Glowing green

Regardless of what they might say, with very few exceptions, everybody wants superpowers. I can remember watching “The Secret World of Alex Mack” on Nickelodeon back in my blissful preteen years and thinking how cool it would be to be able to melt myself into a puddle of silver goo and travel around the hallways of my middle school. That show made it obvious to me that all anyone needed to acquire X-ray vision or the ability to fly was some minor exposure to dangerous chemicals or a little bit of nuclear waste. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?\nWell, unfortunately Alex Mack’s “real world” turned out to be the exact opposite of ours. Exposure to nuclear waste, even in small doses, will not turn you into the Incredible Hulk. When radioactive material creeps into water sources or finds its way into normal household products, the results can be grim, and unfortunately none of them include super strength. The effects of radiation exposure are less than glamorous, to say the least: DNA mutations, cancer, skin burns, nausea, weakness, hair loss and diminished organ function. \nHowever, the recent national trend has turned toward lessening the monitoring of nuclear waste disposal. In effect, there is an increasingly good chance that it could end up in a regular waste dump, or, even worse, be “recycled” into the everyday market. My home state of Tennessee has actually been issuing permits to companies to “process” and release radioactive materials in recycled form to market commerce. Now, as much as I dearly love the good ol’ Volunteer State (we can claim Elvis, Davy Crockett AND Justin Timberlake as one-time residents), I’m not sure I like the idea of having “treated” nuclear waste show up in my belt buckle or the couch in my apartment. \nObviously, the whole process of producing, using, storing and disposing of nuclear materials is controversial and complicated, and the battle to denuclearize the nation will be hard-fought. It is a safe bet that it will consume huge amounts of time, money, manpower and court space, so rather than waste our government’s limited resources – drawn, of course, from your own pocket – maybe we should spend our time on something other than legal wrangling.\nWhat if, instead, we sought alternatives to nuclear power? Given the near-crises and contingent environment and health disasters that go along with our nuclear program, we have no reason to stick with this sinking course of action. That is not to say that every time a complication arises, we should simply abandon ship, but at this point it has become clear that the costs of nuclear power are far greater than the potential benefits. Instead, we need to be investing in new technologies, like geothermal and wind power. After all, we are not superheroes, and using “green power” beats the risk of consuming energy that may one day make us glow the same hue as the Green Lantern himself.