No Nukes News: Let Green power grow!

Thu Jun 3 17:59:20 EDT 2010

No Nukes News

June 3, 2010

“By ignoring the increased costs to future generations for managing
radioactive waste, governments are subsidizing nuclear power today,
undermining green power and preventing the development of cleaner and
cheaper green energy”  - Shawn-Patrick Stensil, Greenpeace

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Let Green Power Grow: Stop New Reactors at Darlington

When: Sunday, June 13th – 12 – 4.   Meeting begins at 1.   Lunch served at
noon.

What: Information and Organizing meeting to stop approval of the new
Darlington reactors.

Where: Toronto Free Space Gallery, 1277 Bloor St West (Landsdown Subway)

Why: Learn about environmental impacts of new reactors at Darlington and
find ways to stop them.

This is to invite you or a representative from your organization to attend
an information and organizing meeting on the federal  review  now underway
of the McGuinty government’s proposal to build new reactors at the
Darlington site east of Toronto. These proposed new reactors are the biggest
threat to building a  renewable and sustainable energy system in Ontario.
While the McGuinty government has taken some steps to develop green energy,
its plan to build new reactors at Darlington will effectively stop the
growth of green energy. To build an Ontario built on 100% green power, we
must stop the approval of the Darlington reactors. This is why we need your
help.  

An alliance of environmental organizations, including Northwatch,
Greenpeace, Safe and Green Energy (SAGE), has been working to stop Harper
government’s free pass for Dalton McGuinty’s reactors. Join us. The session
will present the environmental threats posed by new reactors at Darlington
and allow for a discussion on how groups can get involved and help stop the
approval of the Darlington reactors. 

If you plan to attend, please RSVP by Thursday June 10 at:
shawn.patrick.stensil at greenpeace.org 

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New nuclear plants could be more dangerous; Report also questions waste
disposal

The latest generation of proposed multibillion dollar Canadian nuclear
plants could be up to 158 times more hazardous than their predecessors,
opening the door to massive cost overruns and possibly forcing taxpayers to
pick up the tab, warns a report released today. 

The report, The Hazards of Generation III Reactor Fuel Wastes, says the risk
is primarily due to uncertainty about what will happen to radioactive
uranium fuel after it is used. 

http://www.windsorstar.com/technology/nuclear+plants+could+more+dangerous/30
91548/story.html

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Impacts of dangerous new radioactive waste unassessed: Greenpeace report

The isolation period for waste from new generation reactors will increase to
2.3 million years from one million years before radioactivity approaches
that of natural uranium;

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/Impacts-of-dangerous-new-radioact
ive-waste-unassessed-Greenpeace-report/

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Iran on the brink of a nuclear bomb

In the last few months, Iran has advanced to the brink of having a nuclear
weapon. It has accumulated at least two tons of enriched uranium - enough to
make two nuclear bombs, according to a U.N. report released Monday. Though
the uranium is meant to be used for power generation and a medical reactor,
it's a short step from there to bomb-grade fuel.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20100601_Iran_on_the_brink_of_a_nu
clear_bomb.html#axzz0piwrjXJ2 

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Chris Huhne warns of £4bn black hole in nuclear power budget

Energy secretary blames predecessors for avoiding tough decisions in
'classic example of short-termism'

Britain is facing a £4bn black hole in unavoidable nuclear decommissioning
and waste costs. The revelation will also hand further ammunition to those
who say a new generation of nuclear power stations in Britain will end up
being more expensive than the industry claims.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/01/chris-huhne-black-hole-nuclea
r-power-budget

Nuclear Power Remains the biggest white elephant in the world

The outcome of this horrendous expense is likely to be the final death knell
for any plans for new nuclear power stations, which the coalition has agreed
can only go ahead if they are built with no public subsidy and clear plans
for their full costs over their whole lifetime. It is simply not possible
for any private company to provide such guarantees, even the French
government-subsidised EDF, which is the main outfit proposing this at the
moment.

http://andycrick.blogspot.com/2010/06/nuclear-power-remains-biggest-white.ht
ml 

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Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Releases Second Annual Greenhouse Gas
Progress Report

The Ontario government will need to expand its climate change policy agenda
if it hopes to have any chance of reaching its short- and medium-term GHG
reduction targets. 

Recognizing that the transportation sector is the largest single producer of
GHG emissions in Ontario, the report calls for a serious and comprehensive
assessment of how road pricing can assist in reducing GHGs and making public
transit a more attractive option. 

