The DL on nuclear energy, saving coral reefs and Trans Awareness Week đ
Ever wondered if nuclear energy can save our climate woes? Let's talk about it.
Hello everyone - welcome to this weekâs issue of the CFC newsletter. I hope youâre enjoying the issues so far, I work hard to try and make this the most informative and easy-to-read newsletter in your inbox.
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson released his âgreen planâ this week, allocating ÂŁ4bn to implement a 10-point-plan. Included in the plan is a push for transitioning to nuclear energy as a clean power source. Nuclear energy has traditionally been contentious in the community because of the waste it produces. Can we rely on nuclear energy in a green transition? Letâs find out đ
First off, what is nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy comes from the process of splitting atoms which creates heat. That heat is used to heat up water which turns into steam that turns turbines that create electricity. Uranium is the fuel used to make this process happen, because its atoms are easily split.
Nuclear energy doesnât release any greenhouse gases like coal and petrol, so technically itâs a sustainable energy source and doesnât contribute to climate change.
So why is it controversial?
The nature of how nuclear energy is produced means it can be quite dangerous. Uranium is radioactive, and if handled improperly, disasters can very easily happen.
If there is an accident at a nuclear power plant, and radioactive waste is released, the people living closest to the planet are at risk.
Disposing of nuclear waste is also a challenge - it takes hundreds of thousands of years to deactivate the spent fuel. Nuclear waste is also often disposed of in areas close to rivers and lakes.
Nuclear power is not a renewable resource. There are 80 years worth of fuel in known reserves if used at current rates. There are ways to extract uranium from seawater, however, which could make nuclear energy completely renewable, but the science on that is still imperfect.
What are its benefits?
Switching to nuclear energy would radically decarbonise the economy. The greenhouse gases released during power plantsâ construction and mining is about the same as solar power.
Nuclear power plants also operate at a very high capacity - and much more than other renewable energy sources. The wind doesnât always come, the sun doesnât always shine. In terms of reliability, nuclear wins out.
Itâs also worth noting that coal ash is more radioactive than nuclear waste. Nuclear waste is only dangerous if its mishandled. Otherwise, it contributes to cleaner air by replacing our dirtier fuels in the transition to green energy.
Nuclear energyâs land footprint is also small. A typical nuclear facility in the United States needs a little more than 1 square mile to operate. Wind farms require 360 times more land area to produce the same amount of electricity and solar plants require 75 times more space.
Is nuclear energy the answer to climate change?
Like everything, itâs complicated. It can help governments transition to net zero emissions easily, but the biggest problem is what to do with the waste.
Nuclear energy can be a transition source when the sun doesnât shine or the wind doesnât blow. In other words, it can âtop upâ our energy needs when other renewables are running low.
Itâs possible that itâs worth taking the risk to use nuclear energy to meet our societiesâ energy demands, if only to stop climate catastrophe from happening. This will be very difficult to do as things stand in our economies.
Meanwhile, we still need to keep developing other technologies, especially solar and wind power storage. The government also needs to put plans in place to reduce energy demand - by encouraging people to insulate their homes better, for example.
What weâre⊠đ€
âŠreading: this article from Vox that goes in-depth into how policies on plant-based diets can mitigate the climate crisis. If we donât decrease food related emissions, weâll be unlikely to reach the Paris climate goals!
âŠlistening to: this podcast episode from In Case You Havenât Heard - the crew sits down with the inspiring founder of a female health startup to talk about menstrual cycles and natural birth control. A great listen!
âŠlearning: that if every British person sent one fewer thank you email a day, it would save 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year, equivalent to tens of thousands of flights to Europe. Read more on BBC here. Of course, we shouldnât blame individuals for climate change, but itâs interesting to see that something so trivial pollutes so much.
âŠcooking: one of these Thanksgiving side dishes made vegan. Especially excited to try the mashed potatoes sans the traditional butter and milk.
Good news đ»
For three years scientists with Raising Coral Costa Rica have been snapping off coral pieces from existing reefs to grow them in an underwater nursery. Their findings are helping to restore local ecosystems, and could help researchers who hope to revive reefs in nearby countries. This means thereâs hope that we can rebuild coral reefs even after theyâve been destroyed! Source
Tips + Advice đ
It was Transgender Awareness Week earlier this week, so here are some facts about the obstacles trans people face and how to support:
Violence against trans people has increased, sometimes 30% year on year. NBC cited 2018 FBI data to report that a little less than 25 percent, or one in five, hate crimes are motivated by homophobia or transphobia
1 in 5 transgender people have reported being denied medical treatment.
Transgender people are disproportionately at a higher poverty level and 20% to 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ.
The Trump administration, in particular, has chipped away at transgender rights slowly over 4 years.
Transgender people are more likely to experience police violence.
Trans women are more likely to experience sexual violence and homicide.
How to support:
Learn about the importance of pronouns and asking people for theirs
Consider donating to an org that supports the legal needs to the trans community, such as the Transgender Law Center or the Silvia Rivera Law Project
Educate yourself on how to be a better ally
Like this section? Send in your questions by commenting or replying to this email!
Sustainable brand spotlight âš
We love this eco-friendly home cleaning brand Seep - owned by a London mum đ
Thank you for reading this weekâs newsletter! Iâm so happy to have you here, and appreciate you supporting my work. If you have any suggestions or thoughts, please let me know by replying to this email đ»
Happy Sunday!
Gigi x