Sept 9th

As I look at the state of the world today I wonder what legacy we are leaving for our grandchildren. On one hand I see that the “baby boomer grandparents” have created some miraculous gifts: curing diseases, enhancing modern conveniences, and traveling to outer space.

On the other hand I see depleted resources, dirtier air, dwindling water supplies and stockpiles of high-level radioactive waste on our nation’s rivers, lakes and oceans. Have we truly squandered our children’s inheritance for convenience and profit in our lifetimes?

It may be as the films “Inconvenient Truth” and “The 11th Hour“ have pointed out that we are at the brink, but I believe the minds that created this precipitous situation can solve it—if we start now and work towards truly sustainable solutions.

Consider our future energy supplies: Should the government force taxpayers to subsidize $50 billion to an already “mature” nuclear power industry hoping this will lead us away from the edge of disaster? For the following reasons the answer is “no”.

• It will take a minimum of seven years until we are able to “flip the switch” at even the least controversial new reactor site;
• After 50 years nuclear power there is still no permanent disposal site for the safe storage of high-level radioactive waste;
• Nuclear power remains inextricably linked to nuclear weapons proliferation – hence our nation’s concern that Iran and Korea halt their enrichment programs;
• Every dollar spent on energy efficiency saves seven times more carbon dioxide than a dollar spent on nuclear power;

Wall Street continues to shy away from long lead times, unanticipated and costly risks, lack of waste disposal and fears of proliferation. Just this week, American Electric Power Co. stated it isn't planning to build any new nuclear power plants because delays will push operational starts to 2020.

So why on earth should the “baby boom” grandparents allow our government to leave these financial risks to our grandchildren, especially when there is no guarantee that that these nuclear plants will be finished and actually produce kilowatts in time to stop global warming disasters?

So I choose the work for a truly clean energy future, leaving less debt and limiting the production of high-level radioactive waste in our seismically active state. Although radioactive waste is less visible than the smokestacks and tailpipes that remind us all of CO2, it is as dangerous and potentially catastrophic. I ask that you join me in supporting the only organization that has worked full time to limit the production of highly radioactive waste and to oppose the repeal of California’s nuclear safeguards laws. The Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility (www.a4nr.org) is a statewide non-profit who deserves our support.

Shirley Vaine, President
Board of Directors
Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility
858-674-4889

National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. She hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.