Further, the ECO stresses the need to put a clear and transparent price on
carbon to influence the energy choices consumers make in the marketplace. By
putting a price on carbon, consumers become more aware of the significant
costs to society, and the broader environment, of carbon-based pollution.
The ECO supports the government's current efforts to develop a cap-and-trade
system as one method to bring about this price discovery. The report
recommends, however, that the government "keep all its policy options open"
by engaging in a dialogue with the public on other mechanisms that could be
used. These may include, for example, a revenue neutral carbon tax or levy. 

The report documents the environmental, social and economic benefits that
other jurisdictions around the world have gained through road pricing. The
report notes that the transportation sector is responsible for fully
one-third of Ontario's GHGs and a similar portion of the province's fossil
fuel use.  Road pricing options could lead the way in not only reducing
gridlock, congestion and GHG pollution but in also providing a much-needed
revenue stream to fund increased public transit.

http://www.eco.on.ca/eng/ 

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Shut down Ontario coal plants now, says Clean Air Alliance

Angela Bischoff says the province doesn’t need to be burning coal. “We have
so much excess electrical capacity online that we don’t need to be burning
coal any more,” says Bischoff, Outreach Director,
<http://www.cleanairalliance.org/knockout_coal> Ontario
<http://www.cleanairalliance.org/knockout_coal>  Clean Air
<http://www.cleanairalliance.org/> Alliance. 

7 minute audio recording

http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/john-bonnar-audio-blog/2010/05/shut-down-ont
ario-coal-plants-now-says-clean-air-allia

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How to Rid Reactors of Uranium Risk

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty talks grapple with legacy of highly
enriched uranium (HEU)

What's happening with medical reactors?

Less progress has been made in converting the targets used for medical
radioisotope production to LEU (low enriched uranium), although South Africa
is converting one. Other countries, including Argentina and Australia, are
already using LEU for this purpose. I think that the companies who produce
radioisotopes are inclined to convert, but they are concerned about costs
and the effect on the price of their products. A 2009 report by the US
National Academies, however, found that there was no technical obstacle to
converting, and that it would cause at most a 10% increase in the cost of
medical imaging.

What should happen next?

We need to move on from debating whether it is economically or technically
viable to convert HEU reactors and targets, and push ahead with doing it.
The non-proliferation stakes are too high to do otherwise. 

http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100525/full/465408a.html?s=news_rss

Background:

   Canada's production of medical isotopes depends on the use
highly-enriched, weapons-grade uranium (HEU) -- the same material that was
used as a nuclear explosive in the Hiroshima bomb.

   Anyone obtaining the necessary amount of HEU (a few kilograms) can make a
very powerful atomic bomb using surprisingly simple technology.  Thus the
availability of this material is a matter of international concern (that's
why the grave concern over Iran's  uranium enrichment program, for example).

   Other countries -- Australia, Argentina, and South Africa -- are using
low-enriched, non-weapons-usable uranium (LEU) for isotope production.
Canada must be pressured to follow suit.

   In April 2010, President Obama convened a nuclear security summit in
Washington DC to "lock down" all weapons-grade uranium (HEU) around the
world, and to prevent the further use of this material in future.  At that
summit, Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper pledged to return to the US
some of the highly-enriched uranium currently stored at Chalk River.  

   But what Canada intends to return is only the  used  HEU -- the
irradiated targets, which are intensely radioactive -- not the "fresh" HEU
targets, which are a much greater proliferation risk than the used targets
(because they are much less radioactive, and therefore much easier to steal,
handle and transport).

   You can write to Prime Minister Steven Harper, Office of the Prime
Minister, 80 Wellington Street, Ottawa, K1A 0A2, expressing your views on
this subject.

It is time for Canada to completely eliminate the use of HEU, thereby
setting an example to the rest of the world.

-       Gordon Edwards.

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Stephen Colbert's Nuclear Attack

1 minute video -
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/53f727b716/stephen-colbert-s-nuclear-attack

Nuclear Power Plant Demolition

After spending nearly a $100 Million and three years to build this 450 foot
tall Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Tower, it only took 10 seconds to demolish.

