On Friday, September 20, I took to the streets with a couple dozen other locals as part of the Student Climate Strike. I’m pleased to note that this political action seems to be part of a movement that is capturing attention and providing numerous “teachable moments.”
Like any good activist, I carefully chose my attire to send a desired message. Among my many pronuclear tee shirts, the red one with “Why Nuclear? Ask Me.” in white letters seemed to be the most appropriate.
Matched up with dark blue shorts – after all, this event was in Florida on a very late summer day – I think I looked appropriately patriotic.
When I arrived at the specified gathering place, i found a friendly, compact crowd of perhaps 20 people. They were sitting on the front steps of the Universalist Unitarian Church, which I later learned is the oldest church in Tarpon Springs.
My Son is a Reactor Operator
Some were conversing in small groups. Several were passing out fliers describing related events or affiliated groups, some were passing out signs to carry. One nice lady was asking people to sign a letter to Representative Kathy Castor, whose district is adjacent to that of Representative Gus Bilirakis, our congressman.
Her tee shirt said “Off Fossil Fuels” and the letter she wanted people to sign made a number of requests that were aimed at discouraging any fossil fuel extraction in or near the state of Florida. I told her I supported her message and her request, but asked her to explain what she thought could replace the tasks that fossil fuel performs for us.
Her quick response was to suggest that Bernie Sanders had laid out an extensive plan. That gave me the opening to ask her how she felt about the fact that Sanders had worked hard to close down a generating plant in Vermont that provided 70% of the electricity generated in Vermont without producing any climate changing gases.
That was when the really cool moment happened. She told me that she hadn’t been aware that Bernie was so actively involved in antinuclear activities and that she thought that position was wrong. She had been convinced by her son that nuclear was clean and safe. Her son is currently serving as a reactor operator on an aircraft carrier.
We agreed to keep in touch.
I then chatted for a bit with a young man with a head fully of curly red hair who shyly admitted this was his first public event as a member of Extinction Rebellion. More on him later.
Once the appointed time arrived, Rev. Murphy the minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church, invited us into his church for some initial information and sharing.
The church had just completed a renovation that lasted for six years and was stunningly beautiful in its simplicity and environmentally themed art work. Rev. Murphy was justifiably proud of the building and the effort that the congregation had invested to restore their historic structure, which, among other issues, had been damaged by a sink hole.
Then Rev. Murphy asked if there were any students in the room who wanted a chance to speak. There were a few, but not many.
Then he asked if anyone else had anything they wanted to say about the theme of the event – addressing climate change.
I spoke about my experience of operating a submarine with a powerful engine that ran without consuming any oxygen or producing any waste gases. There were a number of friendly faces interested in what I was saying. One gentleman with a white beard and a cap indicating he was a destroyer veteran fed me some questions that gave me the opportunity to briefly explain how the Rockefeller Foundation paid the NAS to teach the public to be afraid of radiation.
A few other audience members thanked me for sharing and for teaching them something they did not know.
Hard-headed Quakers
I could tell, though, that there were a couple of people in the front row who were visibly discomforted. After I’d talked for about 5 minutes, one of them said, “Enough, let’s move on.”
The following speaker, who was wearing a shirt that said “Quakers are way cooler than you think”, described how he and his partner had met while protesting the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant. He mentioned the Clamshell Alliance, reminded the audience about TMI, Chernobyl and Fukushima, blamed a recent breast cancer death of a friend in Pennsylvania on TMI and concluded by saying nuclear is not a solution to climate change.
After the short speeches were over and we were getting ready to head to Spring Bayou to continue our strike, I tried to talk with the Quakers. They were not interested. One of their friends did engage by thanking me for my service, telling me that she respected my point of view, and telling me that I was still wrong. She said she had been starting to change her mind until Fukushima happened and released radiation that was still harming “our fish.”
A few attendees came up to me to privately thank me for what I had said. It was clear that some of them were not keen on openly stating that they were interested in learning more about nuclear. I passed out several Atomic Insights business cards.
March to the Bayou
From the church, we walked to Spring Bayou, which is a focal point in the town. We held up our signs, posed for some photos, waved to passing cars and talked with other participants. There were no noisemakers, street theater performers, or musical instruments.
The march portion of the event lasted about 30 minutes.
After the event, I spoke with Reverend Murphy. He’s an interesting man who has been actively involved in the Sierra Club since the late 1960s. He remembered the “Atoms, Not Dams” campaign, the firing of David Brewer, and the transition of what had been a conservation group of wilderness lovers to a more politically active and influential national organization.
He expressed his own open-mindedness to the idea that the Club might have been wrong to oppose nuclear energy, especially in light of what we now know. He admitted that nuclear energy has turned out to be a lot safer than they thought it would be and he agreed that climate change is showing that it a necessary tool. He agreed that solar, wind and geothermal were not going to be able to do the job – at least for the foreseeable future.
