The Setting

The location of a controvesy can give valuable insight into the controversy as a whole. For the Fukushima-Daiichi meltdown the location is in Fukushima and the government office that debate the nuclear energy probablility.

The Canadian Press, "Japan Earthquake Fukushima", 8/24/2011, CC0 Public Domain

Maybe the physical location is a specific city, or neighborhood, or a specific university or institution or company. What does it look like there? What does it sound like? What's on the horizon? How does it smell? What kind of characters are milling about? What kind of stuff takes place here? Your description should ignite at least THREE of my FIVE senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).

The physical location of this controversy is in the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The exact location of the controversy is in the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant that was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami. The area is on the east coast of japan and has a clear view of the Pacific Ocean. The west side of the location is full of small green mountains with trees and grass lands. The village of Ono is a mere mile and a half away from the power plant and has been evacuated so now it is an abandoned town. The power plant on the other hand is busiling with activity. Their are working crews with nuclear hazard suits working to decontaminate the area. The ports and sea within 30 km of the site are completely void of fishing ships. The towns are quiet with just the whisper of the wind to brush the overgrown green trees. Some of the buildings around the plant are collapsing due to the lack of upkeeping. The power plant smells like the ocean but looks like a graveyard. The only things that happen here now is clean up of radio active material.
Another setting for this controversy takes place in conference rooms of government officials. In these rooms the government officials debate on whether or not to allow nuclear energy to continue. It smells like freshly printed paper. The sound in the room is made of many voices speaking all at once and the sound of a speaker loudest of all.