Are Greens Luddites?

At least in the U.K., an argument is a definite ‘yes,” according to Sir David King, the government’s former chief science advisor. The main issue to prompt this complaint? Nuclear power.

Now, I agree that, whether in the U.S., the U.K., France or elsewhere, nuclear waste disposal is a question that still needs a more permanent answer than it has. That said, I know nuclear waste, or even nuclear power plants, has a selfish NIMBY background to the issue.

Assuming the public, to focus here on the U.S., can either be persuaded, led, or if necessary, legally enjoined to deal with NIMBYism, I don’t have a lot of other environmental problems with nuclear power myself, while holding to the idea that is going to have to be a continuing part of the answer to global warming.

That said, just like the military power that should be counted as part of a premium on oil prices, we need to address more clearly the issue of nuclear power subsidies, the energy and environmental costs of uranium mining, etc.

That said, to partially address the mining cost side, I’m OK with breeder reactors.