America relies heavily on foreign sources for the energy it needs to operate. This issue has received a lot of media attention due to the political and economic implications it will have in the near future. This problem could be at least partially solved by using technology that already exists, rather than relying heavily on those that have not yet been brought to fruition. America's energy problems – particularly its dependence on fossil fuels – can be solved by reviving nuclear power using policy to address perceived dangers, technological advances to make them more feasible, and public awareness to promote acceptance. Nuclear power has been around for decades. and can be easily used to help meet America's energy needs. With energy security and climate change two of many issues at the forefront of America's problems, there is a growing need to find solutions. Although alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal have great potential, they are technologies that still need to be refined and perfected. In contrast, nuclear power has been around for decades and is already used to a limited extent. Instead of looking to the future to meet our growing energy needs, looking to the past could be at least part of the solution. By investing in nuclear power, much of our energy needs can be easily met. This is already the case in certain regions of Europe where nuclear energy contributes to a large part of their energy needs. According to Balat, France acquires around three quarters of its electricity from nuclear energy (2007). Although nuclear energy alone cannot be the complete solution, it can provide a large part of it. It is well known that America is going to have to find alternatives to...... this middle of paper... the power plant. This means operators must invest in proper safety and management to prevent waste from becoming a growing problem. Furthermore, for nuclear energy to gain traction, public support is required. Without public approval, nothing can happen. There must be general consensus on what should be done and what is acceptable. Power plant operators as well as governments must prove that they are capable of managing power plants. Besides hydropower, nuclear power is the only proven energy source that does not contribute greenhouse gases to climate change. Nuclear power is just one part of a larger solution needed to reduce America's contribution to climate change. Nuclear power is beneficial in the long term and may prove to be a good starting point in the development of cleaner energy sources..