Hiroshima

5.28 Hiroshima and Fukushima provide perspective on nuclear power

5.28.Japan-6-detail-c Hiroshima and Fukushima Highlights Relevant to the Sustainable Design:

History should not repeat itself for human sustainability on earth.

The sobering memorial for the Hiroshima atom bombing includes one of the only buildings that was left standing. Near the drawing of the building, I sketched the outline of a bottle that was twisted from the massive heat of the atomic impact. Nuclear power may earn an ongoing place in the greater mix of our American energy portfolio, but hopefully we do not need to resort to using it as a weapon again.

We should remember to split atoms for utility power versus political power. Pressure will continue to mount to meet growing energy needs in America, and natural gas may start to replace coal-fired power plants. While natural gas power has fewer emissions than coal, the CO2 output is still high. The “not in my backyard” syndrome may prevent the construction of new nuclear power plants, especially after the devastating meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011. So this leaves the more expensive solar and wind options. As the efficiency of the technology increases and the costs come down, renewables become more economically viable. In conjunction with energy efficiency in buildings and transportation, the blended mix of solutions is promising.

Author and illustrator: Charlie Szoradi is an architect, inventor, and the CEO of Independence LED Lighting. He writes about many other topics related to nuclear power and Hiroshima through his extensive travels around the world.

If you have found this posting online, it is an excerpt from Mr. Szoradi’s book Learn from Looking that served as the inspiring seed content for this drawing share resource. For additional drawings and insights on Hiroshima, nuclear power, and energy generation, we hope that you enjoy exploring LearnfromLooking.com. You can search via general terms such as sustainability as well as narrower terms such as nuclear power and Hiroshima.

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