Pandora's Promise
This mind-bending documentary shows how some leading environmentalists have come to support the use of nuclear energy. They claim that the concerns of climate change are so dire, that non-carbon-producing nuclear power is the best solution to mitigate the effects of our years of fossil-fuel guzzling. The film makes a surprisingly persuasive argument. Experts explain the ways that nuclear energy technology has advanced (new reactors recycle waste back into fuel) and examine what they say is misinformation (inflated radiation fears, that conservation and alternative energies could be enough). The truth is, we cannot continue to extract every last bit of oil, coal, and natural gas, then burn it and send it into the atmosphere. The film lays out the benefits of nuclear energy: It doesn’t pollute the air, it doesn’t damage the ozone, and it produces large amounts of energy, which is inexpensive for consumers. One environmentalist says: “To be anti-nuclear is basically to be in favor of burning fossil fuels. I finally had to change my mind.” (GILLIAN ANDERSON)