FREE AUDIO FOR ...
Nuclear Energy, Waste & Weapons / Fukushima

MOST RECENT AUDIO

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 20.FEB.2015

Radio EcoShock

Nuclear Extinction Still a Threat — Helen Caldicott warns that with 16,000 nuclear warheads still dotting the planet—mostly owned by the US and Russia—nuclear extinction still looms as a threat. Whether from nuclear winter, direct death from radiation exposure, or cancers due to radiation-mutated cells, a nuclear confrontation is a death sentence for human civilization. She is particularly worried about a US-Russia escalation in Ukraine.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   30:00

GP comment:  Overall, Caldicott gives an apt assessment of the ongoing nuclear-weapons insanity, but on one point, I don't think she is correct: She states that the US-Russia arsenals are the main thing to worry about, that smaller caches of nukes getting loosed would cause "nuclear autumn," killing perhaps a billion people—but not the whole planet. She did not cite a reference, but I suspect she is unintentionally parroting one of those insane studies that says limited use of nuclear weapons is a survivable military strategy. I find that proposition highly dubious—if the radiation releases from Fukushima can make Northern Pacific fish unsafe to eat, what damage would be done by hundreds of exploded nukes distributing their radiation by wind and atmospheric currents?

Original Show Pub Date: 11.Feb.2015

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR, ENVIRONMENT — 18.JAN.2015

Fairewinds Energy Education

Debate: Should Nuclear Energy Be Expanded to Help Create a More Sustainable Future? — Given the seriousness of the climate challenge—of the need to get to a zero-carbon future—does nuclear need to play an expanded role in the world's energy matrix? This was the question that Hofstra University posed to a debate panel in late 2014. Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds was among the debaters who discussed the environmental, fiscal, and policy issues pertaining to the expansion of nuclear energy.
Watch  |  Download/listen   1:31:10

GP comment:  Even if one assumed sufficient additional nuclear capacity could be brought online in time to make a difference for climate mitigation—it can't—the answer is still "hell no." Gundersen had a couple of great lines; here is one: Nuclear proponents have faith that humans are smart enough to figure out how to store radioactive nuclear waste for a quarter million years. Alternative energy proponents have faith that humans are smart enough to figure out how to store electricity overnight.

Original Show Pub Date: 20.Nov.2014

CATEGORY:  RESILIENCE, NUCLEAR — 03.JAN.2015

Fairewinds Energy Education

Solar EMP—Beautiful Skies with Devastating Repercussions — Sometimes the most beautiful natural phenomena can have devastating consequences. When the sun ejects hot charged particles into space, the Northern Lights are created here on Earth. Occasionally, the sun erupts with such huge quantities of particles—a coronoal mass ejection—that electronics and electrical grids can be damaged. Mat Stein and Arnie Gundersen discuss the dangers to our electrical systems and nuclear power plants worldwide from a large coronal mass ejection.
Watch  |  Download/listen   30:50

GP comment:  Stein reviews a number of little-know previous major coronal-mass-ejection events and gives us the math that shows that we are overdue for another one.

Original Show Pub Date: 11.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 02.NOV.2014

Radio EcoShock

Want to Kill Nuclear? Get Solar — Arnie Gundersen updates us on Fukushima-related issues as well as the cozy relationship between the US Nuclear Regulatory Agency and the nuclear power industry, with safety and sensibility being routinely sacrified. Gundersen also says that those who want to hasten the demise of nuclear power should install solar panels, which produce their power during peak-load times. Peak-load times are the only times nuclear power plants make money. Deprive them of that, and (maybe) they will be driven to closure by poor economics.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   37:04

GP comment:  Gundersen mentions solar electric explicitly as a weapon in the fight against nuclear, but solar hot water is also a great technology and is cost effective for homeowners over the lifespan of the system.

Original Show Pub Date: 29.Oct.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR, ENERGY — 14.OCT.2014

Green Power And Wellness

Nuclear—Still Not Ready to Just Die Already — Harvey Wasserman and guests talk about some of the latest nuclear issues, including... A study shows a 37% increase in childhood leukemia for families living near nuclear power plants. The US nuclear and fossil-fuel power industries are running a propaganda campaign to subvert progress on renewables and grab more taxpayer subsidies to help with costs on outmoded nuclear power plants. Nuclear is not a greenhouse gas solution if the fuel cycle and nuclear-plant life cycle are considered. Thorium reactors are not "inherently safe." Renewable portfolio standards are starting to have a positive impact.
Download/listen   58:17

GP comment:  The nuclear industry—surpassed in evil only by Monsanto.

Original Show Pub Date: 30.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 03.OCT.2014

Sierra Club Radio

Nukespeak—How the Industry, Regulators, and Politicians Use Euphemisms to Downplay Nuclear Dangers — A language of euphemism and distortion—a language like the “newspeak” from George Orwell’s 1984—has profoundly shaped public perception of nuclear technology since its inception. After World War II, nuclear developers used information-management techniques, including official secrecy and public relations, to promote what one called the “sunny side of the atom”—energy “too cheap to meter” that would supposedly power a new Golden Age. Richard Bell discusses the linguistic filter of the nuclear mindset and how nuclear proponents routinely cover up damaging information, have harassed and dismissed scientists who disagree with official policy, and have generated false or misleading statistics to bolster their assertions.
Page for whole show  |  Download/listen to this segment   8:37

GP comment:  All industries propagandize the public, but few others do it on a topic that so imperils life on the planet—and do it with the complicity of our government.

Original Show Pub Date: 27.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 27.AUG.2014

Corbett Report

Studies Show That Even Limited Nuclear War Leads to Global Famine — Steven Starr, the Senior Scientist at Physicians for Social Responsibility, discusses his work on the environmental impact of nuclear warfare, including an examination of his recent article, “The Lethality of Nuclear Weapons.” From climate and ozone disruption to famine, electronic failures, and the risk of nuclear reactor meltdowns—science clearly says that nuclear war can have no winner.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   40:18

GP comment:  Starr offers a number of impacts that I had not considered before, which only strengthens my belief that there is no such thing as a "survivable nuclear war."

Original Show Pub Date: 09.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR, HISTORY — 22.AUG.2014

Corbett Report

Confronting the Myths of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — Gary Kohls, MD discusses his recent article, "The Hiroshima Myth and the Glorification of American Militarism." Topics include the manufacturing of the "necessity" of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the avoidance of firebombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki so they could be preserved as "whole cities" when they were hit with nukes; the real reasons that the nuclear annihilation of these cities took place; why the official narrative was so carefully crafted, and how to push back against it with the facts.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   42:38

GP comment:  Preserving some cities from one type of bombing to keep them as a control case for studying another type of bombing---sceince gone mad.

Original Show Pub Date: 04.Aug.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 18.JUL.2014

TUC Radio

Fukushima Kids — Yumi Kikuchi was a resident of Fukushima. When she heard the news in March 2011 that there was a power shutdown in the region covering the nuclear power plants, her technical understanding was sufficient that she understood clearly that she and her family needed to leave the area immediately. On her way out of Japan via Okinawa, Kikuchi organized to bring over 260 pregnant women out of Fukushima and reduce their radiation exposure. Now, she and her husband are in Hawaii, organizing retreats for exposed Japanese children.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   29:00

GP comment:  As in most disasters, TPTB circle the wagons and the helping is left to those with a conscience.

Original Show Pub Date: 25.Jun.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 10.JUL.2014

Green Power And Wellness

Fukushima is Still Happening — Paul Gunter and Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear discuss some of the current problems at Fukushima, including a loss of coolant in Unit 5's spent fuel pool and why Tokyo Electric has taken a "vacation" from bringing down damaged fuel rods at Unit 4. Other topics include Fukushima site location issues; the 30-ton crane that fell into the Unit 3 fuel pool; the wide dispersion of reactor core fragments after the explosions at the power plant; (mis)regulation and the revolving door of top regulators and industry executives; similar power plants in the US.
Download/listen   57:01

GP comment:  There are some minor audio-quality problems with this MP3. Still recommended.

Original Show Pub Date: 08.Jul.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 30.MAY.2014

Leid Stories

Hanford—America's Fukushima — The Hanford Site in south-central Washington state manufactured two-thirds of US plutonium during World War II and the Cold War. During those 40-plus years, a steady stream of industrial and radioactive waste was dumped directly into the surrounding air, the Columbia River, and the grounds of the 586-square-mile reservation. Now, the United States is faced with the largest cleanup in history, with little hope that it will totally succeed. Investigator Paul DeRienzo reports.
Download/listen   57:02

GP comment:  The American political establishment shows no signs of phasing out—or even slowing down—nuclear energy and weapons.

Original Show Pub Date: 20.May.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 29.MAY.2014

Fresh Air

Godzilla and the Anti-Nuclear Meme — It's been six decades since Godzilla first hit the screen, and to celebrate the big guy's birthday, Rialto Pictures is releasing a restored version of Ishiro Honda's 1954 original Godzilla film. Critic John Powers discusses the advent of Godzilla in the aftermath of Nagasaki/Hiroshima, the era of American H-bomb tests in the Pacific, and specter of doomed children setting off Geiger counters. ~~ Steve Ryfle is the author of a book about the Honda Godzilla film and the many sequels. He spoke to Fresh Air in 2004, on the film's 50th anniversary.
Go to page A  |  Download/listen A   5:56
Go to page B  |  Download/listen B   14:30

GP comment:  "History shows again and again // How nature points out the folly of men." -- Blue Oyster Cult

Original Show Pub Date: 02.May.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 01.MAY.2014

Corbett Report

Will Japanese Reactors Restart? — The Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Agency is currently considering applications from eight different utility companies to restart 17 of the nation’s 54 nuclear reactors, which were taken offline in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. Aileen Mioko Smith of Green Action Japan discusses the anti-nuclear movement in Japan and their efforts to stop the reactor restarts.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   18:48

GP comment:  All nuclear plants are dangerous and should be taken offline, wherever they are in the world. And "environmentalists" who think nuclear is the solution to global warming have lost their minds.

