Have you noticed that your vegetable, dairy, and meat prices have skyrocked this last year? The reason is that demand is so high for ethanol (currently made from corn), that corn prices have risen considerably. Because farmers knew that corn prices were rising, they stopped planting other crops to plant more corn. Wheat and soybeans prices also increased dramatically because they were taken out of production. The price of corn remained high however due to high demand, and since corn is used as feed for dairy cows, beef cattle, hogs, etc. these prices have also gone up.
I was hoping to start a petition online to kill ethanol produced from corn.
Ethanol, produced from corn, is a loser because it obtains so LITTLE energy from the process, but also because it encourages the planting of one crop at the expense of other crops, at the expense of biodiversity, and at the potential expense of some forests that will be burnt down to start planting corn because of its high price.
I've already read that Mexican families have been unable to make corn tortillas for their families, because the price has risen so dramatically. Traditions and dietary habits that are hundreds of years old have to be abandoned so we, the rich USA, can put it in our gas tank.
Corn the fuel v. Corn the food is an unethical choice.
I was hoping to start a petition online to kill ethanol produced from corn.
Ethanol, produced from corn, is a loser because it obtains so LITTLE energy from the process, but also because it encourages the planting of one crop at the expense of other crops, at the expense of biodiversity, and at the potential expense of some forests that will be burnt down to start planting corn because of its high price.
I've already read that Mexican families have been unable to make corn tortillas for their families, because the price has risen so dramatically. Traditions and dietary habits that are hundreds of years old have to be abandoned so we, the rich USA, can put it in our gas tank.
Corn the fuel v. Corn the food is an unethical choice.
5 comments:
I like your idea. The LA Times had an article on a city in China known for its beef noodle soup, but even noodles were getting too expensive b/c of global demand for ethanol. Crazy!
oops, that comment was supposed to be from ROB
Have you checked out what the oil peakniks are saying?(http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/)
Kunstler is funny, but so depressing... even aside from the food vs. fuel issue, he lambasts ethanol from all sides.
Ok, one more for you - a documentary:
http://www.kingcorn.net/
Cellulosic Ethanol plant breaking ground today:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16019184&ft=1&f=1025
Ok, I'll try to resist sending NPR articles every other day...
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