Posted on 04/12/2014 12:42:36 PM PDT by grundle
By incentivizing the production and mandating the consumption of first-generation biofuels — predominantly corn-based ethanol — lawmakers hoped to create a transportation fuel revolution. Instead, they've created a legislative monstrosity that has ravaged our land, polluted our air, diverted our water, driven up food prices at home and abroad, put engines at risk and cost U.S. taxpayers billions.
In order to meet the excessive ethanol mandates in the RFS, more and more land has been converted to grow corn for fuel — not food. In the 16 years prior to RFS implementation, corn acreage in the U.S. rose by just 6 percent. By contrast, in the seven years since the mandate was enacted, corn acreage has spiked by 22 percent — quadruple the growth in half the time. The Environmental Working Group estimates that more than 23 million acres of America's wetlands and grasslands — an area the size of Indiana — have been converted to industrial cropland since 2008, encroaching on our wildlife habitats and gobbling up enough conservation land to cover Yellowstone, Everglades and Yosemite National Parks — combined.
By 2030, nearly one of every 10 gallons of water consumed in the U.S. will be used for biofuels production. That's more than is cumulatively used by every household in the country. Let that sink in. Making matters worse, fertilizer runoff resulting from the increase in corn production to make ethanol has contributed to an alarming growth of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving marine life asphyxiated and surrounding industries suffering in its wake.
And what about our air? Studies have found that corn ethanol nearly doubles emissions over a 30-year period. According to the EPA, the lifecycle emissions of corn ethanol are higher than that of gasoline. So much for being a cleaner fuel.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Green is about controlling the peasants so that the self-annointed Elite can live like lords.
Corn will just about kill your car.
ravaged our land
polluted our air
diverted our water
driven up food prices at home and abroad
ruined many engines at risk
cost U.S. taxpayers HUNDREDS of billions.
spiked corn acreage has spiked by 22 percent
gobbled up 23 million acres of America’s wetlands and grasslands
destroyed wildlife habitats
suck up one of every 10 gallons of water consumed in the U.S., more than is cumulatively used by every household in the country
caused an alarming growth of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving marine life asphyxiated and surrounding
Only one entity could cause this much destruction! FEDZILLA!
Will that entity ever be held accountable? Will any of its officers serve time in jail for these crimes? Not a chance. This is the Ruling Class at work...they know best.
It will kill small engines on power equipment faster than it does cars.
It is why gas is 3.70 in south Florida…that and a dollar that is worth nothing….Meat 13 dollars a pound…every one needs food stamps except OBAMA…. we have to feed him
Almost all gas sold in the US is E10 and some states are selling E15. It’s extremely difficult to find any ethanol free gas anywhere in the US.
It’s not about “Green” energy or reducing pollution.
Those are just buzz words that get the clueless Greenies all fired up to support the government.
At its heart it is really about money.
It’s about using the power of fe3deral government to extort huge sums of money from one group of people and redistribute it to others.
Not too many years ago [say, about five or six], I'd have thought that was crazy conspiracy-talk.
No more.
You're right.
bump for my tag line.
Then it must be pretty damn bad, because I never thought renewable fuels were green at all.
I periodically use E85 in my flex fuel truck about three months out of the year. It keeps injectors, valves and combustion chambers cleaner. Additionally, it has better detonation resistance than the gasoline that most people can buy. That said, the vehicle has to be designed to use it. And it will use more of it b/c it has about 65% of the specific heat of gasoline. My vehicle runs better on it I suspect b/c the engine management computer reworks the timing curve to take advantage of the detonation resistance. Pulls more like a late sixties machine than a late model smog preventer.
Au contraire, fellow Freeper!
There are plenty of statins in OK and many other states that sell real gas. http://pure-gas.org/ This site depends on people to keep it updated, but it has a pretty good list of stations or places selling real gas.
Honda Odyssey minivans are being recalled for a part in the fuel line that has somehow deteriorated. I hope some scientist or engineer looks into the possiblity that ethanol cause the part to corrode and fail. Would love to see a class action lawsuit against big corn!
“Would love to see a class action lawsuit against big corn!”
Big corn? The problem lies with big government.
Both, actually. The large ag businesses, such as Archer Daniels Midland own the politicians. As always, follow the money.
The oil companies looked into this long ago. It’s bad.
“Almost all gas sold in the US is E10 and some states are selling E15. It’s extremely difficult to find any ethanol free gas anywhere in the US.”
Ethanol (E10) is so bad for small engines they started selling regular gas in cans in hardware stores for about $5 a quart!
“The market for these fuels is still so new that there’s no generally recognized name for them. But regardless of whether you call this stuff—boutique fuel, packaged fuel or canned gas—it’s an end run around the gas pump. Sold as straight unleaded gasoline or blended with oil for high-rpm two-cycle engines in chain saws, blowers and string trimmers, it’s expensive stuff, costing anywhere from $5 to $8 per quart. Despite the high price, customers might be willing to pony up if it means seeing an engine or its components run for several trouble-free years rather than seeing the engine destroyed or damaged by ethanol—after all, avoiding just one ruined engine might be worth the cost.”
I took my van to the Honda dealer yesterday for an oil change (turns out it didn’t need one yet) and was chatting with one of the service guys. I told him my theory, and he said I could be right that ethanol is what destroyed the part in the fuel lines.
However, he also said there wasn’t much of a chance of getting together a lawsuit against the big ethanol producers. Too many powerful friends. This is what our country has become. *sigh*
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