Original Show Pub Date: 28.Apr.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 29.APR.2014

Fairewinds Energy Education

The Hottest Particle — Hot (radioactive) particles from Fukushima are now scattered all over Japan and, to a lesser extent, on North America's west coast. Hot particles are dangerous and difficult to detect, and when ingested or inhaled, are deadly. In this clip, scientist Marco Kaltofen discusses the hottest hot particle he has ever found, discovered more than 300 miles from the Fukushima Daiichi site. It's worth noting that if Fairewinds was a Japanese website, Japan's State Secrets Law would likely preclude issuance of this information.
Watch  |  Download/listen   17:21

GP comment:  This is probably overly technical for most, but it does get the point across about how small the particles are and how difficult they are to detect.

Original Show Pub Date: 03.Apr.2014

CATEGORY:  ENERGY, NUCLEAR — 25.APR.2014

Green Power And Wellness

Energy Economics—Nuclear Failing, Solar Ascending — Michael Mariotte of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service explains why economics are driving the collapse of the nuclear power industry in Europe, the US, and Japan. No corporation will build a new nuke plant without subsidies. That's because they know the economics of nuclear energy are horrible. At the same time, we are witnessing an astonishing rise of solar energy due to ever-decreasing panel prices. Mariotte points out that it's now cheaper in many parts of the US to add solar to your rooftop than to connect to the grid.
Download/listen   55:33

GP comment:  Got a 401K? Turn part of it into rooftop solar for your home. THAT is a diverse investment portfolio.

Original Show Pub Date: 22.Apr.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 14.APR.2014

TUC Radio

Radiation and Ways to Monitor It — This clip opens with a collage of nuclear tidbits: First we hear the seminal song Radioactivity by Kraftwerk; then a summary of Marie Curie's fascination with, and tragic death from, radioactive substances; then comedian Dick Gregory offering that radiation is worse than hunger and war: “Because I can feel hunger. I can see war... I cannot see radiation. I cannot smell radiation. I cannot hear radiation. I look around one day and I am dead.” ~~ The majority of the clip centers on Geiger counter builder Dan Sythe and the SafeCast network that has been set up to monitor Fukushima radiation.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   30:00

GP comment:  I rail against stupid, insensitive humans quite a bit. Here we get to hear about some humans that are quite the opposite.

Original Show Pub Date: 02.Apr.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 10.APR.2014

TUC Radio

Testing the Waters (for Fukushima Radioactivity) — Three years after Fukushima, the ocean currents are finally bringing the first of that accident's radioactive releases via the ocean currents to the shores of the US and Canadian west coasts. One would think that agencies like NOAA, EPA, NIST, or even the NRC would see it as a priority to monitor the situation. All have declined, stating that this is not their responsibility. Because of that leadership vacuum, volunteers have stepped into the breach, becoming a network of measurement takers—a combination of crowd sourcing and academic work.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   30:00

GP comment:  Ingestion of radioactive particles—as might happen if contaminated Pacific fish are consumed—is the big issue.

Original Show Pub Date: 26.Mar.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 04.APR.2014

Green Power and Wellness

The Death Toll from the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant — Nuclear experts Jerry Brown and Joe Mangano report on their just-released study showing a clear rise in death rates and health effects around California’s two nuclear reactors at San Luis Obispo (Diablo Canyon). Mangano also discusses what we can expect when sea-borne radiation arrives on the beaches of California. Mangano's studies were the first to show the impacts in the United States from the radiation that came here by air just five days after the explosions at Fukushima, and he warns that worse is yet to come.
Download/listen   54:13

GP comment:  Also discussed is the pro-nuclear lie about the safe level of ionizing radiation. (There is no safe level.)

Original Show Pub Date: 25.Mar.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 01.APR.2014

Political Analysis

The Myth of Nuclear Security — Anti-nuclear activist Chuck McCune talks about various nuclear safety issues, as well as the flaws and vulnerabilities of nuclear power. Topics include the recent radioactivity leak at the "WIPP" nuclear-waste storage facility in New Mexico; secrecy in Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proceedings and votes; NRC interference in state's rights issues.
Download/listen   54:42

GP comment:  The NRC should just admit that it's first priority is to protect industry profits.

Original Show Pub Date: 27.Mar.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 31.MAR.2014

Warrior Connection

Depleted Uranium and the Legacy of Dirty War — The US military uses depleted uranium in many of its munitions because it makes for a denser payload. They claim that there is no radiation risk, but the evidence is clear that use of DU munitions affects not only combatants during warfare but that DU also leaves a legacy of contamination in ex-battle zones for years after combat operations have ceased. Several experts discuss radiological weapons, explosives, hazardous materials policies, and military reports on the topic of DU.
Download/listen   58:55

GP comment:  A bit unpolished in format, but this is an important topic.

Original Show Pub Date: 27.Mar.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 27.MAR.2014

Fairewinds Energy Education

Nuclear Power—Their Profits, Our Risks — During the three long and frightening years since the triple meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi, the world has heard less and less from mainstream media about this manmade disaster. Money, power, and engineering hubris were put ahead of the lives and health of the people of Japan and the northern hemisphere as radiation releases continue to leave the site and migrate into the environment. Nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen calls this the greatest industrial disaster of all time. Here he gives an update on the state of Fukushima Daiichi three years later and cites Germany as a reason to believe the future will be just fine without nuclear power.
Watch  |  Download/listen   10:53

GP comment:  Takeaway comment: "The world never imagined radiation contamination like this, so no mitigation technology exists." Tsk, tsk, clever monkeys.

Original Show Pub Date: 12.Mar.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 12.MAR.2014

Fairewinds Energy Education

Radiation Leaking from Nuclear Waste Site Accident — Nuclear accidents happen not only at power plants, they also happen at nuclear waste storage sites. Located near Carlsbad, New Mexico, a Department of Energy (DOE) experimental dump is attempting to store radioactive waste from the US weapons program. On February 14, 2014 there was a nuclear safety failure at the site. Arnie Gundersen pieces together what happened and explains the major concerns about the facility, the accident, and the lack of transparency at the DOE.
Watch  |  Download/listen   12:03

GP comment:  This waste needs to be controlled for a quarter of a million years before it's safe. The clever monkeys couldn't even make it a quarter century with this attempt. Nuclear is a bad idea. Period.

Original Show Pub Date: 06.Mar.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 08.MAR.2014

Green Power And Wellness

The Crazy Train That is the Nuclear Power Establishment — David Lochbaum and Susan Stranahan of the Union of Concerned Scientists give us the layman's version of what went wrong at Fukushima, what design (cost-saving) choices were made during the construction phase that exacerbated the disaster, and why numerous US reactors face similar potential calamities. They also reveal many examples of shockingly irresponsible decisions by companies that run nuclear plants and by their ostensible overseer, the Nuclear Regulator Commission.
Download/listen   58:35

GP comment:  This is an excellent review, with detail that is technical enough to be convincing but not so technical we can't grasp it. Plenty of sardonic humor too.

Original Show Pub Date: 04.Mar.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 28.FEB.2014

Democracy Now

Japan, US Move to Expand Nuclear Power Despite Contamination at Fukushima and New Mexico — Japan has announced a major push to revive its nuclear energy program, even as Fukushima hangs in the balance, three years after the initial disaster. This comes just a week after it was revealed about 100 tons of highly radioactive water have leaked from one of the hundreds of storage tanks at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Here in the United States, the Obama administration announced last week it approved $6.5 billion in loan guarantees to back construction of the country’s first new nuclear power plant in more than 30 years. This comes as a nuclear waste disposal site is set to reopen in New Mexico following an unexplained leak of radioactive material. Edwin Lyman and Susan Stranahan, co-authors of the new book Fukushima: The Story of a Nuclear Disaster, comment.
Watch  |  Download/listen   9:03

GP comment:  We should expect sane decisions regarding an insane technology?

Original Show Pub Date: 26.Feb.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 19.FEB.2014

Press For Truth / Corbett Report

Fukushima and the US West Coast — The stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan remains an ongoing concern as it continues to leak radiation into the Pacific Ocean. James Corbett and Dan Dicks delve into the issue. Topics include US West Coast radiation measurements; contamination of Pacific seafood; bad information from the mainstream press as well as some in the alternative media; and information suppression.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   28:57

GP comment:  It's critical that people understand the difference between radiation exposure and ingestion/inhalation of radioactive particles. The latter exposures—often referred to as internal emitters—are particularly deadly.

Original Show Pub Date: 10.Feb.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 10.FEB.2014

Green Power and Wellness

Fukushima or Your Local Nuke Plant—How Much Radiation? — The claim of the nuclear industry that the situation at Fukushima is under control is laughable to anyone who is paying attention to something other than the mainstream media. But what about the industry's claims that no one who lives near a US nuclear power plant is being harmed? The quick answer is: NOBODY KNOWS!! Nuclear watchdogs Susan Shapiro, Kevin Kamps, and Gretel Johnston discuss the secrecy surrounding radiation-release figures and offer evidence that the "no harm" claim is nonsense.
Download/listen   53:38

GP comment:  It's quite amazing to hear that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission supports the concept that the data on radiation releases from US nuclear plants is property of the owners of the plants and therefore does not have to be communicated to the public. What??? Do you still believe that there is any vestige of "for the people" left in government?

