EcoWatch Journal June/July : Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR EMAIL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO: SPEAR@ECOWATCH.ORG. FRACKING IN OHIO in TED mentioned ‘Thorium’ as the next source of energy generation. I picked up a copy of the April-May issue Thorium is a very efficient source of of EcoWatch Journal at a nature center. The power generating material, it has already front page articles were disturbing, because you are apparently not aware of newer nuclear been dug up and is sitting in piles. It produces 10 to 10,000 times less long-lived reactor technology. radioactive waste, the waste cannot be used The bottom-of-the-page article Nuclear to make a bomb, current nuclear plants can Waste Has Nowhere to Go is wrong, because be converted to use it, it’s actually cheaper newer reactor designs will allow the current thermal neutron reactor “used fuel” to be used than uranium, and it doesn’t require those as fuel in fast neutron reactors, thus gradually big exclusion zones. consuming it. Fast neutron reactors will, of There is 10 fold amount of Thorium While natural gas and oil have been ex-course, have waste, but in much less quantity available compared to Uranium. If you tracted from under Ohio for many decades and with a much shorter half life. In addition, take into account the fact that we only use from so-called “conventional wells,” there I understand that there can be on-site repro-uranium-235 in our nuclear reactors, and is now intense interest by energy compa-cessing which will lessen the transportation this constitutes only 0.7 percent of the total nies in extracting deep deposits of natural of radioactive material. Why isn’t this new amount of uranium, the increase is 100 gas and oil from shale. The most easily technology being put to use? In my view it is fold. obtained energy has already been extracted. a combination of government restrictions and Thorium reactors also operate by Now companies are using new, risky meth-NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard.) burning uranium. This is created from THANKS ECOWATCH ods to continue our country’s addiction to I also understand that the heat generating Recently during a visit to the Raisin Rack thorium by bombarding it with neutrons. nonrenewable sources of fuel. part of coal burning electric power plants can located in Westerville, Ohio I picked up a This forms uranium 232, which is highly Due to the failure of government to be replaced with a nuclear heat source, thus copy of EcoWatch Journal . I have never seen radioactive and can’t be used for nuclear properly regulate deep shale drilling, a recycling the electric generating portion of the paper before and I was so impressed with the plant. This keeps a portion of our present weapons. number of companies are operating with the edition that I had to email you personally If you consider the events which are now investment in infrastructure. abandon to get massive profits at the and tell you so. unfolding in Japan, the heat being released With newer reprocessing techniques, the expense of our environment, health and In the beginning of March 2011, I had a at Fukushima is from the fission products. U and Pu in the fuel rods is not separated, safety. Hydraulic fracturing is a horizontal scare during a routine mamogram and de-Fission products are an inevitable result of eliminating fears of proliferation because this form of drilling that uses millions of gallons cided to start on a journey for better ways to fission processes and therefore such an event combination cannot be used for bombs. of water mixed with more than 500 harm-secure my health and at the same time ensure could also happen to a thorium nuclear Part of the negative public reaction to ful chemicals pumped underground at very the future of the earth. Then while read-power plant. Fukushima is the false concept that only zero high pressure to create fractures in deep ing an article online I was alarmed to find Thorium, as a nuclear fuel, is probably radiation is acceptable. I have seen a report shale to release gas and oil. the toxins that our goverment allows to be that some small amount of radiation is actu-the way to go in the future. This is due Fracking has been widely practiced in included in our everyday skin care products. ally good for us. Actually we can never get to its high availability and low price. But Toxins known to cause cancer, allergies, skin Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, to zero, since there is always the background before we get there we need to learn a lot Arkansas and is now advancing deeply into rashes and others. I then found Ava Anderson radiation, not to mention medical tests. The more about large breeder reactors and reac-a completely non-toxic skin care line which Ohio. A typical deep shale well is