Heather Kleb
Growing up, I spent a lot of time camping in the mixed wood forests of Manitoba, swimming in Lake Winnipeg and honing my nature skills with the Girl Guides of Canada.
It was through the Girl Guides that I was introduced to the study of Ecology. I learned the basics of environmental assessment while assessing the potential environmental effects of the access road to my parents’ off-the-grid cottage, in pursuit of my Ecology badge.
Since that time, I have earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Ecology and participated in numerous environmental assessments in the logging, mining, oil and gas and nuclear industries. Over the course of my career, I have assessed the environmental effects of radioactive waste cleanup projects and reviewed many of the environmental assessments completed in the nuclear energy industry.
Through those experiences, I have come to understand just how moderate the environmental effects of the nuclear industry really are. With a small geographic footprint, minimal emissions to the air and water, environmental assessments in the nuclear industry make for relatively unexciting reading, when compared to other industries.
In fact, the air emissions from nuclear are so minimal that I have come to believe that nuclear power is the source of clean energy with the greatest potential to mitigate climate change.
And I share this opinion with the public through my involvement with Women in Nuclear (WiN), where I serve as President of WiN Canada and Vice-President of WiN Global. WiN Canada is a nation-wide, not for profit organization with the goal of making the public, particularly women, aware of the many benefits of nuclear.
“Nuclear power is the source of clean energy with the greatest potential to mitigate climate change.”
I also continue to share my appreciation of the natural environment, particularly with my husband, young son and Labrador retriever. Together we explore Canada’s parks and protected areas. We also live on beautiful Lake Huron, near the largest operating nuclear power plant in the world, the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant where I work as a senior manager in regulatory affairs.
This article represents Heather Kleb's opinion alone and not that of her employer.