1,000 US High School Students to Do Volunteer Cleanup, Tree-Planting in Fukushima

Full TItle: 1,000 US High School Students to Do Volunteer Cleanup, Tree-Planting in #Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, Ibaraki and Observe Japan's Recovery

Following the footsteps of the students from Middle Tennessee State University, 1,000 high school students from across the United States will be volunteering in the disaster affected Tohoku, in Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, and Ibaraki Prefectures. Activities will include clean-up and planting trees, according to the Japanese government foundation who invited them.

Around 1,000 high school students and youths from the United States will visit the Tohoku region in three groups from Sunday to carry out volunteer work in four disaster-hit prefectures at the invitation of the Japan Foundation.

Each group will stay in the country for a fortnight and engage in various exchanges with locals in Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures, according to the foundation, which specializes in cultural exchanges.

Participants in the program will come from 40 schools across the United States, including areas affected by natural disasters in the past, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The last group will arrive in late July.

Some of the students are from the former schools of two young American teachers killed by the March 2011 tsunami — Taylor Anderson from Virginia and Montgomery Dickson from Alaska — who were teaching English at schools in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, and Rikuzentakata in Iwate. Those students will visit both cities, which were devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

All those taking part will also visit Kobe to witness the city's recovery from the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake.

The above Japan Times article doesn't say much about the students' activities beyond "cultural exchanges", but the Foundation's press release does.

It’s not ‘sneering’ it’s healthy humor.

Come on, someone claiming those tens of thousands of skiers were “pro nuke shills “ is funny. Admit it.
Likewise claiming all the area is a “radioactive waste land “
And that’s just in the first sentence of your reply!

Can’t unconvince people who believe this stuff, but it is good for a laugh.

Because of legal individual exposure limits, including monthly, quarterly, and annual limits, they need lots of workers to cycle in and out of service. There is such an immense amount of work to do, that if you only have a limited number of workers, the amount of time the cleanup is going to take is only that much longer. Also, more workers will mean a lower average exposure to each worker. The work has to get done, so importing workers is perfectly legitimate here.

Actually a great opportunity for nuclear workers.

Actually the pro nuke shills convinced skiers it was safe and a great idea, the skiers themselves are not the shills. In fact, pro nuke shills avoid the area and certainly don’t live in the contaminated zones.
Radioactive waste land it quite accurate - those pesky people living in contaminated regions of Chernobyl find that human health deteriorates until supplied with non-contaminated food! Imagine that! No one has figured out how to clean the soil around Chernobyl either; it’s just not feasible. And well, some of those isotopes last thousands of years.

Oh I think your sense of humor is sick but I wouldn’t bother trying to change your mind about that. It does strike me as indecent after watching videos from the Chernobyl region and reading the international health studies - but human suffering doesn’t matter to pro nuke shills. In fact, pro nukers pretend that Chernobyl doesn’t exist and all concerns regarding health are merely urban myths...oh and they stay clear of the area whenever politics doesn’t make them show up.

Each individual worker is ultimately responsible for monitoring and tracking his own exposure...it's the individual that has the most to lose. Of course this is in addition to the plant monitoring and tracking worker exposures.

When workers go into a radiation area, they carry at least 2 types of personal dosimetry. One kind can be read by the individual while being exposed, one has to be read by a machine after the exposure. In addition, the areas around the site are routinely surveyed and radiation levels are posted in the area and briefed before personnel enter the area for work. This aids in determining an individual's exposure by counting up the amount of time spent in a given radiation area. By reviewing and comparing all three methods, a pretty accurate exposure level can be determined.

Radiation monitors can not be used unless they are in current calibration--calibrations are done periodically depending on the type of detector, and standard procedure is to check a detector's calibration before using it. Some detectors even come equipped with their own radioactive source, so calibration can be checked every time the instrument is used. BTW, rad monitors don't estimate anything...they show actual rad levels, as long as they are correctly calibrated.

TEPCO and the Japanese government couldn't lie about rad levels if they wanted to--too much independent verification there for them to get away with it. There may be some discrepancies, but I give them the benefit of the doubt.

The people working at Fukushima are all very well trained in all aspects of radiological controls. They are smart, competent, and capable. They, above all, know the risks they are taking. Same goes for anyone who comes in from outside Japan to help in the recovery and cleanup. I would have absolutely no problem going there to work, if I was not otherwise busy (my bad knee wouldn't help, either).

BTW...a few zoomies now and again are good for the soul...};o)

There may be some discrepancies, but I give them the benefit of the doubt.

Each and every individual will have to make that decision for themselves, but they have to at least realize that the Japanese government and Tepco have admitted lying. So there is a track record of lies. And they also need to realize that any contamination they receive will be eventually brought back to their home countries.