fracked Fukushima people have already been taking tors operating on fast neutrons. was such a blessing that I decided to join as a 18 times, and the pressure expands under steps to improve the resistance to the double India‘s Kakrapar-1 reactor is the world’s 5,000 adjoining acres. Even if you don’t see consultant. whammy they got. The reactor survived the first reactor which uses thorium. India, Needless to say your Journal is loaded it happening in your own neighborhood, it earthquake just fine and it also structurally which has about 25 percent of the world’s with articles, businesses and ideas that will can be happening nearby and you’re losing survived the tsunami. The main problem was thorium reserves, is developing a 300 MW save months, even years of research for me water and air quality without realizing it. that the tsunami knocked out the electric prototype. The prototype is expected to be and many others looking to lead a much A man in Granger, Ohio, Mark Man-supply which was necessary for the cooling healthier lifestyle. Although I, like others, fully operational by 2011, following which gan, understands the impacts of fracking. pumps. They are improving the backup elec-might not be able to apply everything into five more reactors will be constructed. India Someone in his area allowed fracking and trical power situation. our lives at once, you have made the transi-currently envisages meeting 30 percent of now his water catches on fire due to methane tion with available information much easier Several places in the last issue of EcoWatch its electricity demand through thorium-Journal renewable energy sources are men-gas released in the ground water. Mangan to make a start. based reactors by 2050. After India, the tioned. However, there just isn’t enough real has had no help from officials and has spent Thanks for all the information you supply main countries driving thorium research are thousands of dollars in legal costs to no avail. to make this a better world in which to live. I estate to install wind and solar generators the U.S. and Russia. to replace the demand we now have. Plus, There has been a lot of effort to lower look forward to the next issue! There is great concern about our cur-NIMBY likely will derail any such plans. car emissions in our air, yet fracking by-Sharon Calianno, Columbus, OH rent coal energy plants which need serious Tim W. Elder, Louisville, OH products are polluting our air in amounts revamping and money to be efficient. But equal to pollution from all U.S. cars and CROCKER PARK RECYCLES THORIUM—NEXT SOURCE OF ENERGY? think about current nuclear plants. Why trucks combined. I am not sure if this is old news, but, they isn’t the government thinking about the I am grad student at Cleveland State For more information, visit the Network have started a recycling program at Crocker other alternative? If it can happen in India University. I read Nuclear Waste Has No-for Oil and Gas Accountability and Protec-Park. I know this for sure because I was just where To Go in your April-May newspaper. then why not in the U.S.? tion website at www.neogap.org or call hired to be a part of their recycling team. I I know my views are different than what The main reason I am responding to see 440-940-6427. will be starting there by the end of the week. was mentioned in the article. I do believe whether my research work about nuclear Linda Schiller-Hanna, Medina, OH I would like to thank you for the article we must invest in efficient and clean source waste is true or acceptable to you. you put together, as I am sure it helped in of energy. Simply adapting to solar, wind and hy-the putting together of the program which in LITTERING IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY? I believe in sustainability and I think dro generation power is not going to meet turn gave me this job opportunity. Congratulations to the Cleveland Plain from a different way. Dan O’hearn the ever increasing demand for electricity Dealer for becoming one of the biggest Konark R Kambli, Cleveland, OH for the future. Bill Gates in his conference WWW. ECOWATCH.ORG • JUNE -JULY 2011 ECOWATCH JOURNAL • 3 polluters in Cuyahoga County. The new failed marketing plan of the PD Wrap-up, a two-page edition of the Sunday PD with ad pages that actually weighed 5 lbs at Christmas, has made enemies rather than customers of the paper. As of this writing, hundreds of streets in the suburban areas are in fact littered with green, yellow and in the winter orange bags that contain the throwaway PD Wrap-up. Everywhere I travel I see those colored eyesores through-out the city, not biodegradable on the wet, mushy tree lawns, looking like the trash that they indeed are. If you are fed up with the PD’s littering, please call the PD circulation department and your local city to voice your complaint. Brad Kay, Parma, OH NUKE WASTE HAS NOWHERE TO GO

