In desperate times, people look at desperate measures.

James Lovelock - - who is one of the leading environmentalists on the planet has made a startling proposal: that the best way to save the Amazon from being destroyed is to turn it into a repository for nuclear waste.

He argues in “The Revenge of Gaia” that animals and plants don’t perceive radioactivity as a danger. What is far more threatening to ecosystems are people — who create extensive farming or mining and construction sites.  So to keep humans out of valuable ecosystems, we could dump our nuclear waste there.

That will keep people out.
Oddly, both plants and animals have increased around the areas of Belarus that were heavily radiated after the accident at Chernobyl, although radiation reduces their lifespan.

The lack of human intervention may make nuclear wildlife refuges more beneficial overall:

“The preference of wildlife for nuclear-waste sites suggests that the best sites for its disposal are the tropical forests and other habitats in need of a reliable guardian against their destruction by hungry farmers and developers.”

If we are to preserve the lungs of the planet, maybe making them radioactive is the best chance we have.
What else does Lovelock suggest? He also recommends enjoying life now.
“Because”, as Lovelock says, “if you’re lucky it’s going to be 20 years before it hits the fan.”

Source: GO Media -Written by Susan Kraemer - Image from Harvard’s Belfer Center,Via Treehugger

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