He didn’t think some of his contemporary colleagues would ever change because they were too immersed in their antinuclear habits. He thought that there were a lot of open minds among younger people with environmental concerns and that Florida was a good place to be sharing the pronuclear message.
He then thanked me for what I was doing and asked me to keep it up.
I also spent quite a few minutes talking with A. J. Arestia, a young guy with a name tag indicating he was a candidate for office in the Florida legislature. He has a physics background and declared that he is one of a relatively small group of politicians that is openly and aggressively pro-nuclear. He spoke about how his opponent believes that we should be covering everything with solar panels and how he is trying to help people understand why that was an expensive fantasy that won’t solve any problems.
I’m going to see what I can do to help him craft his message so he can keep spreading his thoughts in ever more important venues.
As everyone else was dispersing, I met back up with the Extinction Rebellion guy with the curly red hair. We had a fascinating discussion about the incredible power locked up inside the atom. He asked me for my opinion about disarmament. That gave me the opportunity to describe the Megatons to Megawatts program and marvel at how few people know that 10% of US electricity for 20 years came from fissioning former Russian bomb material.
I feel pretty good about my decision to take some time from my normal retirement activities to meet with concerned citizens and share hopeful information.
In my opinion, it is terrific to see that people are concerned about their futures. The primary message from Greta Thunberg, the inspiration held up as the creator of the climate strike movement, is that we need to listen to scientists. She’s correct. They have provided the diagnosis. Now it’s time to find people who are skilled in the art of engineering solutions and those who specialize in producing vast quantities of clean, reliable and affordable energy.
It’s time to listen to the nukes. But no one will hear us if we just talk among ourselves.
Rod,
Thank you for doing this and for sharing this. I wish I had done something.
Your post reminded me of the day I handed out pro-Vermont Yankee flyers in the lobby outside of our Town Meeting, here in Vermont. I was surprised at the number of people who thanked me, or told me they thought nuclear is the future of energy. Or said they had a brother in the nuclear Navy, or had a daughter who works at MIllstone etc. It was very heartening!
Great post and thank you again!
Meredith
Glad to have you two setting examples. There are two more similar events this year to show up in the streets. Nov. 27th is the closer for the climate strike and Oct. 20 is Standup for nuclear http://standuofornuclear.org
Glad to have you two setting examples. There are two more similar events this year to show up in the streets. Nov. 27th is the closer for the climate strike and Oct. 20 is Standup for nuclear http://standupfornuclear.org
(Corrected typo)
Sorry. Sept. 27th. Is the closing event for climate strike. #StrikeWithUs event. (Another typo. Got out of the wrong side of the bed today.)
Thanks for reporting on your pro-nuclear protest action, Rod. I was not able to get on the streets for ClimateStrike, but plan to on the 27th. However, I did get a letter to the editor published in our local paper on the 21st. It addressed the scientific majority opinion of the need for nuclear; the seeming hopelessness of climate change; the inability of lifestyle change to have a meaningful impact; the need for ramping up innovation and deployment of effective decarbonization technologies; building on the success of nuclear, our largest zero-emission energy source; supporting Carbon Fee and Dividend to provide a market signal to the clean energy industry, and calling your elected officials. It ends with the line, “Make the calls. Support clean energy innovation and carbon pricing. It’s your smartest climate move.”
My “Fight Climate Change With Nuclear Power” T-shirt is coming out next week!
Rod, I gave a 45 min talk in a Quaker community, Kendal at Hanover, where I live, though I’m not a religious person. It was well received. A retired Episcopal bishop thereafter had me speak to his reading club, which has just finished Goldstein’s new book, A Bright Future.
Thanks for the post Rod. Since the activity seems to be going on until Friday September 27, there’s time to point parents and children towards Scott Adams’s explanation A Message for Children About Climate Change. I think everyone can find it helpful.
I am a Quaker and I have spoken in meeting about the expansion of nuclear power being essential to address climate change. I also talk with people individually, which may help some rethink long held concerns. Quakers are really quite diverse in their beliefs and views but many, if not most, have formed negative opinions based on old fears and misinformation.
@Greg Gundlach
Thank you for your comment and for seeking to help your community better understand the value of nuclear energy. I guess I was not very clear in my post. I did not mean to imply that all Quakers are opposed to nuclear energy. But the man who spoke made sure everyone knew he was a Quaker and implied that his religious convictions played a role in his antinuclear position.
The description in your post echoed many conversations I have had with friends and Friends in recent years.
Unlike many in my social and religious spheres, my perspective was shaped by science.
My father, Robert W. Gundlach, was a physicist who passionately believed in innovation.
Quaker practice has a foundation in listening, but unconscious bias can make it hard for us to hear clearly.
