Skip Navigation | HOME | UK Indymedia | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Support Us

manchester Indymedia

Warning over Nuclear Industry Freshwater Use

Marianne Birkby | 10.07.2010 09:52 | Analysis | Climate Chaos | Energy Crisis | World

While Cumbrians face the prospect of £1000 fine for using a hosepipe during
the drought - Sellafield uses the equivalent of Millom, Barrow and
Ulverston's fresh water put together every day. Over 4 million gallons
are abstracted daily from Wastwater, Britain's favourite view, in order to prevent the high level liquid wastes from boiling.

A Pictorial View of the Lakes Nuclear Sacrifice Zone - from Coniston Old Man
A Pictorial View of the Lakes Nuclear Sacrifice Zone - from Coniston Old Man


For its use of freshwater the nuclear industry pays exactly- nothing !
(apart from an abstraction license ie same as river hydro which puts the
water straight back). Nice subsidy if you can get it.

People in the Lakes are urged to save water and struggling to meet ever
increasing water utility bills while Sellafield cools its high level liquid
wastes and douses its workforce with pressure washes on Lakeland water for
free , using more water than any other industrial user in Cumbria.

If nuclear fans achieve their ambition of new nuclear build, Cumbria will
be enslaved to cooling the heels of the nuclear industry for many hundreds
of years to come. The waste will be dangerously hot for far longer than the
geological time Wastwater was formed - a mere 10,000 years ago.

At the Lakes for Living, Lakes for Life conference last year, Eric Robson of Gardeners Question Time fame and celebrity chair of Cumbria Tourism, publicly stated that the freshwater abstraction from Wastwater is "entirely sustainable" and that the Lakes freshwater resources can cope with new nuclear build. Radiation Free Lakeland strongly disagree and ask: should the Chair of Cumbria Tourism be "doing everything in my power to promote the county's largest industry" ??? People love him - he is the friendly, reassuring chair of Gardeners Question Time - as with the Bishop of Carlisle's pro nuke statements this is an abuse of (or reason for?) top position in Cumbria.

A recent report by economists (not environmentalists) said "It is
increasingly clear that the era of cheap and easy access to water is
ending, posing a potentially greater threat to businesses than the loss of
any other natural resource, including fossil fuel resources," it adds.
"This is because there are various alternatives for oil, but for many
industrial processes, and for human survival itself, there is no
substitute for water." (Pacific Institute)




Wastwater to Wastewater - North West Evening Mail
 http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/from-wastwater-to-wastewater-1.153654?referrerPath=home/2.3320


Correspondence with Eric Robson - a letter requesting 10 minute slot to
talk about nuclear impacts at the Lakes for Living conference was
forwarded to him from the National Park organisers - he responded directly
to Radiation Free Lakeland - who never got the 10 minute slot.



> Dear Marianne Birkby,
>
> A few basic points.
>
> 1. I object to your cheap jibe that I'm the 'celebrity chair' of Cumbria
> Tourism. I'm a working chairman who does everything in his power to
> promote the county's largest industry.
>
> 2. It isn't 'rumoured' that I support new nuclear build. Personally I
> support new nuclear build because in my opinion the only proposed
> alternative is a proliferation of wind farms which will deliver
> insufficient energy to stop the lights going out while at the same time
> blighting the landscape and environment that you pretend to cherish.
>
> 3. You're not being stitched up. Just challenged.( Which I know is
> difficult to accept for those of a green and furry disposition who believe
> they have a divine right to acceptance.) The conference you object to is
> tackling serious issues as opposed to the part-digested posturing which
> graces most of your long email. 'Thirsty elephant in the room?' What on
> earth are you talking about? I wish I had the time to play such silly
> games. Unfortunately there are more pressing issues such as an
> international financial crisis and the need to protect jobs, businesses
> and the environment.
>
> 4. Forgive my bluntness, but as a working chairman I really object to
> groups who claim divine right in the absence of logical agrument.
>
> Eric Robson



Re: inaccurate email
From: marianne birkby
Date: Tue, April 7, 2009 11:36 pm
To: "eric robson"

Dear Eric Robson,

What is inaccurate ?

1. "Celebrity chair" was a statement of fact -I am sure you work hard
and get paid accordingly. I've been described as a celebrity - hilarious-
hardly a jibe "green and furry .. divine right" is good too.

2. The rumour of your nuclear support is true.
The nuclear industry after suppressing renewables for years have now come
out and said that wind energy would produce too much electricity for new
nuclear build. Nuclear is inflexible and requires fossil fuel back up.
Its time we looked at the landscape differently. Nuclear power stations
are ugly -as are the huge uranium mines feeding them - but some might find
them beautiful.

