Italy "dead" without nuclear power? No, indeed, more alive without waste 
We like the surgeon and oncologist Umberto Veronesi, a great figure of the scientist and popularizer of science, because knowing how to extend this and argue clearly and simply, and with a human touch, is a skill in more frequent among those who do research, which shows more, not less intelligence. So much so that Veronesi is on the list of symbol characters to remember (the blog "Nico Valerio"), next to Margherita Hack - because they are both vegetarians - the late geneticist secular Buzzati Traverso, both opposed by the Church, and long-lived Levi Montalcini. But as we have already criticized
Veronesi for the favor with which he announced a strange and unnecessary tomato black-purple, just because richer trivial polyphenols in the plant world are everywhere, so now that we distance ourselves praised enthusiastically by neophyte. and bias, nuclear energy. It is known that he was appointed Chairman of the Agency for Nuclear Security. as an entity which does or says can not ensure nothing in terms of safety. The waste of nuclear power plants that remain radioactive for millions of years, would be an insurmountable problem in a country where even the waste products from a population rude by consumers as the bell refused.
But liberal environmentalists, we are also concerned the lack of freedom, the problem of affordability and the extra cost that will bring a nuclear program, in the case (hypothetical sentence type III) that was really true. What strange and masochistic
pool industry shall bear the colossal burden of construction and plant management in times of economic stability, and with the certainty of recovering the first euro no earlier than 10-12 years?
And in the meantime, the unlucky or what they will get smart investors in secret and forbidden (by the market and morality) by the various governments that happen? There will be no favors to the usual industrial friends, out of all the rules of competition and equality of starting points? In fact, not the stabbing suspect that arise throughout the mammoth task-bluff has been an expensive flash in the pan to help someone on the backs of citizens, squandering the money of all?
nuclear energy per se, then, is not on our part, secular, and no a priori ideological position, is clear. Only, we note that in recent years various studies and interventions have found that nuclear power is too expensive, unsafe, inadequate and even a bit technologically '
old , as reflected in a comprehensive
scientific conference held on the issue, a statement
for the Bonino the Radicals, as well as the position
institution of higher protectionist, Italy Nostra.
addition, a projection
ENEL has shown that it would be enough to rationalize electricity consumption and eliminate most of the countless wasted - the same standard of living and low conversion costs - to save the equivalent of several nuclear power plants. But other than
scholars that draw graphs and projections, does not speak any energy savings, even the Greens, as if to acknowledge that it is an unpopular theme, which brings an electoral "bad luck" in a rude country and the most vulgar consumerism " nouveau riche "of the Third World. It 's a problem with their intelligence and communication.
Not to mention the problem of waste, radioactive for eternity: the governments that succeed will make use of the public force, even in the military weapons, to impose the public? As liberals we are seriously concerned about the rise of a sort of police state for energy use. And, since the Secret Service do not work e da noi entra chiunque, specialmente dal Medio Oriente, non vorremmo che le centrali nucleari offrissero bersagli in più ai terroristi, già abituati in Iran a confondere tra nucleare civile e nucleare militare.
Insomma, come ecologisti e liberali siamo ovviamente per la scienza, per la tecnologia e per il Progresso, ma cercando di prevenire le applicazioni cariche di effetti secondari negativi. E siamo anche anche per la libertà (di tutti, non solo di pochi investitori furbi e raccomandati), per la moralità del mercato, le regole certe che tutti devono rispettare, il buonsenso dei costi in attivo, l'opportunità degli investimenti, il risparmio, la lotta agli sprechi, e anche per il minor danno possibile alla vita degli uomini and Nature.
After all, being liberal does not mean being maniacs "constructivist" to the bitter end and at all costs. Any sensible person, liberal or not, gets a little 'calculations in his pocket before investing. Why a government should not he?
Instead, to hear some ultra conservatives masquerading as "liberals", it would seem that the market is entirely in the hands of the Engineers: A nuclear order and the talented Italian engineers, known throughout the world, will churn out dozens of nuclear power plants in a few years, creating at the same time, no less, the energy self-sufficiency, Progress and the same liberalism ... Imagine, it is not, of course, and the innocent and talented Italian engineers non sanno nulla di queste fantasticherie da Destra americana cara a Bush e ai film western dei cinema di terza visione negli anni Cinquanta.
Anche il Grande Cortile dei frustrati, Facebook, è affollato di gente che confonde il Liberalismo con una specie di società di muratori. Sembra quasi che costruire la migliore delle ideologie possibili significhi fare, anzi far fare, ai soliti amici, qualche Grande Opera. Così, tanto per fare qualcosa, a fondo perduto, solo per propaganda - alla Mussolini - e per far girare i soldi, ovviamente nelle tasche dei soliti noti.
Muratori poco liberi, però. Ricordiamo agli amici conservatori che si vergognano del loro nome (me perché? ripetiamo con Gobetti), che, malgrado cazzuola e compasso we have the symbol in the company of "Freemasons" (stonework), which gave impetus to the liberalism in the 700 and 800, were only symbolic ... NICO
VALERIO .
Here is the offending interview, published in the press, signed by L. Ubaldesca, Monday March 3.
. VERONESI "WITHOUT NUCLEAR AND ITALY 'A COUNTRY DEAD"
"I will explain to citizens that can be done safely and that's not right to be afraid"
La Stampa, March 3, 2011
.
Vista through the eyes of Umberto Veronesi, the question of returning to the atom is very simple. "Without nuclear Italy dies. In 50 years will end as oil, coal between 80-100, followed by the gas. Other sources will be insufficient to provide the energy we need. The result? We will not have light, we can not operate computers or refrigerators and even to travel by train. Can you imagine? ".