Original Show Pub Date: 04.Feb.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 06.FEB.2014

Exploration

The Secret History of US Nuclear Weapons Accidents — Michael Maggellet and James Oskins describe some of the hushed-up nuclear weapons accidents, some of which occurred in the US, including one event where a nuke was accidentally dropped on someone's backyard. Maggellet and Oskins' book is Broken Arrows.
Download/listen   58:56

GP comment:  There are the "almost had a nuclear war" type events, which are too terrifying to even contemplate. Then there are the lesser events like, "damn, the bomb fell out of the plane."

Original Show Pub Date: 31.Jan.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 04.FEB.2014

Project Censored

Helen Caldicott and Jim Riccio on Fukushima — Preeminent nuclear activist Helen Caldicott discusses the dangers of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in general, as well as the situation at Fukushima, where (despite government pronouncements) things are not at all under control. She thinks the world needs to send its best and brightest to Japan to figure out solutions that will actually work. Then Jim Riccio of Greenpeace provides additional detail on Fukushima. On the larger topic of nuclear power, says that if Germany can figure out how to phase it out, so can the rest of us.
Download/listen   47:59

GP comment:  With Fukushima still in the balance, it's amazing that the nuclear industry is undaunted in continuing to push plans for new nuke plants.

Original Show Pub Date: 31.Jan.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 29.JAN.2014

Fairewinds Energy Education

The Four Myths of Nuclear Power — In order to further their interests, the nuclear-power industry need you to believe that (1) their product is safe, (2) that no one has ever died or become ill from nuclear power accidents, (3) that nuclear power is the only feasible way to counteract global warming, and (4) that nuclear energy is the cheapest form of power. Arnie Gundersen busts these myths.
Watch  |  Download/listen to MP3   6:38

GP comment:  Excellent series of bitch slaps to the nuclear propaganda machine. The only flaw here is Gundersen's assertion that we can keep powering the (infinite-growth) world by simply switching to alternative sources. As peak-everything mavens like Heinberg, Ruppert, and many others have clearly explained, that is very unlikely to happen, and much of today's global conflict is about countries quietly but desperately fighting over what's left. One way or the other, lifestyle change is coming.

Original Show Pub Date: 16.Jan.2013

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 24.JAN.2014

Living On Earth

Life in Chernobyl and Fukushima — Chernobyl in Ukraine and Fukushima in Japan were the sites of the world's two worst nuclear disasters. Years later, some residents choose to stay in the affected communities instead of moving. Michael Forster Rothbart talks about his new photo documentary showing the lives of ordinary citizens that remained behind.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   9:28

GP comment:  Fine for what it is—a qualitative assessment of the lives of people, most of whom have little choice economically and/or socially.

Original Show Pub Date: 17.Jan.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 17.JAN.2014

Fairewinds Energy Education

Has Fukushima Contaminated the US West Coast? — Arnie Gundersen says the risk of direct radiation exposure is currently low for the US West Coast population, despite what some sensational stories on the internet would have you believe. Conversely, he thinks eating Pacific seafood is risky because of the potential for bioaccumulation—and the fact that the US government is not releasing seafood test data.
Download/Listen   6:33

GP comment:  Definitely agree on the seafood. I would also like to see a broader analysis of readings from hundreds of West Coast sites, not just a few.

Original Show Pub Date: 08.Jan.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 14.JAN.2014

Voice of Russia

Millions at Risk as Fukushima Radiation Poisons Pacific — TEPCO has attributed rising radiation levels near the crippled Fukushima reactors to a rise in radiation emitted from tanks storing contaminated water. Nuclear expert Chris Busby says his calculations suggest this is a phony explanation, that it's more likely the increase comes from leaked contaminated water that is already outside the tanks. More broadly, he says the enormous load of radiation being dumped into the Pacific is crashing its ecosystems. Worse still, he suspects the Fukushima situation is out of control, that humans do not have the technical wherewithal to solve the issues.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:33

GP comment:  Why is it we have to rely on a Russian news outlet for decent reporting on Fukushima?

Original Show Pub Date: 12.Jan.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 09.JAN.2014

Radio EcoShock

Nuclear Waste Scandals — As we found out from Fukushima, when a nuclear reactor blows up or leaks, it's everybody's problem. The same applies to nuclear waste. It will be dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years, threatening cancers and genetic mutations for all conceivable human time. In this show we hear about scandals in the American and British nuclear industries. Even the temporary stop-gap solutions for storing waste turn out to be untested, ludicrous, or known-to-be dangerous. And ALL nuclear waste storage solutions require that future generations pay and pay and pay.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:59

GP comment:  One of the speakers offers an angry speech against the nuclear industry and the NRC. Such speeches sometimes make people a little uncomfortable. But with nuclear waste, it's about time we all got out of our comfort zones and got angry.

Original Show Pub Date: 01.Jan.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 03.JAN.2014

Lifeboat Hour

Keeping a Planetary Eye on Fukushima — Mimi German of RadCast.org explains how her site is helping to monitor the ever-growing global radiation threat from Fukushima. her comments include: The jet stream is distributing Fukushima radiation to every part of the planet. Similarly designed nuclear plants could easily suffer similar, uncontainable accidents.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   58:18

GP comment:  In his preamble, Ruppert lays on the doom, suggesting that near-term human extinction is all but guaranteed by three converging, inescapable civilization killers: (1) climate chaos (2) Fukushima radiation (3) exponential growth of human population and its rapacious exploitation of planetary resources.

Original Show Pub Date: 29.Dec.2013

MORE AUDIO (old format)

Lifeboat Hour

FOIA Info from NRC Shows Serious of Fukushima Situation — 01 Dec 2013 — Tony Mugu and Michael Ruppert discuss the revelations from documents released by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission under the Freedom of Information Act, with high US nuclear officials expressing grave concern over the technical details of the Fukushima accident and the difficult cleanup operation to come.
Download/Listen   1:00:04

Fairewinds / Paradigms WBKM

What Can Be Done About Fukushima? — 13 Oct 2013 — Arnie Gundersen has three main recommendations on the Fukushima situation: (1) Reassign responsibility from TEPCO, who have showed themselves to be inept, to a proven player, such as Bechtel. (2) The Japanese government must fund the operation, the cost of which is estimated at $500 billion. TEPCO, who currently has financial responsibility, is only a $100 billion company. (3) The Japanese government must come clean stop lying to its own population about the seriousness of the situation and health effects related to ongoing radioactive emissions.
Download/Listen   17:28

Living On Earth

US Reactor Safety In Light of Fukushima — 09 Sep 2013— Japanese authorities are unable to control the radioactive water leaking out of the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. Now the government plans to install a wall of ice around the facility to contain the contaminated water. Ed Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists explains why the new ice-wall plan is likely an act of desperation. He also explains why some American reactors are at risk for the same kind of flooding disaster.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:39

Fairewinds / KALW

How Concerned Should We Be About Fukushima? — 29 Aug 2013 — Nuclear power experts Arjun Makhijani and Arnie Gundersen discuss the recent leaks from the nuclear power plant at Fukushima, Japan. It's been over two years since the plant suffered its original damage from the earthquake and tsunami. Since then, more than 300 tons of radioactive water has leaked from the plant into the ground and ocean, and the remaining infrastructure is highly unstable. Is Japan at risk? Could the entire Pacific Ocean be at risk? Are people living on the West Coast of the US at risk? What should be done?
Download/Listen   53:00

The Lifeboat Hour

The Fukushima Problem and Global Nuclear Insanity — 25 Aug 2013 — Radioactivity permeates the groundwater in Fukushima prefecture. Vast storage pools must continually be created for the contaminated ocean water used for cooling. Super-hot fuel rods are housed in damaged, teetering buildings. Permanent solutions must rely on as-yet-uninvented technology. The list goes on, making Fukushima not only the worst manmade disaster in history, but also a continuing threat to the well being of humans on the planet. Helen Caldicott reviews the facts of the Fukushima situation and then extrapolates to include the other 400+ nuclear plants around the planet, asking the world's citizens why they are not demanding an end to nuclear power. Why do parents strive to nurture their children but not strive to prevent a nuclear-contaminated future?
Audio no longer available.

Green Power & Wellness

The Deepening Crisis at Fukushima — 12 Aug 2013 — Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility reviews the bad news from Fukushima, including ... the melted cores are so hot that no person or machine can get close enough to do a proper assessment; an underground river is flowing past the damaged reactors, picking up massive amounts of radioactivity, then flowing into the Pacific Ocean; the food chain is concentrating the radiation. Why is the Japanese government protecting the nuclear industry but not the people?
Download/Listen   56:29

(GP comment:  Got kelp?)

