Noah Matson’s Posts

• In Need of Refuge 0

  Posted 6 years, 8 months ago

  • 540 -- number of national wildlife refuges in the U.S.¹
  • 95.3 million -- size, in acres, of the refuge system²
  • 19.3 million -- size, in acres, of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the largest refuge in the country³
  • 0.6 -- size, in acres, of Minnesota's Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, the smallest refuge in the country⁴
  • 20.7 million -- acres of designated wilderness in the refuge system⁵
  • 59 -- number of refuges established to protect endangered species⁶
  • 1.4 million -- number of volunteer-hours contributed to refuges⁷
  • 22 -- percentage of all work… Read More

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Noah Matson’s Recent Comments

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  No Nukes

  I fear all who have voted to give nukes a second look are resigned to this Sophie's choice between coal and nukes - we shouldn't settle for that.  Yes coal kills thousands of people every year and is one of the top contributors to climate change.  But the risks associated with nukes far exceed those of coal.  Between accidental meltdowns and intential terrorist attacks (all along the life cycle including shipping of wastes) it is insane for society to even contemplate nuclear power.  ANd the life cycle is far from benign - uranium is strip and open-pit mined.  I actually conducted water quality monitoring on an abandoned uranium mine (insanity I know) (and wouldn't you know it the company claimed bankruptcy and walk away from it - did I mention it was an Indian reservation too?) with enormous impacts on the environment.

  We don't have to settle for these choices. The U.S. spends at least $20 Billion a year (not including our military costs) subsidizing the fossil fuel and nuclear industries.  If we diverted all of that $$ towards developing new efficiency and renewable technologies we would rapidly get out of this mess.  This is what we should be fighting for, not compromising our health and safety with Nukes.On Umbra on nuclear energy posted 4 years, 7 months ago 45 Responses