February 24, 2006
Hi Friends:
I just wanted to let you know of a new not-for-profit organization I've been involved in forming: Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy (Canada) Inc. -- no, it's not an oxymoron. We argue that, except for waterfalls (which are mostly fully exploited), nuclear energy is the only massively available source of electricity that does not emit greenhouse gases -- emissions that presently threaten our planet's survival. Unfortunately, people are used to hearing from environmentalists who are anti-nuclear. We believe that, while the objectives of such environmentalists are honorable (seeking to preserve the environment), they are seriously misinformed about nuclear energy. Our aim is to correct this misbalance in communications.
I won't go into all the arguments here. You can find some of them on our website at www.ecolo.org/base/baseca.htm (see the long list of links under "Documents") or the website of the international EFN organization of which we are a part at simply www.ecolog.org/
I am happy to see (in the latest Ipsos-Reid polls) that a majority of Ontarians support nuclear energy as an important part of our energy mix. But we are still moving too slowly. Yes, of course we should also develop solar and wind power -- but they are expensive and will, at best, be only a small part of electricity supply. Furthermore, they can't be part of baseload (simply because, respectively, they don't work at night or when the wind isn't blowing). But it is not just a question of keeping the lights on under the present system. We have an urgent need to wean ourselves off oil before it runs out -- and that means electrified railroads, more electrified urban transit, and widespread conversion to e-hybrid or fuel-cell cars -- all of which require more electricity to drive them, charge them, or produce the hydrogen for them. We need to start building many nuclear plants soon if we are going to avoid this end-of-oil emergency.
And then there is the under-reported threat of ABRUPT climate change. Everyone knows of Kyoto-style GRADUAL global warming. But few know the substance of the 2002 NRC report to Congress: the unacceptably high risk of our greenhouse gas emissions sometime within the next 30 years or so ABRUPTLY shutting down the Gulf Stream. Should that sometime begin to happen, then in 3 years (not 3 decades) Europe gets the climate of Hudson's Bay, its crops fail, and 90% of Europe's inhabitants starve to death -- not without inevitable military conflicts along the way. It would be the end of civilization as we know it. Present projections show Canada's CO2 emissions rising hugely above their 1990 Kyoto levels. Some say that climate change science is not completely conclusive. But that's a bit like hearing the fire alarm go off while you children are sleeping upstairs and saying: 'Well the alarm may be faulty; I'm just going to ignore it.' Can we take the chance?
Personally, I'd prefer to spend my remaining years as a later-beginner composing music (and still hope to continue with some of that). But when I look at my five grandsons, I wonder what sort of planet we're going to leave them to live on. Hence, this fussing with the creation of EFN-Canada.
Our international president, Dr. Bruno Comby, rightly urges us not to be pessimistic. And I am NOT pessimistic. I believe that humanity will rise to the challenge even at this eleventh hoour. I believe we will indeed save the planet and that it will continue to be that amazingly beautiful blue sphere teeming with life and happiness. But we have to act now -- and change public opinion -- which in turn will lead to political action -- and cleaner, affordable nuclear energy has to be part of that action.
I therefore urge you (if you agree with these objectives) to become a member of EFN-Canada -- at whatever dues level you are comfortable with. You can find details on our EFN-Canada Flyer, which I have taken the liberty of attaching to this email as a pdf file. Please feel free to email this flyer around to any of your friends you think might be interested.
At this moment EFN-Canada (whose birth was completed only a few days ago) has only 14 members -- and no one will take such a tiny number seriously. But we are happy to have 10 dedicated directors -- including our Honorary Chair, Dr. Patrick Moore (the founder of Greenpeace). And after a few months of our 10 directors approaching their friends and the friends of their friends -- I am sure we will have well over 1,000 members and people will begin to sit up and take notice. EFN internationally has over 8,000 members in 56 countries on 5 continents.
Thanks very much for your consideration.
With all best hopes for a happy life for our future generations.
---Rod