The World Without US: Hot Legacy

"If we left this world tomorrow-- assuming by some means other than blowing ourselves to bits--we would leave behind 30,000 intact nuclear warheads" (Weisman, 2007) In addition to the warheads, whatever is left on this planet would also have to deal with the 441 nuclear plants. "Nuclear power is sometimes offered as an effective way of slowing global warming through the replacement of power plants fuelled by coal or gas... [however] nuclear wastes present serious disposal problems. The processing of ores into nuclear fuel has left a residue of hundreds of millions of tons of radioactive waste, while thousands of tons of highly radioactive materials remain as by-products of civilian and military nuclear programs." (Volti, 2009) Storage facilities around the country would be an interesting topic in an Environmental class. Nuclear plant case studies would also be an important topic for thought and discussion.