Many people believe that nuclear energy is the optimal source of energy to satisfy the substantial energy consumption. Although this may seem to be understandable for some reasons, I would argue that this renewable resource may not be a prime type of energy.
First and foremost, it is undeniable that nuclear power possesses superior features that could effectively address the current power issue. Unlike fossil fuels, this new type of energy is inexhaustible as it uses the chain reaction of radioactive substances such as Uranium, which are abundant; therefore. it can secure the energy need of human. Additionally, no environmental concerns is raised as the electricity generation originating from nuclear power is carbon-free and eco-friendly. In comparison with other renewable resources, nuclear energy is more reliable. This can be explained that installing wind farms or solar panels requires appropriate climate conditions and sometimes may not work properly; meanwhile, nuclear plants are more flexible with the weather conditions and can produce a consistent flow of electricity. It is therefore believed that nuclear power is the optimal resource.
However, I do not totally agree with this consensus as there are still concerns in safety issues about the surrounding environment and health problems. Nuclear plants can cause detrimental impacts on the neighboring area. It is proven that radioactive substances can be unpredictably formidable on organisms, including plants, animals, and even humans. Leaked radioactive wastes can seep into water, earth and air, causing animals and plants, which absorb and are exposed to these substances, critical health issues as it can affect the genetic codes of cells. For example, a huge number of animals were dead in the area near one nuclear plant after an incident of leaking radioactive substances. Human health concerns are also raised for people living in the neighboring area as many research has reported significant detrimental influences that radioactive wastes can have on people and their offspring. Clearly, there are still some issues with nuclear power that make it dangerous to widely use.
In conclusion, while nuclear power is eco-friendly and proved to be a reliable resource compared with other energy, the process of installment and generation of this energy is dangerous as it can have detrimental impacts on the surrounding environment and people’s health, making it not the optimal resource that we could rely on.