Rhetorical Analysis Of Nuclear Waste By Richard Muller

1997 Words4 Pages

The article “Nuclear Waste” is an interesting perspective from Richard Muller. Muller is a very credited author and he speaks his mind about the situation where people are trying to figure out how to deal with nuclear waste around the U.S. There are many proposed ideas but Muller has a very simple and straight forward idea that he believes is the ideal decision. The essay he wrote can be interpreted in different ways but his motive for writing is very clear. Muller’s background is quite impressive because he is highly credited. When reading Muller’s essay, you notice points that supports his argument and truth about the situation around nuclear power. He brings his outlook on the situation to the audience and conveys that viewpoint convincingly. …show more content…

The audience he is trying to convince while criticizing is the government. He feels as if the nuclear problem has an easy solution, which is putting it in Yucca Mountain. Muller feels as if his idea is the best idea yet and unmatched. Muller says that “waste leakage from Yucca Mountain is not a great danger” (258) While he states other issues for example in Colorado, where radioactive material is very close to some sources for drinking water. He is saying that the danger of putting the nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain is 20 times less than the danger in the Colorado River. Muller also points out how the government is making this problem with the nuclear waste such a big deal. They make it seem so dangerous, which makes the people think it is dangerous. This causes the people to worry about the danger of the nuclear waste, when in reality the danger is not great. Instead there are other problems that are more detrimental, but the government is not giving it the attention it needs. In the essay Muller writes that “Raise the standards, increase the safety, do more research, study the problem in greater depth, and in the process you will improve safety and frighten the public” (Muller 259) He says this near the end of his …show more content…

He gives facts to back it up. “The underground tunnels at Yucca Mountain are designed to hold 77,000 tons of high-level nuclear waste.” (Muller 255) It is obvious that Muller just wants people to see how insignificant the debate of nuclear waste is. He talks about greater problems as I stated about Colorado but to be more in depth about that situation Muller says “water that runs through, around, and over this radioactive rock is the source of the Colorado River, which is used for drinking water in much of the West, including Los Angeles and San Diego.” (Muller 257) There are prominent problems that need to be assisted and taken care of. Spending so much time and money on nuclear waste is just squandering

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