And there is also a history of problems with communications within Tepco and Japan. Just recently the government run inquiry into the Fukushima crisis determined that Tepco did not ask to abandon Plant #1 and eventually possibly Plant #2.

Apparently the Japanese words and phrase used can be perceived as either:

- temporarily partially abandoning Fukushima #1 due to high radiaition levels and then returning later.

- possibly meaning abandon Fukushima #1 and possibly #2 permanently but in a slow staged process.

That is what you have to deal with over there.

Who hides from Chernobyl? It was a nasty accident caused by bad reactor design and poorly trained operators. The health effects of Chernobyl have been the most studied in human history. As bad as it was, it was not nearly what it was made out to be.

Health Impacts Chernobyl Accident Appendix 2

Some conclusions from the article:
"413. Apart from the substantial increase in thyroid cancer after childhood exposure observed in Belarus, in the Russian Federation and in Ukraine, there is no evidence of a major public health impact related to ionizing radiation 14 years after the Chernobyl accident. No increases in overall cancer incidence or mortality that could be associated with radiation exposure have been observed. For some cancers no increase would have been anticipated as yet, given the latency period of around 10 years for solid tumours. The risk of leukaemia, one of the most sensitive indicators of radiation exposure, has not been found to be elevated even in the accident recovery operation workers or in children. There is no scientific proof of an increase in other non-malignant disorders related to ionizing radiation."

Read the whole report...very detailed. Basically, since the Chernobyl incident and accompanying hype, predictions about exposures and health affects to the general population have been continuously revised downward. Much of the doom and gloom failed to materialize. Same will be the case with Fukushima.

And they also need to realize that any contamination they receive will be eventually brought back to their home countries.

Um, no. NO contamination will leave the site. Workers, wearing anti-contamination clothing (anti-Cs as they are known) are 'frisked' with radiation detectors after they remove the anti-Cs, and BEFORE they leave the area...all radiation areas are controlled, and there is a control point watch that checks everyone in and out. Any contamination will be detected, and anyone 'contaminated' has to be decontaminated before they are allowed to leave.

It may be true that parts of the plant had to be evacuated when rad levels were at their highest, but no part of Fukushima will be abandoned without full containment and control of the plant. They are there for the long haul.

rottendog:

“Who hides from Chernobyl?”
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Specifically, you hide from Chernobyl, rottndog.

You link to a publication that, according to its banner heading represents ‘people and organizations of the global nuclear profession.’ Those people have done a fantastic job of lying about their responsibility and the true medical aftermath of their industry.
Now, those reading this who are not nuclear shills may be interested in a report created by doctors who continue to deal with the medical disaster ongoing in the Chernobyl region right now (http://www.strahlentelex.de/Yablokov%20Chernobyl%20book.pdf) or perhaps view the videos available detailing the grinding illness and damage to DNA, or perhaps read books like “The Voices of Chernobyl” to get an honest look at the situation. There are accounts of regions in the Ukraine where ‘most children are ill’ and yes - early on there were international reports of astonishing increases in childhood thyroid cancers and leukemias. Or, perhaps peruse the BEIR VII report created by scientists in the US. It’s all there. You only need to deny it if you are a) hoping to continue a lucrative career in nuclear power and b)indifferent to human suffering caused by your industry.

Meanwhile, nuke shills say it all turned out JUST FINE.

You didn't even look at the article, did you?

The health effects of the Chernobyl accident have been the subject of unprecedented study by health professionals and unprecedented speculation and exaggeration by parts of the media. This Appendix summarises the following authoritative and expert assessments of the situation:

The 2006 report of the World Health Organization (WHO). Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident and Special Health Care Programmesa.

Exposures and effects of the Chernobyl accident, Annex J of the 2000 Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation to the General Assembly.

Estimated Long Term Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident, Background Paper 3 of the April 1996 conference in Vienna, One Decade After Chernobylc.

Lessons of Chernobyl - with particular reference to thyroid cancer by Zbigniew Jaworowski, former chairman of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.

Are you saying the sources I cited (members of various UN organizations) are shills for the nuclear industry?

If you are living in Japan, you are eating Japanese food. Therefore, you are ingesting higher then normal amounts of radioactive particles. You will be slowly shedding some of those internally contaminated particles over the years. There has also been complaints of workers getting internal contamination while working at the plant and they could not determine the source. We know that normal Japanese citizens are getting internal contamination because it has been metered in their defecation’s.

Um, no. NO contamination will leave the site. Workers, wearing anti-contamination clothing (anti-Cs as they are known) are ‘frisked’ with radiation detectors after they remove the anti-Cs, and BEFORE they leave the area...all radiation areas are controlled, and there is a control point watch that checks everyone in and out. Any contamination will be detected, and anyone ‘contaminated’ has to be decontaminated before they are allowed to leave.

