Educational Media Reviews Online

As the film’s title suggests, interest in nuclear power generation is growing as concerns about global climate changes increase. The opening segment notes that nuclear energy is clearly a low-carbon footprint energy resource. The rest of the video examines the risks associated with nuclear power plants including production of nuclear weapons material, plant accidents, terrorism, plant decommissioning costs, and long-term radioactive waste storage. Though this is a reasonably balanced presentation which includes interviews with various people in the industry and a “pro-nuclear” environmentalist, there is little hard science and no rigorous risk assessment presented. The most compelling footage is an on-site visit to the Chernobyl reactor site and the near-by abandoned city of Pripyat. The final segment touches on the extent to which renewable energy resources such as wind and solar can be an effective alternative to nuclear power. The film presents a truly global perspective on the nuclear power issue that includes tours of the first commercial nuclear power plant in Britain, nuclear waste storage under the Baltic Sea, and a uranium mine in Australia.

Teachers could effectively use this video as a starting point for a discussion of the social and environmental aspects of worldwide energy production. Given the film’s strong focus on risks of nuclear energy production, teachers may wish to supplement this presentation with other material discussing more fully the benefits and experiences of nations such as France that have made a major commitment to nuclear facilities.

Awards

• Best New Zealand Feature, 2007 Doc NZ Documentary Film Festival