I'm not a nuclear expert, but I do specialize in environmental impact avoidance, mitigation, and restoration. So I'm always looking at the relationship between humans and the environment, especially during disasters.
As we watch the nuclear disaster go from bad to worse following the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, I've been shocked and disappointed by the efforts of the media to downplay the risks. It reminds me of the propaganda of the Bush Administration leading up to the Iraq war--easy to see through as B.S., if you are paying attention.
Expert after expert from the nuclear industry has appeared on CNN and the other news networks telling us not to worry, downplaying the disaster with almost a cavalier attitude. It seems like in the absence of reliable information, the one talking point everyone agreed on was to try to avoid saying anything that could cause a panic--regardless of whether panicking was necessary or a good idea.
The news reports go from bad to worse and the information gets revised daily.