1 minute video -
http://www.break.com/index/nuclear-power-plant-demolition.html

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Canada's tar sands: a dangerous solution to offshore oil

The Gulf of Mexico disaster could trigger a wider environmental catastrophe
if the US's search for new petrol sources points it back in the direction of
Alberta.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/11/alberta-california-tar-s
ands-oil 

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Nigeria's agony dwarfs the Gulf oil spill. The US and Europe ignore it

The Deepwater Horizon disaster caused headlines around the world, yet the
people who live in the Niger delta have had to live with environmental
catastrophes for decades

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/30/oil-spills-nigeria-niger-delta-s
hell

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G8/G20 Poll

A new Nanos Research poll finds that Canadians think that global warming
should be the top priority (both first and second choices) at the G8/G20.
The poll also finds that Canadians think that Canada’s place in the world is
weaker on climate change than any other issue covered.

http://www.nanosresearch.com/library/polls/POLNAT-W10-T423.pdf

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Energy answer: Blowing in the wind?

MIT researchers say wind power can make sense for utility companies,
starting now

A key insight of the study is that wind’s apparent drawbacks as a power
source — it only blows intermittently, and in many places blows harder at
night than during the day — could actually be used to the advantage of power
companies, with one condition. If power grids were equipped with large
storage batteries that are commercially available right now, placed near
urban areas, they could accumulate energy via wind power during off-peak
night hours, then discharge the saved power during peak afternoon hours
(when people have their air-conditioning on during the summer, for
instance).

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2010/wind-economics-0525.html

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City of Ottawa Profiting from the Arms Industry

The City of Ottawa overturned a 20-year ban on arms shows at city-owned
facilities. Now it has been revealed that the city is pocketing nearly
$113,000 from CANSEC, Canada's largest arms show. Urge Ottawa mayoral
candidates to reject CANSEC, and to stop profiting from the arms industry.

Join with residents of Ottawa in sending letters of protest to the Mayor of
Ottawa and the other two leading candidates
<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=46574161&msgid=619272&act=S0CQ&c=
306146&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ceasefire.ca%2F%3Fp%3D4782>  in this
year’s mayoral election. Urge them to reject any future application by
CANSEC, ensuring that their arms show will not be held on city property ever
again.

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Nuclear Cycle 

Sat. June 5 is a global day of action to ABOLISH Nuclear weapons! Join our
Cycling Tour of Consulates of Nuclear Weapons States!

Meet at: 1pm - St. George and Bloor (n/e corner), Toronto

Enjoy a lovely 5k bike tour through downtown city streets! See which
countries have nukes, threatening every itty-bitty speck of life on Earth!
Bring your signs and flags! Take pictures of your favourite consulate
building! Most of all, join the call to abolish nukes!

For more information write us at info at worldwithoutwars.ca or visit us at
www.worldwithoutwars.ca <http://www.worldwithoutwars.ca/> .

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=104448689601877
<http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=104448689601877&ref=ts>
&ref=ts,

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Toronto vs. the G20

Community action for global justice

Saturday, June 5, 10:30am - 6pm

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto

It’s a good impulse to feel contempt for the G20. It’s a better impulse to
want to talk about it. Join student and community activists to learn about
the G20 and current social and environmental justice campaigns in Toronto,
and get involved. Free citywide teach-in. Lunch included!

Full program here: http://g20.torontomobilize.org/torontoVSG20.

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G8/G20 happenings in Toronto

The 2010 People’s Summit: Building a Movement for a Just World
June 18th-20th, 2010
Ryerson University, The University of Toronto, and other locations around
Toronto

The 2010 People’s Summit is civil society’s alternative “counter Summit” to
the G8 and G20 Summits.  Together we will create a space where diverse local
and international movements can democratically organize to advocate and
educate for global justice. Over 100 groups, organizers, and activists from
around Canada and the world will offer workshops, skillshares, panels,
plenaries, strategy sessions, art, performance, and plenty more.  We’ll
tackle major social and environmental justice issues in five thematic
streams – Global Justice; the Environment and Climate Change; Human Rights
and Civil Liberties; Economic Justice; and Building the Movement. There will
also be engaging child and youth programming and childcare available, so
bring your kids!

Registration, program, accommodations, billeting, posters and more can be
found here: http://peoplessummit2010.ca/section/2

.....
Week of Action

June 21-27 
And after the People’s Summit, the Toronto Community Mobilization Network is
coordinating a Week of Action from June 21st to 27th.  For full details of
actions and events planned that week, please visit
www.g20.torontomobilize.org.

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Angela Bischoff

Outreach Director

Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Tel: 416 926 1907 x 246

625 Church Street, #402

Toronto, ON M4Y 2G1

angela at cleanairalliance.org

www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca <http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/> 

www.cleanairalliance.org <http://www.cleanairalliance.org/>  

Our Facebook Group

 <http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition.php> Sign Our Petition

 <http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php> No Nukes News

 <http://www.healthpower.ca/> Health Power

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