Reply #13: For nuclear vs. agriculture, it's no question: agriculture [View All]

[XemaSab]

For the second one, that's a really, really broad comparison to make. I'm leaning towards agriculture, but that's assuming that the fossil fuel extraction and use are done in a responsible manner, so no oil spills, scrubbers on the smokestacks, revegetation of mine sites, and so on.

The big problem with agriculture is it destroys habitats, uses clean water, and pollutes. Fossil fuels, when extracted and burned responsibly, use clean water, pollute, and contribute to climate change. But analyzing climate change impacts is a really difficult and contentious topic, while habitat destruction is much more quantifiable.

Ultimately, I'm worried that the focus on "global warming" takes energy away from other environmental battles, such as habitat protection and preventing pollution. :(