Prior knowledge of nuclear energy came from:
- Education: including AP environmental history in high school, environmental justice at Macalester, and history presentation on nuclear bombs in high school
- Popular Cultures: Chernobyl, The Simpsons, Demon Core, nuclear bomb development
- Family and Friends: a father who’s a high school science teacher, a father who’s an environmental conservator, and a boyfriend from Germany
- Geographic Location: living near/driving by nuclear plants
Monticello and Prairie Island Plant Knowledge:
- Easier to find information on Monticello
- Most Prairie Island information related to the indigenous reservation
- No one knew a ton of information
- One person had heard of Monticello, no one knew of Prairie Island
Nuclear Power as a Sustainable Source of Energy:
- General feelings of fear around nuclear energy, but not necessarily bad in and of itself
- Shifting feelings around nuclear throughout life, given education, family members, etc.
- Easier to implement than other renewable energy sources
- Issues with indestructible matter, nuclear energy waste
- Lack of knowledge around feasibility of renewable energy implementation
