How do you feel about cars that run on ethanol?

Question

Do you think it's a good idea or a bad one. Why?

Answer 1

It's a bad idea because ethonal dosent get the gas milage that gas does and it cost more to make it.

Answer 2

I WANT ONE!!!

It's a great idea because we won't always have gasoline, and ethanol from cellulose uses agricultural waste. Oh, and the CO2 released when it's burned does NOT add to the carbon load because it only removed it from the air a few months earlier.

Corn growers are NOT taking food out of the mouths of the poor.

http://www.hanskaco.com/index.aspx?ascxi...

Dramatically rising international corn price speculation has led to expensive tortillas.

http://www.ilfb.org/viewdocument.asp?did...

But who is profiting from these speculatory price rises? With all the noise the Media is making trying to blame U.S. farmers, maybe we should look at the owners of the media and their financial buddies. As usual, the real cause of financial strain can be traced to our 'overlords' in the financial district. They think they own us. And so long as we do nothing to disabuse them of the notion, they're RIGHT.

Answer 3

It is a good one as eventually the Arabs will use oil as a weapon against us.

Answer 4

no good because we wont have enough to go around. maybe we can make a car that run on multi-fuel meaning ethanol in a small tank, hydrogen in another compartment (sealed tight of course), rechargeable battery, and solar-panel for the hood.

Answer 5

They're OK.

Farmers love ethanol, because making it drives up the price of food.  Ethanol also helps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but it's not very efficient, and uses up almost as much energy to make, as it provides.

The government is subsidizing the ethanol industry, which means you're already paying for it, so you might as well use it.

Answer 6

A bandaid solution at best, there are much better ways currently available.

Answer 7

Bad idea.  Higher food prices that hurt everyone to replace up to 7% of fuel - totally stupid.  Ethanol plants polluting the air and water.

Answer 8

Brazil has been running cars on ethanol since the last oil crisis. Why not?

Answer 9

Ethanol has proven not to be such a great solution against global warming.  It is still combusted and pollutes the air.  Furthermore, it is extremely polluting to produce and is a poor use of edible food, especially when other plants such as switchgrass and (recently) algae can be used for the same purpose.

However, any alternative fuels are a good substitute for petroleum, which is largely controlled by middle eastern countries which support terrorism.  These countries have a virtual monopoly over the petroleum industry and therefore most of the world's transportation system.

Alternative fuels have the ability to break this monopoly and help dissolve the power structure which is so firmly rooted in petroleum.  Even some people on the conservative bent (for example, ex-CIA director James Woolsey) are considering alternative fuels and (especially) electric cars to be a crucial element in fighting terrorism.

It would be best if we stopped burning things for our energy, but until the switch to electric cars is made, there are some benefits to using ethanol (as long as it's not corn-based) and other biofuels.

Answer 10

not good for the valves