The environmental disaster that is ethanol
First, corn gets planted using heavy machinery. Then pesticides and fertilizer are used (which enviros love). Then, using heavy machinery again, it is harvested, hauled and, using the most energy in the process, refined. That machinery is going to use a lot of ethanol.
After this, even a fanatic enviro would admit that the benefits are at best marginal.
Furthermore, we subsidize ethanol with our taxes.
Also, consumers (especially the poor) are burdened with rapidly rising food prices because of the increased value of corn. Most important, corn is a notoriously thirsty crop. As we all know, even enviros, water in Colorado is by far our most precious resource. So does it make sense to water corn at great expense to the consumer in a state where we have significant natural gas and oil finds?
Tory Mansfield, Highlands Ranch
According to the recent study published by Berkeley and Cornell agricultural and engineering professors, it takes about 8,500 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of corn-based ethanol--about 170,00 gallons of water to fill 'er up. That's one lousy trade-off.
I forgot what 170,000 gallons of water looks like and I bet it costs a lot more than one gallon of ethanol.
Like global warming, corn -based ethanol is just another hoax.
Posted by hank on July 11, 2007 10:28 AMI've heard that switchgrass is a better alternative to corn in creating alternative fuels. It can be grown in much drier conditions. Unfortunately, when people opened their minds to alternative fuels, the only thing that entered was 'corn'. There are plenty of farmers on the eastern plains of our state who have lost the use of their wells and could grow switchgrass.
Posted by Denise on July 11, 2007 10:48 AMsome eco-snobs think their objectives must be acheived without regard for costs
Posted by tj1961 on July 11, 2007 11:02 AMEthanol is the largest joke ever played on the american people. Problem is no one is laughing. Privatization of water resourses is out of control and at the expense of our rivers, streams and lakes. It will not be long before we parish once those resources are gone. Corn based ethanol is a trade issue based on the water resources of this nation. It is a method for pitting one country against another based on water resources. There are no winners with corn ethanol only losers, and america is on the list. I want Fair trade. I want Parity/Tariffs for farms. not subsidies based on water.
Are we going to preserve our rivers and lakes?
Are we going to reclaim our nation and its resources?
Posted by farmer on July 11, 2007 11:07 AMI agree with Denise. switch grass is the answer. there is not enough acreage to grow enough corn. as well as the water needed. with switch grass the plant is native and doesn't need the water corn does. corn growers have pulled the wool over most eyes. switch grass is the plant that produced the crude oil reserves we are using today. we just have to shorten the process. of making crude oil.
Posted by Fred. on July 11, 2007 01:13 PMFarmer--
You forgot to mention preservation of one of our other greatest assets--the topsoil. Plants such as switch grass, or hemp, do require annual plowing and tilling--and are much less reliant on herbicides and fertilizers. An added benefit is less chemical run-off making its way into our already stressed water supply.
Additionally, planting of the same crop year after year after year robs the soil of the ability to sustain the growth of that crop. It’s a pattern of diminishing returns.
We used to subsidize our small, family run farms to be good caretakers of the land by promoting crop rotation and leaving some acres unplanted. Now, we subsidize the huge agri-business entities whose only concern is profit
Ex-Iowan
While your knowledge is great about soil preservation, politics must be your occupation!
No one cares about small farms, and you clearly do not own or live on farm ground.
If you did you would know our water resources are drying up. THAT IS the real problem. Until it is remedied our country is doomed and so are the people who eat food.