Capitals nuclear energy sponsor has environmentalists seeing red _ not green
By APThursday, October 1, 2009
Capitals nuclear energy ads irk environmentalists
WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals are opening the NHL season with a new sponsor that has some environmentalists seeing red instead of green.
The Nuclear Energy Institute says it’s placing signs at the Verizon Center to promote the clean-air benefits of nuclear energy. Supporters say nuclear energy provides electricity without the emissions of coal or other fossil fuels.
But environmental groups such as Greenpeace are crying foul. Nuclear policy analyst Jim Riccio says the Washington-based group doesn’t want sports teams being used to greenwash nuclear power, which it believes isn’t a solution to global warming.
The group says nuclear plants take years to build and methods of disposing nuclear waste haven’t been developed.