TUC Radio

Helen Caldicott on Nuclear Power, Radiation, and Our Health — 07 Aug 2013— This is the keynote presentation at a public forum in Taipei, Taiwan, in July 2013. The organizer was an antinuclear alliance of mothers called Mom Loves Taiwan. Caldicott 's talk covers the nature of power plants accidents, the different forms of radiation released, and how radiation acts on the human cells and causes cancer.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   30:00
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   30:00

Fairewinds / Radio New Zealand

It All Comes Down to Money — 28 Jul 2013 — Arnie Gundersen discusses the continuing under-response of TEPCO and the Japanese government to the worsening situation at the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. He explains the recent revelation that the crippled Fukushima plant is leaking contaminated water into the ocean and that the Japanese government has known about the spillage, but been silent.
Download/Listen   18:06

Fairewinds Energy Education

Nuclear Timelines—A New Tool for Supporting Nuclear Activism — 25 Jul 2013 — Want to really know what's happening—and why—at the nuclear power plant near you? Try Fairewind's new online tool that shows timeline-based facts for each US nuke plant, giving context to current problems.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   16:48

Fairewinds

The NRC—Protecting Citizens or Protecting Industry? — 02 Jul 2013— Terry Lodge, a trial lawyer with significant experience working on nuclear issues, discusses the challenge of participating meaningfully with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Is the NRC doing their job to protect citizens, or have they designed a Byzantine system to thwart public inquiry and protect the industry?
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   43:38

Fairewinds Energy Education

San Onofre—Going, Going, Gone — 12 Jun 2013 — The San Onofre nuclear power plant near San Diego will be permanently closed down. So, what happens at San Onofre now? Other topics include Canadian nuclear issues; a rare moment of support for public discussion of nuclear licensing; and who should pay for corporate mistakes with nuclear power plant ventures—ratepayers or stockholders?
Download/Listen   25:25

Fairewinds Energy Education

Great Haste Made Great Waste at Hanford — 22 May 2013— The Hanford nuclear site, located on the Columbia River in Washington state, was built as part of the Manhattan Project to process plutonium for nuclear weapons. Operated until the end of the Cold War, decades of weapons production left Hanford the most contaminated nuclear site in the US, with a long history of short-sighted planning and cover-ups of radioactive waste leaks. In a project that is currently 10-years behind schedule, the DOE is attempting to build a vitrification plant at Hanford to process and neutralize the massive remaining amounts of radioactive waste. Nuclear policy experts Robert Alvarez and Arnie Gundersen discuss the ongoing environmental damage at the Hanford site.
Download/Listen   29:25

TUC Radio

Post-Fukushima Increases in Thyroid Disease in Newborns on the West Coast of the USA — 08 May 2013 — In March 2013, an article was published in the Open Journal of Pediatrics stating that in the 15 weeks after the fallout from Fukushima began arriving in the US, the number of newborns with hypothyroid disease increased by 28% on the US West Coast. Similar birth problems in the rest of the country declined 3% during the same period, making the West Coast increase statistically significant. Joseph Mangano, co-author of the report, discusses the results.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

TUC Radio

Ken Buesseler on Fukushima Ocean Impacts — 14 May 2013— Ken Buesseler of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discusses the increase in radionuclide contaminants in the Pacific Ocean from the meltdown at Fukushima. The level of radioactive cesium in the water off Fukushima increased nearly 70-fold, and even though the levels of radioactive isotopes have come down in the past year, they have not returned to pre-accident levels. Buesseler says it also shows that there is a constant inflow of new radioactivity from the ruined nuclear plant as well as from the groundwater and rivers that flow through Fukushima province into the ocean. As of March 2013, radiation in water near the plant was still a thousand time higher than it once was.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

TUC Radio

Akio Matsumura:  What Did the World Learn from the Fukushima Accident? — 22 May 2013— Akio Matsumura makes the case that TEPCO is clearly overwhelmed by the task of managing the Fukushima nuclear disaster and, in actuality, has no credentials for handling such a disaster responsibly. Matsumura points to reactor number 4: The entire structure is leaning, the damaged frame is missing large parts of the outer walls, and the collapse of the spent-fuel pool, which is suspended 100 feet in the air by design, is a nightmare waiting to happen.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

TUC Radio

Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Other Hot Places—Biological Implications — 23 Apr 2013 — Biologist Tim Mousseau describes the catastrophe suffered by the birds of Chernobyl—tumors, birth defects, and reduced populations. When Fukushima Daiichi exploded, his team began field work there as well. They are studying birds, insects, microbes, and plants at over 1,000 sites, creating diligent inventories of each study area. They found significantly increased rates of genetic damage in direct proportion to the level of exposure to radioactive contaminants.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

Fairewinds Energy Education

Nuclear Contamination Knows No Borders — 01 May 2013 — Dr. Gordon Edwards, president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, discusses the differences between American and Canadian nuclear plants in design and regulatory philosophy. They also discuss the recent Fairewinds Associates report on the re-licensing of the Pickering Station on the Canadian coast of Lake Ontario, just a 30 minute drive from Toronto. Fukushima Daiichi may have taught us that nuclear contamination knows no borders, but are the North American nuclear operators and regulators applying this lesson?
Audio no longer available from host site.   22:07

TUC Radio

The Heartbreaking Birth Defects of Chernobyl's Children — 30 Apr 2013 — Wladimir Wertelecki presents the results of the Ukraine Congenital Malformations Monitoring Program, which comprises ten years of scientific study of birth defects of children and their relationship to ionizing radiation. They found statistically higher than normal incidents of the most heartbreaking birth defects—NTD (neural tube defects of the brain or spinal cord); anencephaly, where most of the brain and skull do not develop; and microcephaly, a condition in which the circumference of the head and the brain size are smaller than normal.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

Fairewinds Energy Education

Too Big to Fail? Nope — 17 Apr 2013 — The most striking thing about seeing any nuclear power plant up close is its sheer size. Nukes are such impressive feats of construction and design, and it's hard to imagine that something so robust could fail. In this podcast, find out why nuclear power plants do fail, and why failure is a fact of life that the industry refuses to acknowledge.
Audio no longer available from host site.   16:44

TUC Radio

Post-Fukushima Food Monitoring + Gender Matters in the Atomic Age — 16 Apr 2013— Cindy Folkers specializes in radiation impacts on health. She works with Beyond Nuclear, which has filed a petition with the US Food and Drug Administration to drastically reduce the amount of radioactive cesium permitted in food. Internal cesium contamination in children can lead to heart problems and other conditions. ~~ Mary Olson works for the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. Her talk is "Gender Matters in the Atomic Age," which explains why women as a group suffer significantly more from the impact of ionizing radiation than do men.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

TUC Radio

Arnie Gundersen:  What Did They Know, and When Did They Know It? — 26 Mar 2013— Gundersen argues that the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan really began in 1965, inside the US, with General Electric and the engineers who designed the site plan and architecture for the Mark I reactors. He also points the finger at the US Atomic Energy Commission that permitted a flawed design to be licensed and built in the US and elsewhere. Finally, he explains why TEPCO clearly knew more during the accident than they told the press and public.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

Fairewinds Energy Education

Nuclear Power and Earthquakes — 11 Apr 2013 — Geologist Les Kanat talks with nuclear engineer Arnie Gundersen about seismological events in relation to nuclear power. Why do east coast nuclear plants have higher Core Damage Frequencies, and why are they more likely to be damaged from an earthquake than nuclear plants in California? Do corporate economic concerns mean that nuclear plants are not designed to handle the worst quake?
Audio no longer available from host site.   26:45

Radio EcoShock

Deadly Myths of Nuclear Energy and Accidents — 20 Mar 2013— Alex Smith plays selections from the "Medical and Ecological Consequences of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident" symposium held in March 2013. Topics include.... how TEPCO and the Japanese government have systematically underestimated the radiation from the Fukushima accident; the unreported higher impact on women, children and babies; and why the dangers are far from over. Also discussed are why Chernobyl's supposed "wildlife haven" is merely propaganda and how nuclear activists in the US can't even win the no-brainers—issues where the right action is obvious but where the NRC still does the wrong thing.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

Fairewinds Energy Education

NRC Plays Keep Away — 21 Mar 2013 — Maggie Gundersen and Lucas Hixson discuss the difficulties the public has in obtaining information from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and reactor owners. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has been a failure in allowing the public to have access to information that affects the safety of their communities.
Audio no longer available from host site.   24:00

Fairewinds Energy Education

Zombie Nukes—Undead Power Plants That Feast on Human Money! — 06 Mar 2013 — There are a number of utility-owned nuclear power plants in the United States that are offline and not coming back online anytime soon, but also not scheduled to be shut down. Of course, you can't just abandon a dormant nuclear plant, at least not until the decision has been made to properly shut it down for good. Thus, these zombie plants continue to drain the public's pocketbook—usually through electricity rates—sometimes to the tune of $50 million dollars a month—without generating a single watt of electricity!
Audio no longer available from host site.   22:06

Fairewinds Energy Education

Are Whistleblowers Being Protected By The NRC? Not Really! — 17 Feb 2013 — Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds and David Lochbaum of the Union of Concerned Scientists review a number of cases of whistleblowers in the nuclear industry. The evidence shows that far from being rewarded for bringing to light dangerous conditions at nuclear plants, insider whistleblowers are fired or punished by their companies. And not only does the Nuclear Regulatory Commission do nothing to help the whistleblowers, the NRC rarely investigates the problems pointed out by the white knights.
Audio no longer available from host site.   16:29

Fairewinds Energy Education

Fukushima, Two Years In — 24 Feb 2013 — Guest Helen Caldicott joins Maggie and Arnie Gundersen for a discussion about Fukushima two years after the accident. Caldicott says she has been shocked by the Japanese government's treachery in not truthfully informing the Japanese public (and the rest of the world) about the dangers posed by the radiation from Fukushima, now the worst manmade disaster in history.
Download/Listen   22:43

TUC Radio

To Understand Nuclear, You Must Understand History — 05 Feb 2013 — Arjun Makhijani explains why we can only find the path back from the nuclear abyss if we are clear and honest about how militarism and empiricism created the context for how nuclear weapons' first use. He retraces the machinations of competing states before and during WWII, discussing topics like... Why was the US fleet moved from San Diego to Pearl Harbor? Does the Japanese attack have anything to do with the US oil embargo? What were the original goals of the Manhattan Project and why and when were they changed? And who was in charge of this secret program when even the US Vice President or the generals responsible for WWII did not know?
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   30:00
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   30:00

Fairewinds Energy Education Podcast

Better Living Through Radioactivity—Coming Soon to a Store Near You — 13 Jan 2013 — Arnie Gundersen discusses the nuclear plant at Fort Calhoun, which is threatened by the flood potential of antiquated upstream dams. He also discusses two other troubled US nuclear plants, as well as the next (no so) great idea from the nuclear industry and their government lackeys—recycling radioactive steel into industrial and consumer products!
Audio no longer available from host site.   24:14

