Henderson Oracle

Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Opinion

Ah, biofuel: our saving grace and the solution to all of our problems, including global warming. At least, that's what we've been told.

Biofuels have been around for decades, beginning with Ford's Model T. Only in 2000 did these organically based fuels become popular due to the global energy crisis.

After learning about the harsh consequences we would have to face due to our wastefulness, I was led to believe biofuel was one of the most logical solutions. However, after several years of producing crops like grain, soybeans and corn for the use of biofuel, the results have been anything but "green."

According to an April issue of Time magazine, the U.S. has quintupled its production of ethanol.

Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is the fuel distilled from plant matter used to replace the fossil fuel we've been relying on for decades.

In the past 10 years, biofuel investments have risen from $5 billion to $38 billion, and they are expected to reach $100 billion by 2010.

Wow, awesome! Our country really is trying to fix this whole global warming thing, huh? Wrong.

Due to our sudden, huge need for biofuel, countries like Brazil have to suffer the consequences. The rich, lush lands of the Amazon are basically being raped for our environmental benefit.

Ironic? I'd say so.

Brazil's rapid land loss has resulted in an increase of food prices, starvation among animals and tribes, and as it turns out, the grain it takes an automobile to run could feed a person for a year.

Besides the fact that biofuel production is now causing a global food emergency due to outrageously high corn prices, and huge amounts of carbon-creating land are being destroyed, ethanol has slightly reduced dependence on foreign oil.

On top of that, it turns out that only up to a possible 26% of this organic fuel is renewable. And it's only the beginning of this green-fuel era.

Too bad we've been locked into this oil scam by our trustworthy and reliable president.

At this rate, it seems almost impossible to rid our planet of this oh-so-resilient energy crisis. There may still be hope.

Sugarcane biofuel has proven to be the most energy efficient and runs most Brazilian cars. However, only a small portion of the Amazon knocked down has been designated for this fuel. If we continue down this road of not-so-renewable fuels - or forced down it - we should at least try to make the best of it.

If at all possible and you're given the chance to decide, stick to sugarcane ethanol. If not, it might be better to stick to those old school fossil fuels at this point.

I want to save the world as much as the next person, but would you rather stay a little cooler and starve some people, or get a bit warmer and save some lives?

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