Some nice nuclear news, and some not-nice nuclear news.
First, the nice nuclear news–the newly-crowned Miss America, Grace Stanke, is an aspiring nuclear engineer and a promoter of nuclear power.
She is a nuclear engineering major at the University of Wisconsin, worked as a co-op at a nuclear fuels vendor (Exelon), and does promotional work for the American Nuclear Society. Here’s a piece she wrote on breaking down misconceptions about nuclear power.
Now, on to the not-nice nuclear news. People in 30 questions were asked how much CO2 is produced by nuclear power plants. 52% of the French answered “a lot” or “quite a lot.” For Germans, the corresponding number was 43%. And for Americans, the number is 54%.
Here’s the complete set of survey results–all in French, though. If someone who understands that language well could read and comment on the document, it would be helpful.
A lot of public education and opinion change is necessary if nuclear is to fulfill its potential as an energy source.