Radio EcoShock

The Nuclear Nightmare at the Local Level — 02 Jan 2013 — Two US states have announced they are open to storing tons of the worst radioactive material on earth—plutonium. And a small village in Alaska is the testing ground for new-design mini-reactors,, which the big corporations are flacking now that their so-called renaissance of giant reactors has failed. What is behind these and other nuclear trends? Bob Alvarez of the Institute for Policy Studies explains.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   30:00

Making Contact

Women Take on Challenge of International Anti-Nuclear Activism — 13 Nov 2012 — With nuclear power back on the agenda, three prominent female activists tell their stories. Kaori Izumi was part of the grassroots campaign to shutdown Japan's nuclear power plants after the Fukushima disaster. Winona LaDuke has spent much of her life working to oppose uranium mining on indigenous lands. And Alice Slater is part of a global initiative to ban nuclear weapons.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   28:56

Exploration

Michael Marriot on the Global Outlook for Nuclear Energy — 16 Nov 2012 — Nuclear policy expert Michael Marriot discusses the future of global nuclear energy in the wake of Fukushima. Topics include whether newer plant designs are any safer than the current decades-old designs, and whether new long-term waste storage strategies are any more likely to succeed than Yucca Mountain.
Download/Listen   57:51

Fairewinds Podcast

Nuclear Power in the Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy — 04 Nov 2012 — Nuclear engineer Arnie Gundersen reviews the dangers that Hurricane Sandy presented to East Coast nuclear power plants. There were some close calls, but no disasters, prompting nuclear proponents to declare success. Gundersen, however, thinks the nuclear industry is overly complacent in their assessment—he thinks the close calls brought by Sandy present a stark warning that safety margins at nuclear plants are inadequate. With climate change increasing mega-storm frequency, nuclear safety must be reassessed.
Audio no longer available from host site.   25:45

Progressive Commentary Hour

Nuclear Roulette—Waiting for the High-Stakes Bet to Go Big-Time Bad — 22 Oct 2012— A three-member panel discusses the cover-up of the ongoing dangers at Fukushima, as well as the propaganda and political power of the US nuclear industry. As Germany declares its intent to go nuke-free, the US flexes its nuclear muscles at home and in geopolitics. The guests are Janette D. Sherman, MD, a specialist in internal medicine and toxicology; Karl Grossman, author of Cover Up—What You are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power; and Kevin Kamps, a specialist in Radioactive Waste Storage and nuclear facility operations for the Beyond Nuclear watchdog group.
Download/Listen   55:37

WBEZ Worldview

Arnie Gundersen:  Fukushima Update — 03 Oct 2012 — Gundersen discusses the status of the four troubled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and the status of radiation contamination on the island country. He also talks about the future of nuclear power in Japan. Though officials talk publicly about getting the country totally off nukes, Gundersen says their actions belie that. He also talks about why the Japanese public trust his information more than the Japanese government's official statements.
Page to download whole show  |  Download/listen to this segment   32:06

Democracy Now

Uranium Mining Still Impacting Native Americans — 11 Oct 2012 — New Mexico's long history of uranium mining on Native American lands provides fuel for the front end of the nuclear industry and stores much of the mine tailings and radioactive waste from nuclear weapons and power plants. Three guests discuss the devastating impact uranium mining continues to have on Native lands and peoples.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   12:38

TUC Radio

The Skilled Veterans Corps for Fukushima—Still on the Bench — 15 Aug 2012 — Four weeks after the Fukushima disaster, retired nuclear workers from the Fukushima plant and engineers and technicians from other branches of industry offered to work on fuel removal in the most dangerous areas of Fukushima Daiichi. This, they said, would protect younger workers from high radiation doses—important since the younger workers are still of child-bearing age and still young enough to have high cancer risk from exposure. These two clips dig deep into the corp-gov bone-headedness and technical dangers that still plague the Fukushima situation—and still threaten the planet.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:01
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

Unwelcome Guests

The Secret, Silent Poisoning—Nuclear Victims in Peace and War — 11 Aug 2012 — The Marshall Islands are a little know chapter of the first two decades of the US nuclear adventure, with the island's inhabitants being used by the US military to study the effects of fallout on human health. Author Holly Barker provides a review. ~~ Then Chris Busby proposes to get the nuclear industry shut down by citing recent research findings about the dangers of nuclear radiation. He says that epidemiological research suggests that the risk model currently used underestimates the threats to human health by a factor of 400. ~~ Finally, excerpts from the film Atomic Mom.
Ref page:  Go to page
Part 1:  Download/Listen   59:30
Part 2:  Download/Listen   59:30

Corbett Report

Nuclear News, from Iran to Fukushima — 24 Aug 2012 — James Corbett analyzes the latest news on the nuclear front, including the increased pressure on Iran from the IAEA (which is supposedly impartial but clearly serves western imperial interests). He also discusses the latest worrying news about radiation from Fukushima.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   45:11

Against The Grain

Nuclear Power Myths—Greenhouse Gases, Economics, and More — 07 Aug 2012 — One of the big claims of the nuclear industry is that it's a great solution for addressing climate change, since nuclear power plants don't emit carbon dioxide. But Kristin Shrader-Frechette explains that this assertion cherry picks the data, ignoring all the other steps in the nuclear fuel cycle. She provides an excellent overall analysis of nuclear power, including its high costs, its inherent risk to human health, problems with uranium mining and processing, the problem of industry-funded science, and why it's clear that nuclear energy is on the wane.
Go to page  |  Audio no longer available from host site.   53:00

The Gary Null Show

Gary Null on Resveratrol, Radiation in Japan, and the Toxic Legacy of War — 09 Aug 2012 — Gary covers recent health news, including resveratrol for Type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. ~~ A review of the data on radioactive food contamination in Japan, where there is widespread contamination of stream fish, and unhealthy levels of contamination in a wide variety of other foods. ~~ Gary offers a commentary on the toxic legacy of war.
Download/Listen   1:02:11

If You Love This Planet

Fukushima, Engineering Limitations, and the Prospects for Nuclear Power — 27 Jul 2012 — Nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen discusses the ongoing nuclear disaster at Fukushima, including the vulnerability of the No. 4 spent fuel pool, the shocking levels of radiation found via various sampling methods in Japan, and why it's likely that all North Pacific tuna are now contaminated with radiation. Surprisingly, Gundersen admits that two years ago he was in favor of more nuclear energy as part of the climate solution. But now, the problems with Fukushima and other nuke plants around the world make it obvious that humans are just not smart enough to build nature-proof nuclear plants.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:00

Corbett Report

Japan's Loss of Nuclear Power Proves Nukes Are Unnecessary — 30 Jul 2012 — The Fukushima nuclear crisis has ultimately revealed the myth of nuclear power. Despite the prediction that losing nuclear power would be a death blow to the country, James Corbett, a resident of Japan, reports that taking the nukes offline proved that life can go on acceptably well without this dangerous energy source.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:12

TUC Radio

Chernobyl—Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment — 17 Jul 2012 — The World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and most other official global organizations describes the human health and ecological impacts of the Chernobyl nuclear accident as limited. A thorough study done by independent Russian scientists reaches a far different conclusion: Chernobyl was a disaster of extraordinary proportions, with widespread effects that continue today and will last for centuries more. This 4-part series presents some of the findings. Parts 3 & 4 next time.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

Five O'Clock Shadow via A-INFOS Radio Project

Gundersen on Fukushima Fish Sales, Radiation Monitoring, and Buckling Buildings — 27 Jun 2012 — In a startling mix of market forces and nuclear malfeasance, the Japanese government is now allowing the sale of some seafood from Fukushima, where radioactivity continues to be released daily into the Pacific from the doomed Fukushima Daichi nuclear power stations. Arnie Gundersen comments on this and other Fukushima-related topics. ~~ Also in this clip, Bolivian president Evo Morales discusses the colonialistic charade of the West's "green economy" initiatives.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   50:27

If You Love This Planet

Bob Alvarez on the Risks of On-Site Storage at US Nuclear Power Plants — 29 Jun 2012 — Nuclear expert Robert Alvarez reviews some of the risky nuclear-energy practices being allowed by the corp-gov regulatory regime—such as why 30 million spent nuclear fuel rods are unsafely stored in United States. Poorly designed fuel storage is one of the main reasons Fukushima remains a grave danger more than a year after the initial accident. Several dozen Fukushima-style reactors operate in the US.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:00

Green Power & Wellness

Nuclear Power—The Devil's Tango — 19 Jun 2012 — Who stole our country and set us up for a nuclear apocalypse? Don Goldmacher, co-producer of the documentary film Heist, and Cecile Pineda, author of The Devil's Tango, a new Fukushima expose, discuss the topic. Pineda's focuses on the radioactive horror show still seething in Japan, while Goldmacher talks about the greed and megalomania of the super-rich over the last century.
Download/Listen   49:53

Al Jazeera / Fairewinds

What Role For Nukes in America's Energy Future? — 13 Jun 2012 — Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds debates Jack Spencer of the Heritage Foundation on the future of nuclear energy in the United States. Topics include the proper role of regulators, the industry-regulator revolving door, how Fukushima applies to the US situation, the prospects for proper long-term storage of radioactive materials, and whether nuclear power can ever be a safe source of energy.
Download/Listen   25:41

Green Power and Wellness

Can We Still Eat Ocean Fish in a Post-Fukushima World? — 05 Jun 2012 — While the wind production tax credit is being held up by corporate interests in Congress, the nuclear industry is poised to get over $8B in government guarantees. And is the level of radioactive contamination found in tuna recently caught off the coast of California really not a problem? Is it safe to eat any fish coming from the Pacific in our post-Fukushima world?
Download/Listen   55:15

The Shortwave Report

Fukushima News Round-Up — 01 Jun 2012 — Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan explains his position that Japan must move completely away from nuclear power. A study shows that radioactive materials were distributed around the world by the Fukushima accident. A new smart phone will have a built-in radiation detector and software to track data over time.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:18

(GP comment:  Tacked onto this nuclear report is a very important item about Japan and China agreeing to trade using their own currency—not US dollars.)

