3.5 That's Garbage!

Washington Post story about the Global Trash Problem

• Essential Question(s) As consumption continues to decline and "disposable" items are frequently developed how do we deal with waste in a responsible sustainable manner?So far in class we have watched how waste and environmental concerns have challenged some of the most basic aspects of how we live. The types of garbage that we typically concern ourselves with in our daily lives are the things we use and touch like "disposable diapers" however some of our most potent waste comes from the generation of energy through nuclear energy. As you will see in our next unit the allure of nuclear power is quite high in a world plagued by greenhouse gas emissions. However, like in most situations there are great trade-offs. In this case the deal includes waste that may outlive the human race.After you watch this video you should understand:Nuclear power is still controversial but is gaining support because of its lack of greenhouse effects
• Nuclear power plants exist all over the country and several other countries in the world
• Radioactive waste must be stored for centuries before it can be safely handled
• Plans for nuclear waste storage promote strong reactions in potentially impacted communities