The earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan raised new concerns about the risk of another nuclear reactor disaster. The explosion of the FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT gives our citizens cause to re-examine the risk assumed by the public. At this writing, the full extent of the damage to the plant, the community, and the environment is unknown - it will take years.
At the same time concerns over the high risks associated with extracting natural gas and as noted in a Financial Times article is "energy that comes from the same place as our drinking water. Extracting it had better be safe. The political fault lines over hydraulic fracturing (hence the term fracking) have been easy to predict for anyone paying attention to the controversies over climate change and genetically modified organisms. France’s national assembly voted to ban fracking while in the US its been full steam ahead in 32 states. These are high risk alternative energy sources.
Curated by mokiethecat
The Sinkhole That's Swallowing Louisiana by Ben Depp |
In an industrial strip of land in Louisiana known as Bayou Corne, a 25-acre sinkhole has formed. As earth sinks into the ground, toxic pollutants are being released into the air. Watch as trees disappear into a swamp and meet residents in the area, known as Cancer Alley, who say the place is no longer safe to live.Published on Jan 7, 2014 Producers: Ben Depp EarthSayer Ben Depp |