Being environmentally conscious is all the rage these days. But many popular ideas about environmentalism are fueled by misconceptions. For instance, your Tesla might not be as environmentally friendly as your neighbor’s gas-powered car, and the safest and cleanest energy source is one that we’ve already been using for decades—nuclear.
How so? For electric vehicles, their net environmental impact is more than what comes out of the tailpipe. Materials must be mined and processed—at significant environmental cost—and their electric charge must come from somewhere. Nuclear power emits close to zero greenhouse gas emissions, but is often misunderstood, especially regarding safety.
I address these matters in more detail in a recent op-ed posted at Real Clear Energy.
