Quote:
Originally posted by jyl
...I just don't get the idea that we should hurry up and use up oil. Why is waste ever good?
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Of course you're right about waste never being a good idea John. I'm just looking at the practical aspects. We're not going to dismantle our oil refining equipment or oil rigs or internal combustion engines until it gets too expensive to base our energy on hydrocarbons. That's human nature.
Nuclear - be it fussion or fission - is not going to be considered seriously until hydrocarbons are less available. Long term planning is not something that the human race is typically good at. Crisis management is what we do.
As far as nuclear waste - I think you have brought up a very profound way to look at nuclear power. Being as meltdowns are not normal (Chernobyl and 3 Mile Island) the only compelling argument against nuclear is what to do with the waste.
Solve that problem and there would be a corresponding decrease in the resistance to nuclear.