Letters To The Editor

EMAIL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO: SPEAR@ECOWATCH.ORG. FRACKING IN OHIO While natural gas and oil have been extracted from under Ohio for many decades from so-called “conventional wells,” there is now intense interest by energy companies in extracting deep deposits of natural gas and oil from shale. The most easily obtained energy has already been extracted.Now companies are using new, risky methods to continue our country’s addiction to nonrenewable sources of fuel. Due to the failure of government to properly regulate deep shale drilling, a number of companies are operating with abandon to get massive profits at the expense of our environment, health and safety. Hydraulic fracturing is a horizontal form of drilling that uses millions of gallons of water mixed with more than 500 harmful chemicals pumped underground at very high pressure to create fractures in deep shale to release gas and oil. Fracking has been widely practiced in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Arkansas and is now advancing deeply into Ohio. A typical deep shale well is fracked 18 times, and the pressure expands under 5,000 adjoining acres. Even if you don’t see it happening in your own neighborhood, it can be happening nearby and you’re losing water and air quality without realizing it. A man in Granger, Ohio, Mark Mangan, understands the impacts of fracking.Someone in his area allowed fracking and now his water catches on fire due to methane gas released in the ground water. Mangan has had no help from officials and has spent thousands of dollars in legal costs to no avail. There has been a lot of effort to lower car emissions in our air, yet fracking byproducts are polluting our air in amounts equal to pollution from all U.S. cars and trucks combined. For more information, visit the Network for Oil and Gas Accountability and Protection website at www.neogap.org or call 440-940-6427. Linda Schiller-Hanna, Medina, OH LITTERING IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY? Congratulations to the Cleveland Plain Dealer for becoming one of the biggest Polluters in Cuyahoga County. The new failed marketing plan of the PD Wrap-up, a two-page edition of the Sunday PD with ad pages that actually weighed 5 lbs at Christmas, has made enemies rather than customers of the paper. As of this writing, hundreds of streets in the suburban areas are in fact littered with green, yellow and in the winter orange bags that contain the throwaway PD Wrap-up. Everywhere I travel I see those colored eyesores throughout the city, not biodegradable on the wet, mushy tree lawns, looking like the trash that they indeed are. If you are fed up with the PD’s littering, please call the PD circulation department and your local city to voice your complaint. Brad Kay, Parma, OH THANKS ECOWATCH Recently during a visit to the Raisin Rack located in Westerville, Ohio I picked up a copy of EcoWatch Journal. I have never seen the paper before and I was so impressed with the edition that I had to email you personally and tell you so. In the beginning of March 2011, I had a scare during a routine mamogram and decided to start on a journey for better ways to secure my health and at the same time ensure the future of the earth. Then while reading an article online I was alarmed to find the toxins that our government allows to be included in our everyday skin care products.Toxins known to cause cancer, allergies, skin rashes and others. I then found Ava Anderson a completely non-toxic skin care line which was such a blessing that I decided to join as a consultant. Needless to Say your Journal is loaded with articles, businesses and ideas that will save months, even years of research for me and many others looking to lead a much healthier lifestyle. Although I, like others, might not be able to apply everything into our lives at once, you have made the transition with available information much easier to make a start. Thanks for all the information you supply to make this a better world in which to live. I look forward to the next issue! Sharon Calianno, Columbus, OH CROCKER PARK RECYCLES I am not sure if this is old news, but, they have started a recycling program at Crocker Park. I know this for sure because I was just hired to be a part of their recycling team. I will be starting there by the end of the week. I would like to thank you for the article you put together, as I am sure it helped in the putting together of the program which in turn gave me this job opportunity. Dan O’hearn NUKE WASTE HAS NOWHERE TO GO I picked up a copy of the April-May issue of EcoWatch Journal at a nature center. The front page articles were disturbing, because you are apparently not aware of newer nuclear reactor technology. The bottom-of-the-page