastrophe for several days now. If anyone can prevent a disaster, the Japanese can do it,” says politics columnist Anne Applebaum. Unfortunately, the discovery of nuclear energy has been inauspicious for people in general.  Many times, modern technology has become another instrument of exploitation and disaster.  日本頑張って！- Ganbatte ! : (Come on Japan!).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

God is merciful to all living beings.  When man is plundering and exploiting the earth there will be natural consequences.  We are dropping bombs on the earth, deforesting the earth, polluting the earth with chemical and nuclear waste, and recklessly drilling oil motivated by greed.  We are destabilising our own ecology. We can expect massive reactions.  God has given us the responsibility to protect and care for others, including the poor.  Why do we blame God for civilisation that is defined to the laws He has lovingly given to us?  The force of God's love is unlimited. We should strive to be humble instruments of Krishna's love.  We could access Krishna's love by sincerely chanting His name with a humble heart - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Śrīla Radhanath Swami Mahārāja :
Live Chat - January 13, 2004 in Mumbai
http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/spiritual-discussions/39693-transcript-live-chat-iskcon-h-h-radhanath-swami-maharaj-15-00-a.html
http://radhanathswami.info/ - http://www.radhanath-swami.net/