As we seek clean and renewable alternatives to fossil fuels, it’s increasingly important to analyze the full implications of nuclear power.  In Japan, 30 percent of their power is generated by nuclear reactors.  Ideally, these plants do operate cleanly and efficiently, reducing the amount of fossil fuels consumed and pollution released into the atmosphere.  However, the ideal situation was far from reality in Fukushima on March 11, 2011.

Fukushima Radiation Leakage Update

When one country places their reliance on nuclear power, they do not assume the risks solely for themselves.  The entire globe is threatened by such a catastrophe, as evidenced by the recent discovery on the California coast.  On March 28, 2011, atmospheric chemists at the University of California, San Diego observed abnormal radiation levels directly traceable to the Fukushima reactor.

These scientists say that the spike in radiation levels on the California coast are a result of the seawater poured on the damaged reactor.  The chemical reaction caused by the seawater and radioactive materials in the reactor spewed radioactive particles into the air, which traveled the distance of the Pacific Ocean in a little over two weeks. 

Though the levels of radiation observed in California are not threatening to humans, UC scientists estimate the levels of radiation around the reactor in Japan to have been 365 times normal levels.  Although iodine tablets were distributed, it is impossible to determine if everyone received these tablets amid all the chaos. And these tablets certainly don’t offer any aid to pets, wildlife, waterways, the soil or the air. 

Cosmic rays and phenomenon that can cause spikes in atmospheric radiation levels have been discounted as a possible source for the higher-than-normal levels in California. In choosing nuclear reactors as a power source, Japan exposed her neighbors around the globe to potentially deadly radioactivity whether they’ve chosen nuclear energy for themselves or not. 

Recent global activity, including climate changes and tsunami-causing earthquakes, has proven to be more powerful than our most brilliant architectural designs and the full range of potential outcomes often extends far beyond our capacity to predict all the implications of our actions. With our current body of knowledge, there is no way to build a nuclear reactor to withstand the level of force equal to that exerted upon the reactor in Fukushima.  While we struggle to completely contain this radiation leak and mitigate the horrible effects of radioactivity, the need to significantly step up our clean technology efforts and go beyond green!