article Nuclear Waste Has Nowhere to Go is wrong, because newer reactor designs will allow the current thermal neutron reactor “used fuel” to be used as fuel in fast neutron reactors, thus gradually consuming it. Fast neutron reactors will, of course, have waste, but in much less quantity and with a much shorter half life. In addition, I understand that there can be on-site reprocessing which will lessen the transportation of radioactive material. Why isn’t this new technology being put to use? In my view it is a combination of government restrictions and NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard.) I also understand that the heat generating part of coal burning electric power plants can be replaced with a nuclear heat source, thus recycling the electric generating portion of the plant. This keeps a portion of our present investment in infrastructure. With newer reprocessing techniques, the U and Pu in the fuel rods is not separated, eliminating fears of proliferation because this combination cannot be used for bombs. Part of the negative public reaction to Fukushima is the false concept that only zero radiation is acceptable. I have seen a report that some small amount of radiation is actually good for us. Actually we can never get to zero, since there is always the background radiation, not to mention medical tests. The Fukushima people have already been taking steps to improve the resistance to the double whammy they got. The reactor survived the earthquake just fine and it also structurally survived the tsunami. The main problem was that the tsunami knocked out the electric supply which was necessary for the cooling pumps. They are improving the backup electrical power situation. Several places in the last issue of EcoWatch Journal renewable energy sources are mentioned. However, there just isn’t enough real estate to install wind and solar generators to replace the demand we now have. Plus, NIMBY likely will derail any such plans. Tim W. Elder, Louisville, OH THORIUM—NEXT SOURCE OF ENERGY? I am grad student at Cleveland State University. I read Nuclear Waste Has Nowhere To Go in your April-May newspaper.The main reason I am responding to see whether my research work about nuclear waste is true or acceptable to you. Simply adapting to solar, wind and hydro generation power is not going to meet the ever increasing demand for electricity for the future. Bill Gates in his conference In TED mentioned ‘Thorium’ as the next source of energy generation. Thorium is a very efficient source of power generating material, it has already been dug up and is sitting in piles. It Produces 10 to 10,000 times less long-lived radioactive waste, the waste cannot be used to make a bomb, current nuclear plants can be converted to use it, it’s actually cheaper than uranium, and it doesn’t require those big exclusion zones. There is 10 fold amount of Thorium available compared to Uranium. If you take into account the fact that we only use uranium-235 in our nuclear reactors, and this constitutes only 0.7 percent of the total amount of uranium, the increase is 100 fold. Thorium reactors also operate by burning uranium. This is created from thorium by bombarding it with neutrons.This forms uranium 232, which is highly radioactive and can’t be used for nuclear weapons. If you consider the events which are now unfolding in Japan, the heat being released at Fukushima is from the fission products.Fission products are an inevitable result of fission processes and therefore such an event could also happen to a thorium nuclear power plant. Thorium, as a nuclear fuel, is probably the way to go in the future. This is due to its high availability and low price. But before we get there we need to learn a lot more about large breeder reactors and reactors operating on fast neutrons. India‘s Kakrapar-1 reactor is the world’s first reactor which uses thorium. India, which has about 25 percent of the world’s thorium reserves, is developing a 300 MW prototype. The prototype is expected to be fully operational by 2011, following which five more reactors will be constructed. India currently envisages meeting 30 percent of its electricity demand through thoriumbased reactors by 2050. After India, the main countries driving thorium research are the U.S. and Russia. There is great concern about our current coal energy plants which need serious revamping and money to be efficient. But think about current nuclear plants. Why isn’t the government thinking about the other alternative? If it can happen in India then why not in the U.S.? I know my views are different than what was mentioned in the article. I do believe we must invest in efficient and clean source of energy. I believe in sustainability and I think from a different way. Konark R Kambli, Cleveland, OH

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