Environmental Impacts: Coal vs. Uranium, Climate Change, Acid Rain
Environmental Effects of Coal and Uranium as Power Sources
Coal and uranium are both mined, which creates landscape damage and harmful tailings that can contaminate waterways. Uranium generates more power than coal by weight or volume, so less of it needs to be mined. Combusting coal for electricity emits sulfur and nitrogen oxides that contribute to acidic deposition. Coal burning also emits particulate matter, which threatens human health and creates carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. Even considering all the steps involved in building plants and generating power, researchers from the International Atomic Energy Agency calculated that nuclear power lowers emissions 4 to 150 times below fossil fuel combustion. Because of safety regulations, nuclear power plants are safer for workers than coal-fired power plants. However, uranium from nuclear power plants creates radioactive waste that must be disposed of and sequestered for centuries. Also, people fear the catastrophic consequences of accidents and sabotage to nuclear power plants.
Impacts of Global Climate Change on Human Health
People may face an increased likelihood of exposure to some health risks due to global climate change. These risks include:
- Heat stress
- Infectious diseases resulting from flooding and failed sewage systems
- The movement of disease vectors such as malarial mosquitoes into new warmer and wetter areas
- Injuries due to increased storm frequency and intensity
A warmer world might, however, present fewer cold-related diseases and injuries such as hypothermia and famine. In addition, there are the obvious health problems that will arise as agriculture and water supplies gradually fail in some populated areas, producing refugees who will need to be supplied with food, water, and medical treatment.
Acid Deposition: Definition, Causes, and Effects
Acidic deposition refers to the wet or dry deposition of acidic or acid-forming pollutants. This can take place either by precipitation (primarily acid rain, but also including acid snow, sleet, and hail), by fog, by gases, or by the deposition of dry particles. Acidic deposition comes primarily from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, pollutants produced largely through fossil fuel combustion by automobiles, electric utilities, and industrial facilities. Once emitted into the troposphere, these pollutants can react with water, oxygen, and oxidants to produce compounds of low pH. Droplets of these acids may travel hundreds or thousands of kilometers.
Acidic deposition can have wide-ranging, cumulative, detrimental effects on ecosystems and on our built environment.
- It leaches basic minerals such as calcium and magnesium from the soil, changing soil chemistry and harming plants and soil organisms.
- Streams, rivers, and lakes may become significantly acidified from runoff.
- Some forests in eastern North America have experienced widespread tree dieback from these conditions.
- Acidic precipitation also may damage stone buildings, eat away at cars, and erase the writing from tombstones.
Energy Use Patterns in Developing and Developed Countries
Citizens of developed nations generally consume much more energy than do those of developing nations. Per person, the most-industrialized nations use up to 100 times more energy than do the least-industrialized nations. Industrialized nations rely more on equipment and technology, so they use more fossil fuels. People in developing countries often rely on manual or animal energy sources and use much more wood as a fuel source. Developing nations devote a greater proportion of energy to subsistence activities such as food preparation, home heating, and food growing, whereas industrialized countries use a greater proportion for transportation and industry.