Nuclear Energy: Not a Left/Right Issue

There are a few well-known liberal bloggers who are willing to engage in a positive dialogue about nuclear energy. For starters, read this post from Matt Yglesias from last year:

Much as liberals may think we should increase our use of clean fuels like wind, solar, and hydro power -- and we should! -- it's simply not feasible to meet current electricity demand through these routes, much less meet current demand plus the additional demand imposed by economic growth plus the additional demand imposed by the need to move away from gasoline. That means looking at nuclear power -- which has fallen into disfavor out of a mix of irrational fear and the fact that Nevada is a swing state -- to do some of the work for us.

As an added nuclear-power bonus, let's note that insofar as there's a legitimate market for radioactive material that reduces the incentive for developing countries to sell their uranium to, say, al-Qaeda or Iran who might have more nefarious purposes in mind for it.

Something like that is already underway with the incredibly successful "Megatons to Wegawatts" program. Here's more from Mark Kleiman:

Let's use the impending energy price crunch to free ourselves of the anti-nuclear superstition that has cost so many lives and added so many thousands of tons of carbon dioxide and particulate matter to the atmosphere.

For more on how nuclear energy can contribute to environmental stewardship, click here.