barriomulas.com - Will Walk for Food

A number of publications have recently ran critical articles on bio-fuel. The April 7, 2008 issue of Time referred to the industry as the "clean energy scam." "Ethanol increases global warming, destroyed forests and inflates food prices. So why are we subsidizing it?" states the article. The U.S. ethanol mix - composed of corn - makes up about 30% of the world's ethanol stock (Washington Post) but proves to be a very inefficient set up. For example, it takes 1 unit of fossil fuel energy to create 1.3 units of ethanol energy (National Geographic). Not to mention, U.S. cars can generally only run on fuel mixed with 10% ethanol (American Progress). Inefficient if you ask me. If it were not for the subsidies it would not be a very cost-efficient investment.

I remember when Ethanol began making its mark in the energy industry a few years ago. It was once hailed as a long-term alternative to fossil fuels and was praised as a miracle renewable energy source.

From the start I was not sold on the idea: industrial corn production meant the consolidation of land by the few, dependency on pesticides and oil-based fertilizers, and government subsidies. Now the world is suffering a food crisis partially due to the deviation of land from food production to ethanol crop production. The way I look at it, people all around the world are starving so that those in the developed world can drive to the shopping mall in their SUVs.

The problem is not where the fuel comes from. The problem is that we need such large amounts of fuel to begin with. Even if there were infinite amount of oil; even if they could construct cars that ran on water; even if burnt fossil fuels had no adverse effect on the environment; the mere concept of designing out cities and way of life around lengthy drives between work, home, play, and shop is inefficient. My distaste for monstrous sports utility vehicles have little to do with oil and all to do with their inefficiency, false security, and luxury factor. We are trying to find a solution for a problem when it's much easier to just eliminate the problem itself. We should stop bulldozing acres of forests for suburbs and shopping malls before we start bulldozing acres of forests for ethanol corn.