School For Independent Learners

The recent 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan and the revelation that their nuclear power plants could have leaked radiation reminds me of past nuclear accidents. This post is not about the tragedy in Japan, as everyone has probably already heard or read, but about history. Or more to the point, lessons I remember of history.

I think many people remember the Chernobyl disaster of April 1986. The nuclear accident that I remembered first was the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident on March 28, 1979. TMI is near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the state capitol.

That is almost 32 years ago.  I was alive, but too young to remember that day.   It did affect my up-bring and schooling. I grew up within 10 miles of TMI, and in elementary school, we were required to have our parents sign “in-case of emergency” evacuation forms relating to any potential nuclear accidents from TMI.  We even took a field trip to TMI in elementary school to learn about nuclear power. When my family moved to the neighboring town a few years later, and we were outside of the 10-mile radius, the emergency forms were not required.

Growing up, the TMI accident was in the back of my mind, but it was never a major concern.  After college, I worked in Harrisburg for a number years, and I was at most six miles from TMI. Maybe I should worry about nuclear plants more.  Now that I live in California, my concerns are earthquakes. Oh, wait . . .