If You Love This Planet

Kay Drey on Routine Emissions from Nuclear Power Plants — 25 May 2012 — Helen Caldicott interviews Kay Drey of Beyond Nuclear. They discuss the widespread public health implications of so-called routine radioactive releases from nuclear power stations, in which many hazardous gases and fission byproducts are emitted during daily operations.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:00

If You Love This Planet

Arjun Makhijani on the Downsides of New & Improved (Thorium) Reactors — 01 Jun 2012 — Plasma physicist Arjun Makhijani discusses the pros and cons of thorium reactors, which many nuclear scientists are now advocating as safer than current designs.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:00

(GP comment:  A bit overly technical in places, but overall a valuable analysis of why these new reactors are really no better than the old ones.)

Fairewinds / CCTV

Will Japan Have a Nuclear Free Future? — 09 May 2012 — Arnie Gundersen and others discuss Japan's new nuclear-free status and what it implies for the future. Other topics include... Why is Japan cutting support for the solar industry and ignoring the island's rich geothermal resources? As in the US, energy use in Japan is profligate. That is going to change by necessity. As for the role of nuclear energy in the world's future—trying to solve the world's energy problems with "nuclear energy for all" is like trying to solve the world's hunger problem with "caviar for all."
Download/Listen   47:04

Fairewinds Associates

Fukushima—Questions and Answers — 12 May 2012 — As part of a symposium in Kansai, Japan, Arnie Gundersen answers questions regarding the current, still-dangerous condition of the reactor units at Fukushima. Questions include... Why is cesium important in this situation? How dangerous is the situation in light of the everpresent danger of more earthquakes, seismic activity, and another tsunami? Compared to the accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, how dangerous are the radioactive releases from the four reactors at Fukushima?
Download/Listen   34:16

Green Power & Wellness

Fukushima, the Next Earthquake, and Earth in the Balance — 22 May 2012 — Harvey Wasserman discusses a recent article by physicist Michio Kaku that discusses the precarious state of reactor 4 in the destroyed Fukushima nuclear complex. Also discussed are the controversial resignation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman Gregory Jazcko and current trends in US energy sources.
Download/Listen   55:19

Radio EcoShock

Gundersen:  The Nuclear Accident at Fukushima Japan is Far from Over — 10 Apr 2012 — Nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen reviews the status of the broken reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plants. Things there are still very dicey, with the possibility of fires or explosions that would spew radioactive particles into the entire Northern hemisphere and devastate Japan.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   26:00

Radio EcoShock

Fukushima, Nuclear Powerdown, and Post-Peak Japan — 04 Apr 2012 — Warren Karlenzig provides an update on Japan after its tsunami and nuclear accident, with a particular focus on the power shortages and how that has affected daily life. It's a glimpse at the "powerdown" scenario described by peak oilist Richard Heinberg, only this one's not voluntary. ~~ Helen Caldicott gives a short interview, refreshing us on the two-headed nuclear dragon—energy and weapons.
Ref page:  Go to page  |  Part 1:  Download/Listen   24:00
Part 2:  Download/Listen   7:00

Fairewinds Associates

Tokyo Soil Samples Would Be Considered Nuclear Waste In The US — 25 Mar 2012 — While traveling in Japan several weeks ago, Arnie Gundersen took soil samples in Tokyo public parks, playgrounds, and rooftop gardens. Analysis shows that all of the samples would be considered nuclear waste if found here in the US. This level of contamination is currently being discovered throughout Japan.
Download/Listen   4:27

Clif's Wujo

Radiation and Its Effects on Humans — 14 Mar 2012 — Clif High explains why we humans are now dealing with higher levels of radiation, what the likely effects are on different people and different parts of the body, and how we can best mitigate the effects.
Click to go to Download Page   47:15
More Clif's Wujo

Related GP article:
-- Supplements for Nuclear Radiation Fallout

Radio EcoShock

Nuclear Disasters and Government Cover-Ups — 14 Mar 2012 — Arnie Gunderson reviews the evidence that there is one thing in common among Fukushima, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island—government cover-ups of the true level of the disasters. He also explains how spring will bring a new release of radioactive material in Japan and the likelihood of future Fukushima-related cancers.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:59

Green Power

Old Nuke Plants in the US—Which Will Melt Down First? — 06 Mar 2012 — Harvey Wasserman and Joe DeMare, Ohio Green Party candidate for the US Senate, discuss the decaying state of nuclear plants in the US, particularly Vermont Yankee and Ohio's infamous Davis-Besse reactor. New legal developments indicate that states' rights may be the ultimate answer to getting these decrepit and increasingly dangerous rust-bucket nukes off-line.
Audio no longer available.

NPR

Iranian Nuclear Program and Need for War Both Overestimated —
09 Mar 2012 — Paul Pillar cuts through the political hype over Iran and explains why the matter of their nuclear program does not logically bring us to the brink of war.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:16

               

Corbett Report

American Fukushimas? — 28 Feb 2012 — Paul Gunter of Beyond Nuclear discusses the history of GE's Mark I Boiling Water Reactor, explains how it failed in Fukushima, and talks about the risk of failure of the same type of reactor in nuclear plants in the US.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   27:46

Living On Earth

How Safe is Your Nuclear Power Plant? — 02 Mar 2012 — After the Japanese earthquake and tsunami that hit the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission surveyed nuclear reactor safety in the United States. The Union of Concerned Scientists took a look also—there's some good news and there's some bad news.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:27

Coast To Coast / KSFO

Mat Stein on Solar Storms, the Grid, and Nuke Plants — 21 Feb 2012 — Mat Stein explains why a massive solar storm isn't just a possibility, it's an inevitability. When it does come, the large number of hard-to-replace transformers in the nation's power grid means trouble. Furthermore, US nuclear plant safety plans deal only with limited grid outages, not extended ones like a solar kill shot would cause.
C2C show info page  |  Download/Listen   39:25

Fairewinds Associates

New Containment Flaw Identified in Fukushima-Style Reactors — 06 Feb 2012 — Fairewinds shows that the nuclear industry's plan to vent the containment structure of the BWR Mark 1 at Fukushima Daiichi could not have prevented a containment failure and the ensuing explosions. This audio and associated graphics provide important clues about why Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 exploded.
Download/Listen   9:14

Electric Politics

Former NRC Commissioner Cool on Nuclear Energy — 27 Jan 2012 — Few people know more about nuclear power than a former Commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, especially the one who had the lead in responding to Three Mile Island. So when Dr. Victor Gilinsky suggests that it would be reasonable for the US to phase out nuclear power, people should pay attention.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   40:27

Democracy Now

The Atomic States of America — 24 Jan 2012 — Nuclear power has drawn wide political support, with both Republicans and Democrats advancing a pro-nuclear agenda even in the aftermath of last year's Fukushima. Sheena Joyce, co-director of the new documentary "The Atomic States of America," discusses the film and the local health issues that inspired it.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   27:12

Living On Earth

Hanford—The Godzilla of Environmental Cleanups — 03 Feb 2012 — The Hanford nuclear facility in Washington state is the largest, most complex, and most expensive environmental cleanup effort in the world. Reporter Peter Eisler discusses the project, which is being designed on-the-fly. BTW, it's also over-due, over-budget, and still quite dangerous.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   11:20

Radio EcoShock

Fukushima—From the Big Lie to Truth & Consequences — 28 Dec 2011 — The Japanese government and TEPCO recently announced that all reactors at Fukushima are in cold shutdown, the situation is stable, and the crisis is over. Nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen explains what a "cold shutdown" status should mean and why Japan's declaration is nothing more than PR. The crisis will take 40 more years to resolve, and in the meantime, we'll be dealing with its radiation releases and all of the contaminated equipment and materials that have resulted from the accident and the efforts to contain it. ~~ In part 2, several guests discuss a new peer-reviewed paper that says the Fukushima accident may have contributed to 14,000 premature American deaths in Mar/Apr 2011 as the initial wave of radioactive air swept from Japan over North America.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

Fairewinds Associates

Fukushima—What Are the Challenges for 2012? — 29 Dec 2011 — Arnie Gundersen discusses the dangers to the containment infrastructure at the Fukushima disaster site if another earthquake or major aftershock hits the area. He also talks about the levels of radioactive air contamination in Japan and how the huge amount of solid radioactive waste presents an enormous disposal challenge. Finally, he discusses how nuclear promoters are still in charge of nuclear safety, a situation that is not in the public interest.
Download/Listen   19:21

Fairewinds Associates

Arnie Gundersen:  "China Syndrome" at Fukushima Unlikely, But... — 14 Dec 2011 — Gundersen explains why it's unlikely that any of the broken nuclear plants at Fukushima will feature a catastrophic "China Syndrome" event where the blob of hot nuclear fuel melts through to the other side of the planet. But there are some very serious issues remaining to deal with.
Download/Listen   12:15

Marco Kaltofen:  Tracking Fukushima's Hot Particles in Japan and the World — 09 Dec 2011 — Marco Kaltofen, who specializes in measuring radiation in the environment, speaks before the American Public Health Association. Kaltofen states that hot particles are contaminating portions of northern Japan, as found in analyses of auto air filters and children's shoes.
Download/Listen   19:26

(GP comment:  Original speech was on 31 Oct, but given that the mainstream media have all but forgotten Fukushima, this is still very relevant.)

