Energy Crises - II

Nuclear Power

reading: M.Garza chapter on anti-nuclear reading: M.Garza chapter on anti-nuclear power movementpower movement

Nuclear Power was byproduct of nuclear Nuclear Power was byproduct of nuclear weapon productionweapon production

US GovernmentUS Government wanted nuclear powerwanted nuclear power financed development of nuclear powerfinanced development of nuclear power carried out PR campaign to sell itcarried out PR campaign to sell it put enormous pressure on utilities to adopt itput enormous pressure on utilities to adopt it

Unknowns As nuclear power industry began, no one As nuclear power industry began, no one

really understoodreally understood how to build very large, commercial scale how to build very large, commercial scale

nuclear reactorsnuclear reactors how to make them safehow to make them safe how to dispose of nuclear waste materialhow to dispose of nuclear waste material how long they would lasthow long they would last what to do with them when they wore outwhat to do with them when they wore out how much the electricity they would generate how much the electricity they would generate

would costwould cost

Anti-nuclear Movement

Originates in communities most directly Originates in communities most directly affected + environmentalists + anti-nuclear affected + environmentalists + anti-nuclear weapons movementweapons movement

White, middle class movementWhite, middle class movement Fears:Fears:

meltdownmeltdown radioactive leakageradioactive leakage radioactive waste disposalradioactive waste disposal

Phase I: 1957 - 1967

reaction to nuclear weapons, anti-testing, reaction to nuclear weapons, anti-testing, especially in atmosphere, fear of fallout, especially in atmosphere, fear of fallout, poisoning of oceanspoisoning of oceans

Opposition to locating plants near Opposition to locating plants near population centers, property owners population centers, property owners objected, fishermen objected, women's objected, fishermen objected, women's oppositionopposition

Indian opposition to poisoning from Indian opposition to poisoning from uranium mininguranium mining

Phase II: 1968 - 1976

Anti-nuclear movements links to Anti-nuclear movements links to environmental movementenvironmental movement

Environmental pressure on utilities for all Environmental pressure on utilities for all kinds of pollution, now added nukeskinds of pollution, now added nukes

Legal challenges, slowed building, raised Legal challenges, slowed building, raised costscosts

Imposition of safety checks and standards Imposition of safety checks and standards dramatically raised costs of productiondramatically raised costs of production

Spread of movement as understand grewSpread of movement as understand grew

Phase III: 1977 - 1988 Direct action intensified movementDirect action intensified movement

Clamshell Alliance uses civil disobedienceClamshell Alliance uses civil disobedience fueled by 3-Mile Island (1979) & Chernobyl fueled by 3-Mile Island (1979) & Chernobyl

(1986) debacles(1986) debacles fueled by deteriorating plants, more infofueled by deteriorating plants, more info fueled by rapid growth of Indian movement fueled by rapid growth of Indian movement

against mining-poisoning & autonomyagainst mining-poisoning & autonomy

Shift in labor's positionShift in labor's position from pro-nuke/jobs to anti-nuke, part of crisis from pro-nuke/jobs to anti-nuke, part of crisis

of union leadershipof union leadership

Alternatives

"Soft Energy Paths""Soft Energy Paths" renewable energy (solar, biomass)renewable energy (solar, biomass) less energy requirements (solar architecture)less energy requirements (solar architecture) less pollutionless pollution more decentralizedmore decentralized jobs & security (Amory Lovins) jobs & security (Amory Lovins)

Significant defection of scientistsSignificant defection of scientists increasing flow of imagination & creativity into increasing flow of imagination & creativity into

exploration and elaboration of alternativesexploration and elaboration of alternatives

Ideology

Anti-capitalismAnti-capitalism Marxist opposition to use of nukes for labor Marxist opposition to use of nukes for labor

and social controland social control

Deep EcologyDeep Ecology rethinking human-nature relationships from rethinking human-nature relationships from

domination to co-existencedomination to co-existence

Eco-feminismEco-feminism critique of "Western" dominance of nature as critique of "Western" dominance of nature as

akin to men's domination of women akin to men's domination of women

Business Reactions

AccomodationAccomodation Stobough & Yergin: Harvard Business SchoolStobough & Yergin: Harvard Business School Political limits on coal, nukes, oilPolitical limits on coal, nukes, oil thus conservation, solarthus conservation, solar

ResistanceResistance continuing attack on environmental continuing attack on environmental

constraintsconstraints use of Gulf War to gain drilling rights, nukesuse of Gulf War to gain drilling rights, nukes runaway shops to avoid environ. controlsrunaway shops to avoid environ. controls

Accomodation Stobaugh & Yergin (1979)Stobaugh & Yergin (1979)

foreign oil politically precariousforeign oil politically precarious increasing conflicts over foreign oil, price risesincreasing conflicts over foreign oil, price rises domestic oil & gas production future not brightdomestic oil & gas production future not bright

not conventional, off-shore, shalenot conventional, off-shore, shale

coal: environmental & labor constraintscoal: environmental & labor constraints nukes:cont. stalemate over plants & wastenukes:cont. stalemate over plants & waste Solar: not "big solar" but "small solar", Solar: not "big solar" but "small solar",

diffused use of sun, biomassdiffused use of sun, biomass Conservation: serious reduction in demandConservation: serious reduction in demand

War War on EnvironmentalistsWar on Environmentalists

attack via reduced enforcement, legislation, attack via reduced enforcement, legislation, terror & intimidationterror & intimidation

continuing push to exploit ALL resourcescontinuing push to exploit ALL resources

War in Gulf (1990 - 1991, 1998?)War in Gulf (1990 - 1991, 1998?) History:countries & production arranged by History:countries & production arranged by

colonial powers (See "Why War?" art.)colonial powers (See "Why War?" art.) Acceptance of Iraq role, high oil pricesAcceptance of Iraq role, high oil prices Keeping Saddam Hussain in his placeKeeping Saddam Hussain in his place militarization of Gulf, Gulf labor forcemilitarization of Gulf, Gulf labor force

--END--