Page 597 - Environment: The Science Behind the Stories

Testing Your Comprehension

1. How much of our global energy supply do nuclear power, 6. List five sources of bioenergy. What is the world’s most
bioenergy, and hydroelectric power contribute? How used source of bioenergy? How does bioenergy use differ
much of our global electricity do these three conventional between developed and developing nations?
energy alternatives generate? 7. Describe two biofuels, where each comes from, and how
2. Describe how nuclear fission works. How do nuclear each is used.
plant engineers control fission and prevent a runaway 8. List two reasons why the use of biofuels for power
chain reaction? generation is considered economically feasible and
3. Explain nuclear meltdown. sustainable.
4. In what ways did the events at Three Mile Island, 9. Compare and contrast the three major approaches to gen-
Chernobyl, and Fukushima Daiichi differ? What conse- erating hydroelectric power.
quences resulted from each incident? 10. Assess two benefits and two negative environmental
5. Explain the role of radioisotopes in generating nuclear impacts of hydroelectric power.
power. What is spent fuel?

Seeking Solutions

1. Given what you have learned about fossil fuels (Chap- 5. THINK IT THROUGH You are the head of the national
ter 19) and about some of the conventional alternatives department of energy in a nation that has just experi-
(this chapter), do you think it is important for us to mini- enced a minor accident at one of its nuclear plants. A
mize our use of fossil fuels and maximize our use of partial meltdown released radiation, but the radiation
alternatives? If such a shift were to require massive pub- was fully contained inside the containment building, and
lic subsidies, how much should we subsidize this? What there were no health impacts on area residents. However,
challenges or obstacles would we need to overcome in citizens are terrified, and the media is highlighting the
order to shift to such alternatives? dangers of nuclear power. Your nation relies on its five
2. Nuclear power has by now been widely used for half a nuclear plants for 25% of its energy and 50% of its elec-
century, and the world has experienced only two major tricity needs. It has no fossil fuel deposits and recently
accidents (Chernobyl and Fukushima) responsible for any began a promising but still-young program to develop
significant number of injuries or deaths. Would you call renewable energy options. What will you tell the pub-
this a good safety record? Should we maintain, decrease, lic at your next press conference, and what policy steps
or increase our reliance on nuclear power? Why might will you recommend taking to ensure a safe and reliable
safety at nuclear power plants be better in the future? national energy supply?
Why might it be worse? 6. THINK IT THROUGH You are an investor and would like
3. How serious a problem do you think the disposal of to invest in alternative energy. You are considering buy-
radioactive waste represents? How would you like to see ing stock in companies that (1) construct nuclear reactors,
this issue addressed? (2) build turbines for hydroelectric dams, (3) build corn
ethanol refineries, (4) are ready to supply farm and for-
4. There are many different sources of biomass and many estry waste for cellulosic ethanol, and (5) are developing
ways of harnessing energy from biomass. Discuss one algae farms. For each of these companies, what questions
that seems particularly beneficial to you, and one with would you research before deciding how to invest your
which you see problems. What bioenergy sources and money? How do you expect you might apportion your
strategies do you think our society should focus on invest- investments, and why?
ing in?

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