CounterSpin

The Media and Fukushima, a Non-Story — 09 Dec 2011 — Karl Grossman discusses the lack of honest reporting on Fukushima-related issues by the US media, even on issues that directly affect US residents. As an example, did any major US media outlets report on the sharp increase in infant mortality in some parts of the US after Fukushima-originated fallout in the US?
Listen/download this segment   9:36

Fairewinds Associates

Fukushima:  Hot Particles in Tokyo, Super-Hot Particles Closer In — 31 Oct 2011 — An analysis by Marco Kaltofen of Worcester Polytechnic Institute of radioactive isotopic releases from the Fukushima nuclear accidents confirms the detection high concentrations of hot particles in Tokyo—far beyond the government-defined danger zone around Fukushima. Particles have also traveled via air currents to the West Coast of North America, presenting a long-term public health issue in the United States and Canada.
Download/Listen   6:08

Fairewinds Associates

Nuclear Regulation—Failed or Captured? — 02 Oct 2011 — The Fukushima accident, rather than being an isolated disaster caused by faulty plant design, bad maintenance, or a lax Japanese system, is an event that has direct parallels in other nuclear countries. Corruption and lax regulatory oversight can be found in the US too.
Download/Listen   9:37

Are Nuclear Industry and Regulators Applying Lessons Learned From Fukushima? — 11 Oct 2011 — Arnie Gundersen discusses three nuclear safety problems uncovered during the Fukushima accident that nuclear regulators and the nuclear industry wish they could ignore. Why isn't the industry designing nuclear plants to withstand the worst natural events? Why aren't nuclear regulators, governments, and citizens who live and work near a nuclear plant prepared for a nuclear accident? How much does the NRC value human life?
Download/Listen   21:24

Against the Grain

The Waning Night of the Nuclear Renaissance — 15 Aug 2011 — The nightmare of the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which is still emitting high levels of radiation, has led some countries to decide to phase out nuclear power, but others to continue on. Tina Gerhardt offers details on the shifts some countries are making to other energy technologies (not all good!) and weighs in on whether the predicted renaissance in nuclear power has been scuttled.
Audio no longer available from host site.   52:20

Fairewinds Associates

Why Fukushima Can Happen Here... and What the NRC and Nuclear Industry Don't Want You to Know — 13 Jul 2011 — Arnie Gundersen and David Lochbaum present the facts of nuclear power in the US to a public audience. They walk, step-by-step, through the events of the Japanese meltdowns and consider how the knowledge gained from Fukushima applies to the nuclear industry worldwide. They discuss "points of vulnerability" in American plants, some of which have been unaddressed by the NRC for three decades.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   51:43

Radio EcoShock

American Fukushima — 22 Jun 2011 — The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has failed to enforce safety regulations for decades, resulting in high risk to reactors and citizens. Interviews and audio from former NRC Commissioner Peter Bradford, Arnie Gundersen, and David Lochbaum.
Download/Listen   29:00

Get more Radio EcoShock here

Uprising

Radioactive Leaks and General Disrepair Plague US Nuclear Facilities — 22 Jun 2011 — A year-long investigation by Associated Press found that leaks of radioactive tritium have occurred at 75% of all commercial nuclear power sites in the US. At 37 facilities, the concentration of leaked tritium exceed allowable limits under federal drinking water standards.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   19:08

Fairewinds Associates

Hot Particles From Japan to Seattle — 12 Jun 2011 — Arnie Gundersen discusses the new estimates for hot particles from emitted from the Fukushima disaster. The radioactive particles are virtually undetectable, but when inhaled or swallowed are very dangerous.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   5:56

Fairewinds Associates

The Implications of the Fukushima Accident on the World's Operating Reactors — 22 May 2011 — Arnie Gundersen explains why it now appears to be proven that many existing, still-operating reactors around the world have serious design flaws. He says the US is not prepared for any large-area, long-term evacuations that would be necessary in the event of a significant reactor problem like Fukushima. US taxpayers are very exposed to the economic and insurance risks associated with any nuclear disaster.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   10:28

Fairewinds Associates

Fukushima—One Step Forward and Four Steps Back, as Each Unit Is Challenged by New Problems — 13 May 2011 — Unit 1 is in partial meltdown; Unit 2 is leaking radioactive water; there is still a severe problem trying to keep Unit 3 cool; the racks in unit 4 are intact, but the building is leaning, and an aftershock could take it all the way down. The foundation is cracked, and radioactive groundwater is contaminating the local sewage system. There's more detail in this report, but overall, it's fair to say that the situation is still far from being under control.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   11:38

Fukushima Groundwater Contamination Worst in Nuclear History — 06 May 2011 — Arnie Gundersen discusses the level of radioactivity in the water near Fukushima, and he offers a few more interesting tidbits, including: a top Japanese nuclear expert says it was only by a fortunate stroke of weather that the initial contamination in Japan was not far worse.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   13:28

Radio EcoShock

Fukushima Poison Released — 13 May 2011 — According to the mainstream media, the Fukushima nuclear accident is all over. Just the opposite is happening. There are historic high levels of radioactivity; mega-amounts of radiation have been released again. Three of the reactors have lethal problems. Get the latest shocking news from the world's largest disaster.
Download/Listen   1:00:00
Get more Radio EcoShock here

Earthbeat Radio

Ralph Nader on the Future of American Nuclear Power — 06 May 2011 — Nader observes that the American governing structure is still firmly in the grasp of the nuclear industry, but says that economics, environment, and safety all demand an orderly phase-out of nuclear power in the US.
Download/Listen   17:56

Radio EcoShock

Fukushima Drama—Are You Safe? — 29 Apr 2011 — Can we believe the Japanese on Fukushima dangers? Could another big wave of radiation hit North America and Europe? Get a reactor-by-reactor report, info on geopolitics, and tips on personal preparations.
Download/Listen   1:00:00
Get more Radio EcoShock here

TUC Radio

Chernobyl—Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment — 11 Apr 2011 — It's convenient for nuke-flackers—and some supposed greens—to downplay the effects of Chernobyl. But the a major review by leading Russian scientists reveals the difficult, ugly truth about Chernobyl. This is must-listening for anyone still thinking that nuclear energy is a necessary evil.
PART 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00
PART 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:01

Sea Change Radio

Aftershocks—A Nuclear Rebuttal — 12 Apr 2011 — Solar energy expert Danny Kennedy explains the many reasons that nuclear power is an unsustainable path and why investment in renewable energy is a more practical, safe, and reasonable approach. ~~ Geophysicist Ben Brooks, a specialist in earthquake science, explains what scientists now understand about the different types of earthquakes, and talks about the US West Coast's vulnerability to the type of quake that recently struck Northern Japan.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   30:00

               

THE GODZILLA COMPLEX
DESPITE FUKUSHIMA FALLOUT, PRO-NUKE PITCHMEN HISS ON

Introduction:
More than a month into the Fukushima catastrophe—and with fallout now being detected around the globe—the half-truths and happy-talk about nuclear energy keep a'comin' from the industry and their government front men. You won't find such glowing reviews here—only the scaly, red-eyed truth.

Russia Today

Fukushima Now At Severity Level of Chernobyl Disaster — 13 Apr 2011 — A string of clips with experts commenting on the new "7" (Chernobyl-level) rating for the severity of the Fukushima disaster, including nuclear engineer Arnie Gundersen and nuclear energy consultant Shaun Burnie.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   11:34

Fairewinds Associates

Gunderson:  The Pattern of Government Obfuscation — 13 Apr 2011 — His points include... This is and has been a disaster at least as bad as Chernobyl. Bad information and evacuation delays are similar to government behavior on previous nuclear disasters. Everybody knows when events like Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima happen, but who knows when they end?
Watch  |  Download/Listen   7:41

Radio EcoShock

Nuclear Mutiny — 15 Apr 2011 — With the Fukushima accident now at a Chernobyl-level 7, industry insider & whistleblower Arnie Gundersen offers his analysis of the risk. ~~ What is the threat to milk, veggies, and water in US and Canada? ~~ More on the battle to control the reactor problems, and on the money and power behind the nuclear industry.
Download/Listen   1:00:00

Fear and Loathing in Fukushima — 08 Apr 2011 — Will there be more explosions at the damaged nuclear reactors in Japan? What is reaching North America and Europe? As Japanese government tightens its grip on information, the Fukushima site is dumping rad-waste into the Pacific, and seafood and sea life are being affected.
Download/Listen   1:00:00
Get more Radio EcoShock here

Politics and Science

Chris Busby:  The Effects of Low Level Radiation on Human Health — 30 Mar 2011 — Scientist Chris Busby explains why official assurances that low-dose radiation is not harmful are wrong—they fail to take proper account of internal emitters and localized effects on human physiology.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   53:21

               

IODINE BASICS
IN A WORLD OF RISING RADIATION LEVELS

Mercola.com — 25 Mar 2011
You'd be smart to assume the government's advice to take high-dose potassium-iodide upon radiation exposure is not necessarily the best approach to mitigating radiation exposure. In this interview, Dr. David Brownstein discusses how the vast majority of US people are deficient in iodine; reviews how the body uses iodine (it's not just in the thyroid); outlines the right ways to test for iodine deficiency; discusses the right forms of iodine to take; and talks about iodine use in the context of radiation exposure.

Mercola reference page  |  Download/Listen   31:50

One Radio Network

NOTE: You need free One Radio Network account to listen/download their MP3s.