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These are not ‘workers’ and they will be ‘cleaning up’ areas that Japan has declared ‘safe’ even those personal dosimeters purchased and used by citizens indicate it is not safe. Contaminated produce has been declared ‘safe’ as has contaminated meat from the area. It is illegal for Japanese doctors to examine ‘civilians’ from the area without permission from the government. Internal contamination is not being monitored in civilians nor are these civilians being decontaminated. The nuke industry is simply pretending that they are living in a contaminated zone but are not being harmed or ingesting or breathing it. The US will probably scan these kids on return but since our nuke industry is in collusion with their nuke industry and both are supported by national gov., we won’t hear about it. Oh they may be declared ‘safe’ upon return so later, if some should become ill from their exposure or that cohort have above average levels of DNA damage (children) they can ‘deny’ it but there is no real attempt to detect or decontaminate.

WHO was harnessed early by the UN. They were forbidden from releasing information without the express approval of the UN Nuclear agencies. WHO is trying to regain its autonomy and ‘right’ to speak freely but it has a ways to go.

Try to understand that countries with nuclear power defend their nuclear power. Hans Blix, head UN nuke expert, is on video tape explaining that he only accepted and reported 1/10 of the radiation reported by Gorbachev’s nuke experts. Gorby is on record responding in shock to that decision. Yes, the UN and WHO are more than willing to lie and distort. That’s why the link I provided points to a document by physicians who are pushing back against the GLOBAL denial of Chernobyl. That is the banner under the website you linked - ‘representing GLOBAL nuclear organizations and professionals’.

The nuke industry is simply pretending that they are living in a contaminated zone but are not being harmed or ingesting or breathing it.

Nuclear workers do not ingest or breathe in contamination...if there is airborne particulate contamination (something that is regularly monitored), anybody in the area will be wearing some form of respiratory protection. And, the anti-Cs I was referring to protect against contamination on the outside of the body.

The people working at Fukushima are all very well trained in all aspects of radiological controls

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Well actually Tepco has been criticized for recruiting untrained personell and failing to give them dosimeters and when asked, being unable to provide the names of the workers.
Early photos of Fukushima showed ‘workers’ wearing respirators improperly (over the TVEC suit instead of straps under it) in a manner dangerous considering where they were going. How about the guy caught smoking on the TEPCO dock next to the reactors? He had removed his respirator and was smoking a cigarette. No, too many are untrained and some are simply unaccounted for.

Yeah, UN, Black Helicopters, and all that stuff. All a big conspiracy.

You think with the left wing enviro-wacko domination of the UN that they wouldn't do anything and everything to get rid of nukes if they could? Have you heard the UN say anything about Chernobyl lately? They CAN'T, because the science and the studies undeniably show that the predictions of the effects of Chernobyl were highly exaggerated.

Nuclear workers do not ingest or breathe in contamination...if there is airborne particulate contamination (something that is regularly monitored), anybody in the area will be wearing some form of respiratory protection. And, the anti-Cs I was referring to protect against contamination on the outside of the body.

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I guess you missed the reports that came out a few months after the disaster. Nuke workers VISITING the area (no gear) said to be safe for citizens were scanned for radiation and had surprisingly high amounts of contaminants in their lungs. It was believed that they inhaled it while visiting the area (friends, family) during their own personal time off.

It’s hard to criticize what was going on at Fukushima after all hell broke loose. It was absolute chaos...no one really had a complete grasp of what was actually going on and what the extent of the damage to the reactor plants was. There absolutely was problems initially. And, in emergency situations exposure limits can be waived. Not absolving them of mistakes, but taking the perspective of the magnitude of the entire event, it’s understandable that some rules weren’t followed.

I’m talking about NOW. Everything I have discussed about procedures and radiological controls is in place and being practiced NOW.

Yeah, UN, Black Helicopters, and all that stuff. All a big conspiracy.
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Oh no, no black helicopters. WHen the government gets to decide what makes it into the ‘official record’, not much subterfuge is necessary. The US under reported the radiation released by NV above ground testing and years later, tried to stop the researcher who exposed them for having done so. Those ‘downwinders’ who post on FR can attest to the fact that they personally know people who were harmed by NV above ground testing. It’s easy - just prevent any veterinarian from testifying about downed flocks of sheep, herds of cattle while allowing only gov. approved veterinarians to testify in Downwinder trials and ‘voila’! Problem solved. The problem is that no insurer was willing or financially able to insure Nuke power because of the damage even one event would cause. SO, the US insures nuke power. And the US has no intention of paying out one dime on that ‘insurance’ policy. It doesn’t take black helicopters - it takes a corrupt, incompetent industry underwritten by the nation’s government whether it’s in Japan, Russia, or the US or...

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