Informative Speech

Atomic bombs are scary. Atomic bombs are also catastrophic. However, what if the powers of an atomic bomb could be harnessed into something more designed for the betterment of the planet rather than its destruction? Enter nuclear reactors. America, and the rest of the world, at that, is suffering from the effects of climate change. Summers grow hotter, fires rage in the west, and the icecaps are disappearing. At this point, the issue is undeniable. The world needs a more sustainable source of energy to offset the destruction of our planet, and nuclear power might just be the answer. Now, just what is nuclear power, and how is it beneficial?

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Well what is nuclear power? It’s fission. Well, what is fission? It’s the splitting of atoms. Nuclear reactors are fueled with small pellets of uranium formed into rods. According to the U.S. Energy Administration (EIA), just one of these pellets produces precisely 150 gallons of oil. Keep in mind that, according to an article written by Steve Williams discussing household energy requirements, a “typical 2500 square foot home in the northeast will use around 880 gallons of heating oil per year.” Remember that the Northeast has harsh winters, meaning there is a great deal of interior heating that needs to be done (heating uses a great deal of power). I mean, has anyone seen Boston in January? These split atoms release a great deal of energy in the form of heat. For reference, atomic bombs also split atoms, so that’s a lot of juice. That heat is used to boil water in order to release steam. This steam spins large turbine blades within the reactor, and in the process, the turbine creates energy. Imagine a wind turbine, just horizontal as opposed to vertical. Long story short, according to the EIA, uranium atoms are split to create heat in order to boil water and spin gigantic fan blades so that electricity can be created. Simple enough, right? I mean, even Albert Einstein famously said “Nuclear power is one hell of a way to boil water.”

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Now, what’s so special about nuclear power? Does each plant come with a complementary mutant monster movie franchise? Nuclear power is more efficient than many alternatives, mainly those based around fossil fuels. Let’s examine nuclear power in reference to natural gas, which is a major source of American energy. Mary L. Walker, in her piece "Nuclear Power Is a Solution to Global Warming," stated that “Though it's cleaner than oil or coal, natural gas burned in ever-increasing volumes will make it harder to reduce smog…[Natural gas and the included nitrogen oxides] have been tied to respiratory problems in elderly people and children.” Furthermore, somewhat more obviously, she said that the natural gas power plants add to the planet’s greenhouse gases. Natural gas is thus to be avoided if possible, if not all fossil fuels at that. Walker claims that nuclear plants “have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2 billion tons since 1973, more than any other energy source,” and on top of that, “the plants do not produce any of the pollutants that cause acid rain and smog.” So nuclear power stands as a cleaner source of power, and it does not have the byproducts that natural gas and other fossil fuels have, and on top of all that, the fuel source is exponentially more compact than the competition with one pellet equaling 150 gallons of oil. 

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 Nuclear power, simply the process of spinning a steam turbine with fission, is vastly misunderstood, as most are not actually aware of how it functions, and how beneficial it is and can be. Regardless, it remains the champion of renewable energy and thus the future of our planet. It is not only a substantially cleaner source of power, but also a much more efficient option. Climate change is not going to solve itself, and, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, only 15 percent of the world has made the swap, so maybe it is time for the rest of us to do so as well. For we need the planet and the planet needs us.

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Bibliography

"Nuclear power." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2021. 

Accessed 10 Sep. 2021.

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).“Nuclear explained.” 24 Mar. 2021, 

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/nuclear-power-plants.php. Accessed 

24 Sept. 2021.

Walker, Mary L. "Nuclear Power Is a Solution to Global Warming." Global Warming, 

edited by James Haley, Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: 

Opposing Viewpoints, Accessed 8 Sept. 2021.

Williams, Steve. “How Long Will 5 Gallons of Heating Oil Last?: Home Oil Fuel Usage.” 

FuelSnap, 6 May 2021, Accessed 10 Oct. 2021