So,…..Bernie Sanders is not a friend of those who wish to retain / expand nuclear power. Politicians cover many subjects and cannot be experts in all areas. They have to rely on the expertise of others and also have to cater to the wishes of their constituents. How much impact would a letter or series of letters written to a politician like Bernie have? It appears that politics is at a turning point in this country and perhaps if nuclear proponents such as yourself got their message to the right people maybe they would be willing to take another look at this clean unlimited power source.
Bernie Sanders was a huge backer of the socialist regime in Venezuela.
A large fraction of the population of Venezuela has either left the country in search of basics like food, or is trying to. Anyone who looks at Bernie Sanders as anything other than a dangerous kook needs to have their head examined. That Vermont elected him to the Senate is a stain that everyone there should be forced to confess and atone for, starting by repudiating all of his policy positions. Whoever and whatever he ever said he is for, his policies are destructive to everything and should be treated like possible anthrax.
You may be right, but helping the sick, the poor the needy,…….well,…….they do all seem like good old American values. I do kind of like a lot of what he says. Next checkup, I’ll ask about my head.
Now, how about the question. Mr. Poet is it possible for you to write the proper prose to convince Bernie and other crazy Congresspersons to reconsider their views on nuclear power? Do you think it makes a difference?
Thanks for responding.
Everywhere they’ve achieved power, these people PRODUCED poverty and need in vast quantities. Venezuela used to be a rich country. Now go hop on YouTube and search for “Venezuela crisis” and see what you find. This is ALL the product of “socialism”, putting the productive assets of the country in the hands of people without a clue about how to make them work, who consequently destroy them.
No. They are part of what amounts to a religious cult, and religion is not something can be argued rationally. If that was the case, every last environmental organization would stand behind the Sierra Club’s original motto: “Atoms Not Dams”.
Please check this articles:
Are nuclear power plants expensive to build compare to any other energy source? A Myth or Reality https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nuclear-power-plants-expensive-build-compare-any-other-kondakalla/
Which Energy Source Wins a Marathon Race and a Sprint Race? https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-energy-source-wins-sprint-race-marathon-kondakalla
My main aim is to remove this misconception on nuclear by comparing all energy sources. To make it easy for even general public to understand. Hope you might like it and please share.
Dear Rod Adams,
Your Podcast is great. I am also a US Navy Vet – E-6 FTM Terrier. Served 6.5 years-extended 6 moths to finish a WESPAC USS Gridley CG-21 1982. I was thinking of going Subs but went advanced Electronics vs Nuclear and chose the surface Navy which could have been Nuclear like the Bainbridge-CGN-25 or Truxtrun CGN35 or Long Beach CGN9. I have never been a Anti, but studied utility based RE @ UMASS Lowell earned a BSEE. It was when I worked at A123Systems, building 0.5 MW*Hr, 900,000 26650 Cells filling a 54′ trailer, that is really stated to understand RE limitations. Attended NRC — AS&LBP Public Comment on 2019-09-23 @ Newburyport, MA Seabrook Station ASR
Anti-Nuclear, Douglas Foy, former president and CEO of the Conservation Law Foundation, led the fight in court to shutter the Seabrook Project. Seabrook 1 was built, but 22% completed Seabrook 2 was canceled. This, and other lawsuits, doubled the Cost of Seabrook. Thirty years later, Foy says Seabrook 1 needs to stay up and running, recognizing its emission-free generation.
Thanks Rod Adams, Made a different comment here. Monday, September 23, 2019, regarding the license amendment request made by NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC, (NextEra) concerning the operating license for Seabrook Station Unit 1, Thank you for submitting my written statement to the AS&LBP
https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1922/ML19220B091.pdf
Net-Zero Carbon Dioxide Emissions By 2050 Requires A New Nuclear Power Plant Every Day, Forbes, Date: 30/09/19, Roger Pielke Jr. The article is well worth reading.
Now do the math for obtaining that amount of power from Wind/Solar and then determine how many Wind turbines and Solar panels are needed. Then determine how many acres of land are needed. How much tillable agricultural land will be covered?
Meanwhile China and India will have doubled the amount of coal plants.
We’re having a back-and-forth on this over on Reddit:
https://old.reddit.com/r/nuclear/comments/dbjv4x/netzero_carbon_dioxide_emissions_by_2050_requires/
I put in an extended BOTE calculation on what it might take to decarbonize the electric grid and most residential and commercial space heat. I would welcome commentary on my numbers, because they look too good to be true.
This is an interesting, practical description of the two groups in the “real climate debate”, although perhaps you didn’t realize it, Rod.
You, of course, are solidly part of the first group: the ACT (Apolitical/Confident/Technical) group. The other group, the ASP (Anxious, Social-Justice, Partisan) group, consists of the people I have been warning about for years. As I have been saying, and as the article I linked to above points out, “they are a big part of the problem, not the solution.”
What role do you think solar and wind can play? Do you have solar on your roof or an electric car? Interested to hear your thoughts. Thank you.