If this is the (apocalyptic) premise, it is not difficult to understand why Italy's most famous doctor in 85 years, has decided to leave the Senate to accept the presidency of the Agency for Nuclear Safety. The assignment - you can bet - will bring a large dowry of controversy, but Veronesi has no doubts that the plan can be realized safely for humans and the environment.
Professor, recent polls show that a majority of Italians are opposed to nuclear power. Do not worry you turn?
"No, indeed, conflict stimulates me. They are used to dealing with thorny issues. The important thing is to make sure I make the choice to be morally correct. "
And in this case is?
"Absolutely. How I know very well the radiation oncologist and ways to protect pazienti.Voglio spend the next year to ensure that citizens are not at risk. "
will know just as well face the charges made by opponents, right? "Look, there are essentially three problems with a nuclear reactor. First, to ensure security during the normal objective not difficult. Then there is the issue of waste and believe me, nessunomai Almondo èmorto for pollution from waste. Finally there is the human factor, the chance to have trained personnel is essential. Just think that the two major accidents in nuclear power plants have a common characteristic: they are dependent on human error. It 'been like at Three Mile Island, negliUsa, as at Chernobyl. "
That name, Chernobyl, after 25 years still stirs nightmares difficult to drive out the Italians.
"I know, but I also know that Chernobyl is something that will not happen again. There was all wrong. There was an old machine, designed for military use, not civilians. It was decided to do an experiment, madness in a station. And the plant manager was not an expert on nuclear energy.
With this what you mean?
"That as the human factor is crucial, my main focus will be adequately staffed in terms of technical, scientific, but also psychological, because it knows how to deal with the pressure."
But after a quarter century away from nuclear power, Italy has the body of knowledge necessary?
"Two aspettimi comfort. Firstly, that the search alive abbiamomantenuto and centers such as Casaccia, near Frosinone, are at the forefront. Then the fact that starting from scratch allows us to use the latest technology and the time needed to implant daràmodo us to build the skills to use them almeglio.
Some claim that the technologies chosen by Italy for the new plants are likely to be outdated once the plants come into operation. How do you respond? "But we have not yet made a final decision, to which the objection is unfounded. And then, a call center is designed to last 60 to 100 years. If they spend 10 to get it working, some can not be considered old. "
Back the first issue that you raised, the operation of reactor. Environmentalists have been saying that, even in normal conditions of a plant, there are small disturbances that create conseguenzeper health. It 's true?
'and' absolute invention. Nothing comes out. Rather, out of the water, which may have small amounts of radiation, but also much lower than the level of law. It does not create problems. "
remains the delicate question of nuclear waste and how to dispose of them. When in 2003 the government identified as the seat of Scanzano Jonico national filing, there was a popular uprising. How will you address this?
"The situation is complex, try to reduce it to basics. Only a fraction of the waste takes thousands of years to completely defuse. Must be made safe, and there are ways to do so, in a mountain or deep underground. At the same time, we are refining techniques to make them harmless faster. Above all, Italy may not have hazardous waste repositories. "
In what sense?
"We tend to identify a single site for the continent. In Europe there are three approaches to the study, all outside our borders. But the real point is that the waste is indeed a serious problem and costly, but should not scare you. Do not be surprised if I say that there is more radiation in a hospital. Or, the knows that there is uranium in a teacup? '.
But in a glass of water and a power station there is a big difference. The reality is that there is still fear among the people. This does not count?
"I spent lamia life to fight the fears are unjustified. Only 40 years ago in Italy there was still afraid to use the oven amicroonde, not to mention when he began to spin the story that the frozen bread in the freezer was carcinogenic. Nonsense, we know. But I want to say that fear is often the result of ignorance. Fears are vague, confused, on which they play some political movements. The result? You can not use GMOs, there is not the Tav, the waste-block ... '.
While she has no doubt that the solution of nuclear power is safe.
"Certo.Guardiamo what happens in the world. All countries on the nuclear link. China has provided 120 plants, India 60, France has 62, the Swiss program will cover 8 for 8milioni inhabitants. Do you understand? And again, bet on the nuclear countries of which there is less talk, Lithuania, Slovakia, Armenia. Did you know that immédiat East, the cradle of the oil, they have taken this path? The UAE has ordered four reactors, it is expected to have as many as Italy. Possible for us to oppose the most intelligent? ".
Renewable sources can not be an option?
"It would be great, but we understand each other. Biomass can reach 1-2% of the Italian needs, as well as from geothermal energy. The hydropower is practically already at the maximum. The wind? Progressing, but we have little wind and we must think of the landscape and tourism. And if still, absurdly, riempissimo Peninsula blades, cover up to 10-15%. It remains to solar, I'm just putting a plant in my house in the country. But is this size, it's good for families, not for a large factory. " Nuclear power also evokes
scenarimilitari. She, who for years has been fighting for disarmament, it feels a bit 'in the middle of a contradiction?
"For nothing. Work to use the atom for peace. Worldwide, there are already 30 000 nuclear warheads, have nothing to do with the decision to build a plant to generate energy. A central
rischioterrorismo shake also. E 'right?
'It's clear that countermeasures are, but I do not think is a real danger to someone who takes possession of nuclear material to build a bomba.Troppo difficult. "
you, although not in writing, has been elected from the ranks of the Democratic Party, a party opposed to nuclear power. He was embarrassed about that difference of opinion?
"I defend my position as a man of science. I know that in Pd there are those who have ideas different, I respect that, but we remain far apart. However, it is why I have resigned as senator. "
Just as in 1987, there is still a referendum that could block nuclear power in Italy. Susceptible to vote?
"I'll answer with a joke. If they were to prevail against, I would have more time to devote to family and my interests. Too bad that the country would lose out. "
