If we want to save the planet, we need a five-year freeze on biofuels

Guardian UK ^ | 3/27/2007` | George Monbiot

[Uncledave]

It used to be a matter of good intentions gone awry. Now it is plain fraud. The governments using biofuel to tackle global warming know that it causes more harm than good. But they plough on regardless.

{snip}

So what's wrong with these programmes? Only that they are a formula for environmental and humanitarian disaster. In 2004 I warned, on these pages, that biofuels would set up a competition for food between cars and people. The people would necessarily lose: those who can afford to drive are richer than those who are in danger of starvation. It would also lead to the destruction of rainforests and other important habitats.

{snip}

Since the beginning of last year, the price of maize has doubled. The price of wheat has also reached a 10-year high, while global stockpiles of both grains have reached 25-year lows. Already there have been food riots in Mexico and reports that the poor are feeling the strain all over the world. The US department of agriculture warns that "if we have a drought or a very poor harvest, we could see the sort of volatility we saw in the 1970s, and if it does not happen this year, we are also forecasting lower stockpiles next year". According to the UN food and agriculture organisation, the main reason is the demand for ethanol: the alcohol used for motor fuel, which can be made from maize and wheat.

{snip}

Farmers will respond to better prices by planting more, but it is not clear that they can overtake the booming demand for biofuel. Even if they do, they will catch up only by ploughing virgin habitat.

[GunRunner]

Biodiesel has the same problems as ethanol; we don't have enough arable land to grow enough crops for it.

Says who? Sounds like the same people who warn that "the planet is running out of oil".

This is a fuel that is readily available now, for engines that we have now that require little or no modification. Where's your electric car?

[P-40]

There will be plenty of corn, most likely too much of it, when the rising prices make other methods of making ethanol relatively cheaper. I'd be hesitant to plant too much acreage in corn.

[anglian]

At least 43 percent of ADM's annual profits are from products heavily subsidized or protected by the American government. Moreover, every $1 of profits earned by ADM's corn sweetener operation costs consumers $10, and every $1 of profits earned by its ethanol operation costs taxpayers $30.

Archer Daniels Midland
A Case Study In Corporate Welfare http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-241.html

[GunRunner]

It takes fossil energy to produce biofuels. Fertilizer (Haber process - natural gas) Tractors (diesel) harvesters (diesel) transportation (diesel) pressing (electricity coal 50+% rest hydro, nuc) distillation (fuel oil or natural gas). What is critical is the energy balance in these processes. If they use as much energy (on according to some studies more) fossil energy than they produce, then they INCREASE dependence on foreign oil.

This makes no sense whatsoever. Three of those variables can themselves run on biodiesel. As for the rest, can you explain how using nuclear, hydro, and natural gas have anything to do with foreign oil?

[anglian]

Who is 'starving the poor?'

DUMPING US CORN EXPORTS TO MEXICO CAUSING POVERTY http://gristmill.grist.org/images/user/2988/oxfam_report_corn.pdf

[Maceman]

If we want to save the planet, we should pass a Constitutional amendment prohibiting Congress from making any law that screws with the climate.

[eraser2005]

"Since the beginning of last year, the price of maize has doubled"

Oh, the horror!

You mean you I can't buy a bushel of corn for less than a 20 oz Dasani at the Kwiki-Mart anymore?

[kittymyrib]

"Who is 'starving the poor?'"

Obviously, someone has not been shopping at Walmart lately. Our "poor" have to ride around in the motorized carts because they are too fat to walk.
The general health of the US population would be vastly improved if everyone had to grow their own food. Maybe we could reintroduce the concept of the Victory garden.

[JamesP81]

Corn futures continue to hover about $4 a bushel in response to the growing demand for ethanol, which is why farmers are choosing to plant more corn.

I'm a programmer, but my company is a commodities risk management company for farmers. Today is grain report day, so it's kind of wild around here. We will be able to tell what's going to happen with prices when the market opens. There's a lot of planting going on due to high demand, and the report was very bearish. If the report is right, corn should fall hard. If it doesn't drop more than a dime at opening, get ready $5 corn. You can also expect soybeans to skyrocket further, and all food prices, especially meat, will be going up.

[ClaireSolt]

Try runnning this defense of the status quo by the third world advocates at the Doha round who are demanding we stop subsidizing farmers and dumpiong the cheap produce on the world market. You will find they have a different take on it. I see the rising price of corn as a good thing. Some say cheap corn drove many Mexicans north.

Farmers exploit misunderstandings to the hilt. After massive PR about flood losses and disaster relief, one summer I was in the Des Moines airport and eavesdropping on the conversations of farmers leaving on vacations paid for by the guv. They were discusssing what prices they got for their stored grain. It sounded a lot like a wine conversation with years and moisture percentages cited. The guv doesn't know what it is doing. My bro married into an Iowa farm family. They declared and got paid for crop losses, but the corn actually went to Tyson's in Arkansas.

Corn price has been too low since the British passed the first corn laws in 1800 to subsidize English farmers threatened by surpluses from colonies. Higher prices will enable farmers to modernize their operations to meet demand. And please explain why a wild rainforest is better than a well managed plantation in Brazil or Indonesia. Both photosynthesize.

[mmichaels1970]

Here is a link to the post that discusses the upcoming 9% rise in milk prices. I do think that ethanol is affecting milk prices.

[JamesP81]

Says who? Sounds like the same people who warn that "the planet is running out of oil".

Says folks who manufacture it. You can't get enough out of an acre of land in order for it to be feasible. There's simply not enough arable land for this plan to work. It is not a workable solution in the long term.

[depressed in 06]

I believe that I heard on Brit Hume's grapevine that the great environmentalist, Fidel Castro, had said the biofuels were going to starve 3 billion people.

[dfwgator]

And now all the lefties will fall into line, biofuels will be even more cursed from the left than nuclear power.

[from occupied ga]

Three of those variables can themselves run on biodiesel

The depths of incomprehension here are sometimes staggering. They could, but they don't because there isn't enough energy left over.

If these fuel sources made us independent from foreign oil, then you could run the whole process on the biofuel as you pointed out. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS. ALL of the biofuel production streams rely on fossil fuel as energy inputs.

Rather than my reiterating what has been published many times, read this

[GunRunner]

But I have an ethical problem bidding up the price of food based on demand that does not involve *eating* the food, when it's on this kind of scale.

I've always been taught to not waste food and burning it in a Honda is a waste to me.

I always been taught that its a waste to send money to Arab countries who want to kill you.

You'll have to excuse me if your ethical objection to biodiesel has no effect on me when I'm fueling up at the BioWillie.

[JamesP81]

I do think that ethanol is affecting milk prices.

Ethanol effects anything that is effected by corn prices, and that list is one hell of a lot longer than most might think.

[P-40]

It is not a workable solution in the long term.

Fortunately, the way it works now is not the way it will work in the long term.

[eraser2005]

Does that Accord come with one of Honda's self-destructing transmissions or a decent one? If its decent, sign me up.

But it should be noted that the fuel economy ratings they give are in UK gallons, not US. Silly unit conversions. Still better efficiency than my Taurus, which gets around 645,120 rods to the hogshead on the highway.

I do think this looks better, though, and gets better mileage yet, IF they would put it into production...

[P-40]

Arab countries who want to kill you.

Oh come on. Next you'll try and tell us they want to fly planes into the World Trade Center.