Energy Crises - II

Nuclear Power reading: M.Garza chapter on anti-nuclear power movement reading: M.Garza chapter on anti-nuclear power movement Nuclear Power was byproduct of nuclear weapon production Nuclear Power was byproduct of nuclear weapon production US Government US Government  wanted nuclear power  financed development of nuclear power  carried out PR campaign to sell it  put enormous pressure on utilities to adopt it

Unknowns As nuclear power industry began, no one really understood As nuclear power industry began, no one really understood  how to build very large, commercial scale nuclear reactors  how to make them safe  how to dispose of nuclear waste material  how long they would last  what to do with them when they wore out  how much the electricity they would generate would cost

Anti-nuclear Movement Originates in communities most directly affected + environmentalists + anti-nuclear weapons movement Originates in communities most directly affected + environmentalists + anti-nuclear weapons movement White, middle class movement White, middle class movement Fears: Fears:  meltdown  radioactive leakage  radioactive waste disposal

Phase I: reaction to nuclear weapons, anti-testing, especially in atmosphere, fear of fallout, poisoning of oceans reaction to nuclear weapons, anti-testing, especially in atmosphere, fear of fallout, poisoning of oceans Opposition to locating plants near population centers, property owners objected, fishermen objected, women's opposition Opposition to locating plants near population centers, property owners objected, fishermen objected, women's opposition Indian opposition to poisoning from uranium mining Indian opposition to poisoning from uranium mining

Phase II: Anti-nuclear movements links to environmental movement Anti-nuclear movements links to environmental movement Environmental pressure on utilities for all kinds of pollution, now added nukes Environmental pressure on utilities for all kinds of pollution, now added nukes Legal challenges, slowed building, raised costs Legal challenges, slowed building, raised costs Imposition of safety checks and standards dramatically raised costs of production Imposition of safety checks and standards dramatically raised costs of production Spread of movement as understand grew Spread of movement as understand grew

Phase III: Direct action intensified movement Direct action intensified movement  Clamshell Alliance uses civil disobedience  fueled by 3-Mile Island (1979) & Chernobyl (1986) debacles  fueled by deteriorating plants, more info  fueled by rapid growth of Indian movement against mining-poisoning & autonomy Shift in labor's position Shift in labor's position  from pro-nuke/jobs to anti-nuke, part of crisis of union leadership

Alternatives "Soft Energy Paths" "Soft Energy Paths"  renewable energy (solar, biomass)  less energy requirements (solar architecture)  less pollution  more decentralized  jobs & security (Amory Lovins) Significant defection of scientists Significant defection of scientists  increasing flow of imagination & creativity into exploration and elaboration of alternatives

Ideology Anti-capitalism Anti-capitalism  Marxist opposition to use of nukes for labor and social control Deep Ecology Deep Ecology  rethinking human-nature relationships from domination to co-existence Eco-feminism Eco-feminism  critique of "Western" dominance of nature as akin to men's domination of women

Business Reactions Accomodation Accomodation  Stobough & Yergin: Harvard Business School  Political limits on coal, nukes, oil  thus conservation, solar Resistance Resistance  continuing attack on environmental constraints  use of Gulf War to gain drilling rights, nukes  runaway shops to avoid environ. controls

Accomodation Stobaugh & Yergin (1979) Stobaugh & Yergin (1979)  foreign oil politically precarious  increasing conflicts over foreign oil, price rises  domestic oil & gas production future not bright not conventional, off-shore, shale not conventional, off-shore, shale  coal: environmental & labor constraints  nukes:cont. stalemate over plants & waste  Solar: not "big solar" but "small solar", diffused use of sun, biomass  Conservation: serious reduction in demand

War War on Environmentalists War on Environmentalists  attack via reduced enforcement, legislation, terror & intimidation  continuing push to exploit ALL resources War in Gulf ( , 1998?) War in Gulf ( , 1998?)  History:countries & production arranged by colonial powers (See "Why War?" art.)  Acceptance of Iraq role, high oil prices  Keeping Saddam Hussain in his place  militarization of Gulf, Gulf labor force

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