3. Not stitched up? Have you seen the NDA's spending on bribery? Every
where you turn in Cumbria the NDA has poured in taxpayers money - for
services that should be funded through national government. - hospitals,
universities, citizens advice bureau, council staff, made in cumbria,
staff, biodiversity action plan, cumbria wildlife trust etc etc . You
are right we are not being stitched up - its a form of abuse thats been
going on for years ......

I hope that the conference organisers will allow a speaker 10 minutes on
the impacts of the nuclear industry on the Lakes catchment areas.

If only someone had listened to the financial crisis whistleblowers -
living beyond our means is one thing - beyond the means of future
generations is crapola.

kind regards,
Marianne Birkby

Radiation Free Lakeland
 http://web.mac.com/mariannebirkby1/iWeb/Radiation%20Free%20Lakeland/Radiation%20Free%20Lakeland.html




If you are interested below are answers to some (not all) freedom of
information questions asked
recently of the NDA.

The MYTH Carbon Free -
Far from being 'carbon free' Sellafield buys in £30 million pounds worth
of gas every year to ensure 'security of energy supply' despite no
electricity being produced since 2003. Every nuclear power plant needs a
separate energy source and workers who need to travel in ( as plants are
positioned away from centres of population) to prevent catastrophe - long
after production of any electricity.

The MYTH Environmentally Sustainable -
Sellafield pipes over 4 million gallons of water a day from Wastwater -
Britains favourite view . As well as this, water is abstracted from River
Ehen, River Calder, Beckermet Mine and Boreholes near Calder Bridge and
Calder Valley.

Marianne Birkby
- e-mail: rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com
- Homepage: http://web.mac.com/mariannebirkby1/iWeb/Radiation%20Free%20Lakeland/Radiation%20Free%20Lakeland.html

Download this article in pdf format >>

Email this article to someone >>

Submit an addition or make a quick comment on this article >>

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Which industry is he talking about - Tourism?

10.07.2010 10:13

At the Lakes for Living conference Mr Robson did a good job of promoting the nuclear industry and undermining renewables.



marianne Birkby
mail e-mail: rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com


Drought

10.07.2010 16:27

In a drought we need water for essential uses like industry and drinking. That's why we have a hosepipe ban. Most people never use a hosepipe from one year to the next anyway.

We are going to get new nuclear power stations. Nothing the eco-brigade do will change that.

Pete


Essential

10.07.2010 19:05

Mmmm

I notice that industry is put before drinking

"Essential" industry has a lot to answer for already without new nuclear build trashing a livable Earth.

marianne Birkby
mail e-mail: rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com


industry and drinking

10.07.2010 23:34

>> Mmmm
>> I notice that industry is put before drinking

Typically, it is usual in the English language to put the most import thing last for enphasis.
Most people write a list separated by commas and then put the last one after the word AND.
Eg. x,y and z

So i would read this as driinking being more important than Industry.

Anyway, its got nothing to do with it. Im sure how this person has written things has no bearing or effect on the actual priorities and procedures followed by the water utility companies - i may be wrong but i doubt it.

handjob


Freshwater Priority

13.07.2010 11:18

If nuclear fans were to get their hearts desire and there was new build - the wastes would be given top priority for freshwater supply - 24 hours a day - 7 days a week for tens of decades to come, both during and long after the plants have stopped producing electricity.

Domestic users of freshwater- you, me, uncle Tom Cobley and all would have to take a running jump.


marianne Birkby
mail e-mail: rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com


Publish

Publish your news

Do you need help with publishing?

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

Manchester Topics

Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista

Manchester Actions 2010

Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands

Manchester Actions 2009

COP15 Climate Summit 2009
G20 London Summit
Guantánamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
University Occupations for Gaza

Manchester Actions 2008

2008 Days Of Action For Autonomous Spaces
Campaign against Carmel-Agrexco
Climate Camp 2008
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Smash EDO
Stop Sequani Animal Testing
Stop the BNP's Red White and Blue festival

Manchester Actions 2007

Climate Camp 2007
DSEi 2007
G8 Germany 2007
Mayday 2007
No Border Camp 2007

Manchester Actions 2006

April 2006 No Borders Days of Action
Art and Activism Caravan 2006
Climate Camp 2006
Faslane
French CPE uprising 2006
G8 Russia 2006
Lebanon War 2006
March 18 Anti War Protest
Mayday 2006
Oaxaca Uprising
Refugee Week 2006
Rossport Solidarity
SOCPA
Transnational Day of Action Against Migration Controls
WSF 2006

Manchester Actions 2005

DSEi 2005
G8 2005
WTO Hong Kong 2005

Manchester Actions 2004

European Social Forum
FBI Server Seizure
May Day 2004
Venezuela

Manchester Actions 2003

Bush 2003
DSEi 2003
Evian G8
May Day 2003
No War F15
Saloniki Prisoner Support
Thessaloniki EU
WSIS 2003

Languages

english

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech