In The News: Biofuels

Sustainability Activism
by Eva Holland Jun 18, 2008

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.

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