Q&A
Who are you?
Mothers for Nuclear is an environmental organization started by two mothers, Heather Hoff and Kristin Zaitz, to encourage pro-nuclear mothers to speak out and begin an international dialogue about nuclear power and environmental protection.
Why are you focused on mothers?
Because mothers are powerful. We will do anything to protect our children. We need a huge level of commitment if we are going to protect our children's health, the environment, and the climate. Mothers should be the biggest advocates for nuclear. We believe they will be, once they learn the truth.
What are you asking people to do?
If you support nuclear power, share your story. If you are open-minded but hesitant, please ask us questions. We work at a nuclear power plant and know a lot about what it is and how it runs. We have also learned a lot about how energy works on the grid, and unfortunately, the things we do to feel good about helping our planet are not always what they seem.
You can ask questions and we'll do our best to answer them on our Dialogue blog. Or reach out to us through any of our social media channels!
Are you just trying to save your jobs?
No. If Diablo Canyon is closed, the two of us will get other good jobs, either at PG&E or elsewhere. But our kids will end up breathing dirtier air, and we will have failed to keep our promise to leave behind a world better than the one we inherited. We started Mothers for Nuclear because we feel an obligation to speak out and start a conversation. We also happen to love our jobs. ;-)
What do you hope to accomplish?
We hope to help people see nuclear for what it is - a vitally important environmental technology - and overcome fears that are based on misinformation. Once that happens, decision-makers will feel enabled to help. Policies will change, nuclear plants will stay open, and new nuclear plants can be built. We would like to see all fossil fuel plants replaced by clean sources of energy including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and nuclear power as quickly as possible.
Why are nuclear plants closing early?
Nuclear plants are closing for the same reason everywhere: unfair policies against nuclear motivated by popular fears. Wind and solar have boomed over the last five years, thanks to generous federal subsidies and state mandates that have excluded and disadvantaged nuclear power. We are just beginning to see this shift.
But isn't nuclear dangerous?
Nuclear power is the safest way to generate grid electricity, period. Year after year, independent public health experts review the data and publish their findings in leading scientific journals. Nuclear always comes out ahead. There is zero debate among public health researchers and scientists about this question.
What about the accidents?
The two worst accidents, Chernobyl and Fukushima, show that, even in the most extreme situations, there is little to no health impact on the public. The greatest damage is caused when people panic or respond in self-destructive ways to anti-nuclear fear-mongering — another reason for people to learn the truth about nuclear. Our FEAR of nuclear is dangerous, not nuclear itself.
Can't we just switch to solar and wind?
Hospitals, schools, cities, and everything else that keeps us and our children safe need power 100 percent of the time. We don't have large-scale electricity back up or storage, which is why solar and wind, which produce power just 20-30 percent of the time, are backed up by fossil fuels. Batteries and storage are coming along, but we don’t want to wait for technological advances when we need to address climate change now.
Do you really think people can get over their fears?
Yes. Throughout history people have overcome all sorts of fears, from vaccines to electricity to people who are different than them. We get over our fears by making them explicit, talking about them with family and friends, and understanding the facts.
Are you an industry front group?
No. We are moms who have been trying to save Diablo Canyon, California's last nuclear plant, and decided we needed to ask other moms for help. Nobody asked us to make this web site or start a nonprofit, and we certainly didn't ask anyone's permission. Indeed, we would like to emphasize that we do not speak for our employer, who only recently has has a change of direction regarding Diablo Canyon, but still insists they are only “following state policy.”
What will donations be used for?
We both have full time jobs and are hoping to use donations to cover the expenses of editing and posting new stories, responding to questions, and travel.
I have a lot more questions about nuclear. Where can I get answers?
Please ask them as comments on our Dialogue page. As we answer them, we will post updated answers here.
We will also offer a host of other information as we learn along with you.
Do you have to be a mom to be a part of Mothers for Nuclear?
No, we often joke that we are mothers, brothers, and others. We are HUMANS who support clean energy to enable a better future for us on this planet we call home.