In The News: Biofuels

If you’ve been paying attention to the mainstream media lately, you’ve probably noticed that biofuels have gone from ‘saviour of mankind’ to ‘scourge of starving children’ – all in a remarkably short span of time.

I don’t pretend to grasp all the science behind biofuels or the economics linking their production with the rumoured/impending/current (depending on who you ask) food crisis, but it seems like a specific issue that manages to encapsulate the broader conflicts that we’re facing:

Short-term profits versus long-term stability. First-world comfort versus Third-world survival. Reduction in consumption versus technological innovations in consumption. And so on.

With all that in mind, I do my best to keep up.

Here’s some of the latest on biofuels and the troubles they may or may not cause and/or cure:

Brussels Urged To Take On US Over Biodiesel – You know you’ve arrived as a commodity when you start sparking trade wars and punitive duties…

All Biofuels Are Not The Same – One author responds to accusations that biofuels are killing those proverbial starving African children.

Biofuel Bonanza Not So Sweet for Brazil’s Sugar Cane Cutters – Kind of lends a new twist to the ol’ sugar in the gas tank routine.

Stop Biofuels To Fight World Hunger, Food Scientists Say – This one’s a little dated – included here as background in case you missed it the first time.

Community Connection: Matador members are passionate about the environment. For information about travel that leaves a lighter carbon footprint, check out “How to Get Off Grid in a Vintage Travel Trailer” and “Buy a Boat and Learn to Sail,” both written by Misty Tosh. A wildly popular article by Brad Whipple, “How to Stop Paying for Gas and Run on Free Vegetable Oil in 8 Easy Steps” is also a must-read.

Photo: cgulyas2002 (creative commons)