Help me with a debate topic?

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:37 pm

"Resolved: That the United States should significantly increase its use of nuclear energy."

I need you guyses help with getting some information and help. I cant get on my compy often, in fact I might not get on for a while. Therefore, I need help, because debate required a bit o research!

Any help is appriciated!

SS

EDIT: This is the kind of debate I'm doing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_forum_debate

Aguiluz · Post by **Aguiluz** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:13 pm

I took Argumentation and Debate course a long time ago so I kinda lost my spark. I'm good at opinion and discussion topics though.

We need a few more people to start with.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:30 pm

You need to look at the following

-Current and future demands of energy consumption for the US.
-Pollution of coal, oil, nuclear facilities.
-Safety of current nuclear facilities compared to conventional (coal, oil, ect..) facilities.
-Initial and Operational Costs compared to conventional facilities.
-Cost per kWh.
-Uranium reserves in the US.
-How many Nuclear plants to replace current conventional facilities.
-Advantages and Disadvantages compared to conventional and other "new" technologies (like wind and solar)

I am not going to give you the answers but if you arm yourself with that knowledge you will wonder why the US doesn't have 1,000s of Nuclear facilities.

chad78 · Post by **chad78** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:22 pm

Rekarp wrote:You will wonder why the US doesn't have 1,000s of Nuclear facilities.

I agree that would be awesome if we had 1000s of Nuke plants - but the reason why we don't is simple. "Not in my backyard!" 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl scared the crap out of people. And things like the Simpson's three-eyed "Blinky" fish illustrate people's fear and ignorance.

Post by **CronoTriggerfan** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:37 pm

As Rekarp and Chad mentioned, you should try to play up technological advances in safe procurement of nuclear energy since Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, as that's the reason why most people are so ignorantly apprehensive to use the most clean, renewable energy resource we've got right now. Oh, and if you're going to touch on energy dependence, make sure to check out the numbers on France. I hate the bastards, but they've practically got their entire country running on nuclear reactors, and they haven't been doing too bad with 'em, either.

I'm T. Boone Pickens and I approve this message.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:06 am

Don't forget to mention the waste storage facility in Nevada, one of the primary reasons we should be building new plants is the now available storage facility for the waste.