Fuel, or food for thought?

 In an article from the Creators Syndicate, Mona Charen brings up some
of the inconvient truths about ethanol. In the cartoon with this
article is this statement; “Results may vary overall, biofuels cause
considerably higher greenhouse emissions than conventional fuels.
Biofuel production results, directly or indirectly, in the destruction
of natural ecosystems such as the rain forests and grasslands. Does not
include emissions generated from the transportation and refining process
of biofuels. See most recent published studies in the journal ‘Science’
for further details.”

 The article itself raises some issues that we feel should have Congress
looking at this problem instead of big oil. Knowing the damage the
production of this fuel causes, our Congress decided to ramp up ethanol
production fivefold over 2006 levels.

 For the people who think green, here’s another quote; “When the hidden
costs of conversion are included, greenhouse-gas emissions from corn
ethanol over the next 30 years will be twice as high as from regular
gasoline. In the long term, it will take 167 years before the reduction
in carbon emissions from using ethanol ‘pays back’ the carbon released
by land-use change.”

 You can read the entire article here-
http://www.creators.com/opinion/mona-charen/let-them-eat-ethanol.html

 And from Minnisota public radio comes this gem-

 In news, after hundreds of complaints the Minnisota Pollution Control
Agency tested a St. Paul ethanol plant. They found high levels of
carbon monoxide, as well as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). These
included fomraldehyde and acetaldehyde, both carcinigens.

 The EPA found that “most if not all” ethanol plants are emitting air
pollutants at many time the rates allowed by permits. Check it out-
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200209/23_losurem_ethanol/index.shtml
 
 There’s some of the information out there that our Congress must not
have seen. Comments are always welcome