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Particulates (mostly from coal) kill about 64000 people every year (NRDC.) Rivers in West Virginia run red from slag acids dissolving metals. About 130 million tons of coal slag are produced a year. It is poisonous in water and NEVER goes away. You don't want radiation in your water either, it also essentially never goes away, but there is a lot less of it (about 80,000 tons worldwide to date.) The cost of global warming is an unknown; the wealthy countries will be affected less but things like permanent drought in the US west would be very very expensive. Meanwhile, Bangladesh will simply drown.
While solar and wind should be emphasied, they're just isn't enough of it. Estimates say the two could maybe do 25% of what we need now. The best uses are on the buildings using the power so transmission losses are removed.
Passively stable nuclear plants are being built. (Passive means it doesn't matter what Homer Simpson does.) The US industry has done a lot to diminish it's credibility and there is currently no middle ground in the US where plants are built but inherently good designs and plant placements are mandated. The power companies want them in populated areas and running at the highest temperatures, safety says no. The move towards common designs helps here.
A huge energy savings could be attained by changing government policy to encourage efficiency- in lighting , in cars, in home insulation and heating (geothermal for instance).