Dr. John Apsley on Radiation and Health—Understand, Protect and Regenerate — 31 Mar 2011 — Apsley discusses the science on low-levels radiation exposure—which may soon be a very relevant topic in the US. Nuke apologists often say that low level exposure to fallout is the same as (just as "safe" as) exposure to background radiation or dental x-rays. But Apsley says this is bogus—it completely misunderstands internalization (eating/drinking/breathing) of radioactive particles vs. radiation exposure. He also discuses how the aware individual can deal with fallout products other than iodine-131.
Part 1:  Download/Listen   57:13
Part 2:  Download/Listen   58:40

Nuke movies and videos:
-- Free video: Nuclear Energy Myths/Facts Video
-- Movies list: Nuclear/Environmental Movies

TAKING ON THE NUCLEAR NOISE MACHINE

Grinning Planet

Introduction:  Unspinning Fukushima and Nuclear Energy — 01 Apr 2011 — There is a tremendous amount of obfuscation, inconsistency, and outright lying going on among the people in charge, and the mainstream media is largely following that tack unquestioningly. We're also hearing a lot of general happy-talk about nuclear safety and the supposed importance of nuclear to our energy future. (Even Obama is still flacking for nukes.) Below you will find stories that I think reflect a more accurate assessment of the Fukushima situation and the truth about nuclear energy.  —Mark

Fairewinds Associates

Gundersen:  Evacuation Zone is Too Small — 31 Mar 2011 — Arnie Gundersen, chief nuclear engineer at Fairewinds Associates, talks about the releases of radioactive liquids and gases, and the high level of radioactive water entering the ocean from the reactor trenches. In terms of air releases, he says the evacuation zone is too small based on the likely level of radiation already released. In part 2, he discusses video showing that there is no water in the fuel-rack pool—and why this is bad news.
Update 1:  Watch  |  Download/Listen   7:00
Update 2:  Watch  |  Download/Listen   5:07

Gundersen on Plutonium Release and Radioactive Water in Ocean — 29 Mar 2011 — Arnie Gundersen discusses the plutonium release at Fukushima; how leakages in the containment system can allow radioactive water into the ocean without an outright failure; the status of the reactor cores; the overall projection.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   8:04

Gary Null Show

Lies, Damn Lies, and Nuclear Statistics — 24 Mar 2011 — Gary plays a string of clips from TV pundits making ridiculous, unsupportable claims about the safety and effectiveness of nuclear energy. Then he reviews the science that shows what nonsense we're hearing from the talking heads on cable news. His guests include nuclear researcher Dr. Christopher Busby.
Download/Listen   58:14

Radio EcoShock

Japan—Triple Meltdown — 01 Apr 2011 — There is confirmation that three reactors are damaged and melting down. Radioactive particles are spreading around the world. Japanese TV is offering civil defense info. Also discussed: breastfeeding, pregnancy, and which veggies are safe during the crisis. ~~ There will be serious economic impact worldwide. ~~ With California reactors built on a quake zone, how citizens can take action?
Audio no longer available from host site.   1:00:00
Get more Radio EcoShock here

TUC Radio

Helen Caldicott on Impact of Radiation from Nuclear Power Plants — 22 Mar 2011 — This 2009 speech from Helen Caldicott, in which she reviews the scientific basis for the dangers of nuclear radiation, is still perfectly relevant today.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

Living On Earth

True Cost Accounting for Nuclear Power — 25 Mar 2011 — Amory Lovins gives a very good appraisal of why we don't need nuclear energy to meet carbon-reduction targets. He also dispels some of the myths the nuclear industry routinely promote.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:48

Guns and Butter

Keith Harmon Snow:  Nuclear Apocalypse In Japan — 23 Mar 2011 — Topics include:  Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO); spent fuel pools; absence of cooling water; Japanese society; Mark I Boiling Water Reactors; major safety issues; US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's public document rooms; Price Anderson Act.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:53

Earthbeat Radio

Fukushima Information Fiasco + Obama's Nuclear Connections + The Billionaire Push for Coal in Wyoming + A Halt to Cap and Trade? — 29 Mar 2011 — The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has quietly doubled what it considers "safe" exposure levels to nuclear radiation, and the US EPA has begun testing milk for radiation contamination.. ~~ How is spent fuel handled in the US? Are safety claims for nuclear energy bogus? ~~ Some of President Obama's closest advisers, staffers, and fundraisers have close ties to the nuclear industry. ~~ The US has opened up huge swaths of public land in Wyoming to coal mining in a deal for billionaires. ~~ A California court has put the kibosh on cap and trade in the state.
No longer available   57:00

Nuke Debate + New Gulf Oil Spill + Stronger Coal Regs — 22 Mar 2011 — The quantities of spent nuclear fuel stored at power plants in the US is even greater than at the Fukushima plant. ~~ Greg Palast reveals that TEPCO has been contracted to help build two nuclear power plants in Texas. ~~ A debate over America's nuclear industry between Arjun Makhijani and a nuclear industry defender. ~~ The US Coast Guard is investigating reports of new oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico from a spill about 30 miles offshore. ~~ The EPA is setting a national standard for mercury pollution from power plants.
No longer available   57:00

One Radio Network

NOTE: You need free One Radio Network account to listen/download their MP3s.

Clay, Not KI — 17 Mar 2011 — Two natural health experts—(1) Mark Sircus; (2) Michael King—discuss the most effective ways to deal with radiation exposure. Internal and external use of absorptive clays is a top choice.
Sircus:  Download/Listen   1:01:34
King:  Download/Listen   1:10:29

Gary Null Show

Beyond Potassium Iodide—But Not Corruption — 16 Mar 2011 — (1) Gary offers (an almost overwhelming) list of natural substances that can help mitigate radiation exposure. ~~ (2) Harvey Wasserman discusses US nuclear energy in the context of the Japan situation. ~~ (3) Greg Palast discusses the official corruption and lying that has masked the true dangers of the nuclear industry.
Download/Listen   39:40

Radio EcoShock

Japan—Twilight of the Nuclear Gods — 18 Mar 2011 — Developing news from a chain of reactor fires, explosions, radiation. Segments include Nicole Foss of The Automatic Earth, Shawn Patrick of Greenpeace, and alternative news clips. What does it mean for aging American reactors? For Canada, Europe? Segments on government information withholding in Japan, the larger risk of spent fuel ponds, and the same old reactor types in America.
Audio no longer available from host site.   1:00:00
Get more Radio EcoShock here

On The Media

Japan's Information Crisis — 18 Mar 2011 — Japan's prime minister Naoto Kan demanded to know from executives of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), "What the hell is going on?" Why is information from the company so hard to get, and can we even trust it? Political analyst and Tokyo resident Michael Cucek says TEPCO represents a textbook case of what not to do in crisis management.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:52

Political Analysis

Solartopia—A Green-Powered Earth — 22 Feb 2011 — Harvey Wasserman contrasts the still-alive nuclear expansion vs. a "solartopia"—a vast expansion of alternative energy, especially distributed solar.
Sorry, audio no longer available from host site.   53:38

Related resources:
-- Solar Energy Books
-- Article on Home Solar

The Real News

Obama's World Without Nuclear Weapons — 25 Apr 2010 — Jonathan Schell discusses the complex issue of nuclear weapons and disarmament.
PART1:  Watch  |  Download/Listen   8:51
PART2:  Watch  |  Download/Listen   10:45

Science Friday

Improved Nuclear Technology vs. Our Homer Simpson World — 05 Mar 2010 — Is a nuclear revival in the US a good idea? Has the technology improved enough to make it safe and cost-effective? One idea is to drill holes deep, deep in the ground and permanently store nuclear waste there.  (Good thing the earth never shoots stuff back up out of the ground....um.... Doh! --GP)
Download/Listen   28:11

Living On Earth

(Nuclear) Waste Not, Want Not — 26 Feb 2010 — President Obama's decision to cut funds for the Yucca Nuclear Waste Repository leaves operators of nuclear reactors around the nation storing more than 120 million pounds of their plants' own high level waste.
PART 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   10:36
PART 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:38

CounterSpin

Iran, Nuclear Power — 26 Feb 2010 — Segments include... Weekly wrap-up of bad reportage in the mainstream media plus Cyrus Safdari on Iran and Robert Alvarez on nuclear power.
Download/Listen   28:00

PBS NewsHour

Reactor Plan Renews Debate on Nuclear Energy — 17 Feb 2010 — Obama wants to raise spending on nuclear energy from $18 billion (under Bush) to a whopping $55 billion. We hear a short debate on the two sides of the pros and cons of a "nuclear revival."
Watch  |  Download/Listen   12:38

The Real News

Nuclear Power – Regaining Favor, or Asking for Favors? — 24 Jan 2010 — If nuclear power plants are such a great idea, why does industry need tens of billions of dollars in loan guarantees to build more power plants?
Watch  |  Download/Listen   6:48

Radio EcoShock

Atomic Dreams, Climate Nightmares — 22 Jan 2010 — Can nuclear power really replace coal and save the climate? New interview with Helen Caldicott, analysis of Korea-UAE nuke deal, and why is James Hansen going nuclear?
Download/Listen   1:00:00
Get more Radio EcoShock here

AD CLICKS AND AMAZON PURCHASES FROM HERE HELP SUPPORT THIS FREE SITE. THANKS!

Search Amazon.com ....

If you find Grinning Planet's free feed of audio clips on nuclear energy, nuclear waste, and the nuclear crisis valuable... so might others — please  tell a friend

Or share this specific page:

Current News Download for all topics

AUDIO BY TOPIC:
  - Financial, Empire, Elites
  - Corporations, Corporate Power, Globalization
  - Media, Communications, Internet
  - History & Learning
  - Energy, Peak Oil, Resilience
  - Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Waste
  - Environment
  - Animal Welfare, Species, Biodiversity
  - Food, Nutrition, Organics, GMOs
  - Health
  - Gardening & Agriculture
  - Music
  - Cool & Cosmic, Transformation, Consciousness

RELATED PAGES:
  - Other Video News/Audio News Sites
  - Investigative Journalism/News Analysis
  - Environmental News

MISC:
  - Progressive Videos and Animations (funny and serious)
  - Funny Animations/Videos (just plain funny)
  - Site Map
  - Home Page