Comments on: Tangled Up in Green: The Dangers of Using Food for Fuel http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/ Patriotism that loves our country, our land, and our planet Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:35:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brittan http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Brittan Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:47:58 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-132 This day and age, there is no transition period. If we adopt biofuels, we will exhaust that option due to the financial investments involved in just beginning such a mistake. This day and age, there is no transition period. If we adopt biofuels, we will exhaust that option due to the financial investments involved in just beginning such a mistake.

]]> By: Paulo http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-131 Paulo Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:11:59 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-131 That's true in a world where everything is exactly identical to how things work in the USA, but not only are there other plants much more efficient than corn (I don't know about CornIsBad's idea on hemp, but sugar cane is twelve times more efficient than corn, and it grows faster) that's just changing from one combustion engine to another. Solar power, wind power and hydroelectric power are already used widescale is Europe (solar and wind) and countries with large hydrographic networks like Brazil and China (hydro). Biofuel will only be important as part of a transition process until clean technologies are better implemented and a viable alternative to the current gigantic chemcal batteries is found to store energy. That's true in a world where everything is exactly identical to how things work in the USA, but not only are there other plants much more efficient than corn (I don't know about CornIsBad's idea on hemp, but sugar cane is twelve times more efficient than corn, and it grows faster) that's just changing from one combustion engine to another. Solar power, wind power and hydroelectric power are already used widescale is Europe (solar and wind) and countries with large hydrographic networks like Brazil and China (hydro). Biofuel will only be important as part of a transition process until clean technologies are better implemented and a viable alternative to the current gigantic chemcal batteries is found to store energy.

]]> By: Brittan http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Brittan Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:57:02 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-130 This post is great. The growing of ANY plant for use as a biofuel, much less the monster that is the corn industry, is a terrible thing. It will simply contribute to all of the problems we are trying to avoid, including global warming. Corn ethanol is not a "new market". MONOCULTURE, which practically exists in the USA, affects the health of the entire world in the same way a MONOPOLY decreases the quality of life for those affected by it's wide reach. I don't think its a stretch of the imagination to understand this. We are in serious trouble as a PLANET if big CORN, OIL, and WAR continue to rape our resources. This post is great.

The growing of ANY plant for use as a biofuel, much less the monster that is the corn industry, is a terrible thing. It will simply contribute to all of the problems we are trying to avoid, including global warming.

Corn ethanol is not a "new market". MONOCULTURE, which practically exists in the USA, affects the health of the entire world in the same way a MONOPOLY decreases the quality of life for those affected by it's wide reach. I don't think its a stretch of the imagination to understand this.

We are in serious trouble as a PLANET if big CORN, OIL, and WAR continue to rape our resources.

]]> By: Joe http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Joe Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:55:18 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-129 You were almost there when you mentioned the livestock. The diets of hundreds of millions in East and South Asia are changing as their annual GDP increases. More money allows them to afford to eat more milk and beef. It's a perfect storm. You also noticed that corn and fuel are going up in price at the same time. If biofuels were the only reason for the increase in food prices, then as the price of corn went up, the price of oil would go down, as a substitution effect. Neither seems to be the case. You were almost there when you mentioned the livestock. The diets of hundreds of millions in East and South Asia are changing as their annual GDP increases. More money allows them to afford to eat more milk and beef. It's a perfect storm. You also noticed that corn and fuel are going up in price at the same time. If biofuels were the only reason for the increase in food prices, then as the price of corn went up, the price of oil would go down, as a substitution effect. Neither seems to be the case.

]]> By: t5 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-118 t5 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:31:15 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-118 i've got an electric bike, it's awesome. i'd recommend getting one. i've got an electric bike, it's awesome. i'd recommend getting one.

