Another Artist for Nuclear Energy – Introducing pop atomic
It has been a long running tradition in the small, but growing world of pro-nuclear bloggers to give a shoutout, link and welcome to newly discovered bloggers who are writing about nuclear energy in a positive light. Eric McErlain, who was blogging at NEI Nuclear Notes at the time, introduced this technique and it has really worked to help people get their work noticed. It also helps us build a community out of people who live around the world.
With today’s post, I am hoping to start a new traditional greeting – “Another Artist for Nuclear Energy”. I fully realize that writers can fall into the category of “artist”, but in this case I am using the more traditional definition of an artist as one who is creating visual works of art as an expression of beauty and interest.
I recently received a comment from a young lady who has decided to make a project out of creating work that shows the positive side of atomic energy at a site called pop atomic. Here is how she introduces her site:
As an artist and concerned citizen I wonder why not atomic energy?
Okay, it doesn’t have a great reputation, but is that because it is intrinsically bad, or because we have been exposed to too many scary nuclear explosion images? What role do these icons play in our perspective on clean safe energy? And most importantly can I change them?
I have decided to get on board with greats like James Lovelock (Nobel Prize Winner) and Patrick Moore (Founder of Greenpeace) and become a proponent of the “nuclear revolution.” Since I am an artist I will use the tools that I have to support this cause.
This is a fascinating development that deserves encouragement. I am especially impressed because our new artist has recognized that nuclear energy is not just a business, it is a cause. I happen to think it is the most important cause I can possibly support because it has the ability to contribute to easing so many challenges that are facing human society – from the provision of adequate energy supplies, to the smoothing out of wealth distribution, to the creation of energy that does not pollute, and to the increased supply of food and clean water.
I have been fascinated about the artistic aspects of nuclear energy for quite some time. Have you ever just gazed at a picture of a used fuel element and wondered at how bright and shiny it looks even after providing a massive quantity of heat for up to 6 years?
I hope that people who build the new generation of plants devote a portion of their construction budget to the design aspects of the project. Because of the compact and nature of atomic fuel and used material, we have an opportunity to built energy production systems that enhance their landscape, rather than deface it by stacking piles of fuel and ash out in the surrounding yards. Diablo Canyon, pictured below, is close to what I am talking about, but even with this photo it should be evident that we can do better. (Photo courtesy of Jim Zim. More Diablo Canyon photos are available at http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/DiabloCanyon.html
Please take a moment or two to visit pop atomic and see what our anonymous artist is doing.
Aside: One reason that I think that nuclear energy needs as many dedicate and activist supporters as possible is the artist behind pop atomic feels the need to remain anonymous at this time. Here is how she explains that decision on her site:
For reasons of personal safety I will not divulge my identity.
(she says she is “mostly kidding”)I currently live in an aggressively liberal city and have lefty leanings myself aside from this one issue. That said, the anti-nuclear sentiment in my community makes this experiment particularly challenging.
If you know who I am please do not mention my personal info to any crazy hippies who might endlessly harass me or deface my belongings…Lord knows I don’t want any trouble.
Otherwise, please enjoy the art and stories that come out of this project, and most of all please seriously consider your views on atomic energy. After all that is what this is really about.
If you are an artist and feel inspired to make some “pop atomic” art of your own please send me images to post on the site. Or if you want to participate in an experiment, or even just have a good story or question please contact me at:
radioactiveart@popatomic.org
Go now and introduce yourself. Show some support so this young lady does not feel so threatened because she supports a technology that has a reputation of being unpopular, even though it just might help save human society from itself.
Rod, thank you for introducing me to this artist!
When I started my Yes Vermont Yankee blog, I seriously considered hiding my name. I talked about it to friends, emailed family members, etc. I earn a living locally. I didn’t expect my home to be attacked, but I was (and am) afraid of “you’ll never work in this town again.” I finally decided that being a somewhat political blogger while hiding behind a pseudonym didn’t feel right. So there’s the blog, and there’s my name, and the world hasn’t ended.
By the way, another pro-nuclear advocate emailed me about why he hides his name. Same deal. He needs to get work from local people,
So far, my choice has been okay. I was afraid when I started. I can understand why people decide not to share their names. I think it is easier for people who already work in the nuclear industry to blog about it. However, if only nuclear employees blog in favor of nuclear energy, that would be a situation with its own problems.
Meredith – I am glad that you decided to use your own name and be open about your enthusiasm for the technology. I think there are a lot more supporters out there than most nuclear people have been trained to believe there are. For many years, when I got involved in conversations with nukes, they would make statements that made me believe they felt embattled. I have spent a lot of my professional career way outside of the nuclear industry and lived in areas a long way from nuclear power plants. Most of the time, the response that I got from groups like Rotary, Kiwanis, churches, and schools was active interest and curiosity about a subject that they have never learned much about.
I think one thing that hurt nuclear technology was the way that it grew up in remote communities. It did not help that a significant portion of the people who deeply understand nuclear fission power plants were trained by an organization that seems to believe that the second law of thermodynamics should be classified because it happens to be a component of the training program for submarine propulsion operators. (I always thought that was a silly policy that was actually designed to make it easier for lazy instructors to monitor student homework – by keeping the books classified, they prevented anyone from taking them home and working there.)
While it is true that there is a more support, or at least less opposition than there used to be for nuclear energy, there still is a proper time and place for the topic, and negotiating a service contract with a firm who makes its living selling B2B into the renewables sector is not one of them. Here in Quebec the same applies for our never-ending debate over remaining a Provence of Canada, or becoming an independent nation. Everyone holds a very strong opinion on the subject, but it is recognized by both sides that where an individual stands should not be permitted to interfere with the normal conduct of business, and one is expected to be discreet about one’s position in certain situations.
There is a price too that one has to pay working under a pseudonym, in that you give up a certain amount of credibility, and constantly need to defend your anonymity against the running criticism that you lack conviction.
Thanks for the interesting feedback regarding anonymity and pro-nuclear advocacy. I have several reasons for remaining veiled in my efforts to develop PopAtomic into a full blown public art campaign.
First, out of respect for several art organizations that I am affiliated with, I do not want to directly link their efforts with my own. Like I mention on the website, in my community a pro-nuclear stance is almost unheard of, and my views could potentially cause damage to the reputations of others or even cause them to lose financial support.
Second, I want to give the art work time to develop and take hold on it’s own. This work it about clean energy, public and environmental health and creating really great imagery that opens people up to learning more about nuclear energy, rather than my personal identity as an artist. I am also working as a leader of a team of artists and do not deserve credit for all of the images.
Eventually I will proudly share my identity, I am just waiting until the time is right!
You should enable comments on the blog portion of your site. We don’t bite, you know.
Good thinking DV82XL, I just enabled the comments on the blog but it might tale a few days before it is up and running (according to the provider), but I hope that you will keep up with the project and continue to offer thoughts and ideas!
Thanks!