]]> By: Mike http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Mike Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:08:47 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-117 It's silly to blame America for the world's energy woes. America was simply the first one "there" and they're showing the rest of the world that following the same path could be dangerous for the world as a whole. Other countries will be in the exact same situation given enough time. It's time for someone to step up and develop viable offshore hydrogen generation plants (ships) powered by wind/solar energy. I've seen a few proposals and they sound incredibly enticing! It sounds like a practically unlimited clean-burning fuel source. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I haven't researched it enough to be called an expert... It's silly to blame America for the world's energy woes. America was simply the first one "there" and they're showing the rest of the world that following the same path could be dangerous for the world as a whole. Other countries will be in the exact same situation given enough time. It's time for someone to step up and develop viable offshore hydrogen generation plants (ships) powered by wind/solar energy. I've seen a few proposals and they sound incredibly enticing! It sounds like a practically unlimited clean-burning fuel source. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I haven't researched it enough to be called an expert…

]]> By: Colin http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-110 Colin Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:22:39 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-110 The problem of world hunger isn't going anywhere.I don't think bio-fuels are the way to fix our reliance on petrol or help slow global warming, but famine isn't itself something that should stop us from researching in other sectors. Sure Americans over-consume but that's not new. This isn't a bio-fuel problem its a problem with all of American culture. Its silly to blame new markets for a problem which didn't start and won't end with bio-fuels. The problem of world hunger isn't going anywhere.I don't think bio-fuels are the way to fix our reliance on petrol or help slow global warming, but famine isn't itself something that should stop us from researching in other sectors. Sure Americans over-consume but that's not new. This isn't a bio-fuel problem its a problem with all of American culture. Its silly to blame new markets for a problem which didn't start and won't end with bio-fuels.

]]> By: James http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-108 James Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:00:35 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-108 Sun, wind, and hydro will be the future source of our energy. We need land for growing crops to stay alive. You wouldn't want to burn your breakfast just to get to work would you? Sun, wind, and hydro will be the future source of our energy. We need land for growing crops to stay alive. You wouldn't want to burn your breakfast just to get to work would you?

]]> By: Frank http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Frank Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:39:20 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-107 Now this idea may be CRAZY but no one wants to factor in the price of fuel into the equation for higher food prices. The farmer needs to plow the fields, light the barn, run the milking machine, process the products, and ship them. In 1997 gas was $1.25 per gallon. It is now $3.29. Property taxes are up. All are expenses of working the land. Even if no corn was sold as fuel the price of groceries must increase. Now think about all of those farmers who are subsidized for fallow fields. Let's pay them to not grow crops to decrease the supply of food and increase the profits. Smart idea there. Add to that the unwillingness to allow farmers to grow genetically engineered crops with high yields for fuel, and now you have demand far out stripping supply. Now this idea may be CRAZY but no one wants to factor in the price of fuel into the equation for higher food prices. The farmer needs to plow the fields, light the barn, run the milking machine, process the products, and ship them. In 1997 gas was $1.25 per gallon. It is now $3.29. Property taxes are up. All are expenses of working the land. Even if no corn was sold as fuel the price of groceries must increase. Now think about all of those farmers who are subsidized for fallow fields. Let's pay them to not grow crops to decrease the supply of food and increase the profits. Smart idea there. Add to that the unwillingness to allow farmers to grow genetically engineered crops with high yields for fuel, and now you have demand far out stripping supply.

]]> By: CornIsBad http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/comment-page-1/#comment-106 CornIsBad Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:00:43 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/03/27/tangled-up-in-green-the-dangers-of-using-food-for-fuel/#comment-106 Corn isn't all that great to begin with for biofuels. The process of making it usable costs more than it saves. HEMP, of all things, is one of the best plants to use for biofuels. Yes, hemp. Depending on the refining process, it is between 3 and 6 times as effective as corn (and it gives more energy than it uses to be produced, no less). So forget the corn, let's all go with hemp. Corn isn't all that great to begin with for biofuels. The process of making it usable costs more than it saves.

HEMP, of all things, is one of the best plants to use for biofuels. Yes, hemp. Depending on the refining process, it is between 3 and 6 times as effective as corn (and it gives more energy than it uses to be produced, no less).

So forget the corn, let's all go with hemp.

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