Why are americans against ethanol and biodiesel, but keep sending their money to the middle east?

Question

a year ago ethanol and biodiesel were the golden children that most everybody loved. they are not the silver bullet that is going to replace fossil fuels but only a piece of the pie along with solar, wind and other alternative fuels. now, one year later the news nedia and oil company funded reports talk about how ethanol and biodiesel is not going to work because there is not enough corn and soybeans for food and fuel. we knew all this when the renewable energy programs were enacted by the government last year. now that the news media and oil companies have convinced the world that bio fuels are not the answer and has been the sole reason for food costs increases biofuels have become the whipping boy for high food prices. so now what does everyone say? these farmers are getting rich off this ethanol, oh my god thats' the last thing we want to do in the u.s. is make a product here that is not imported that somebody might actually turn a profit or god forbid create a job.

Answer 1

my personal feeling is that the government (bush etc) are so invested in the oil industry that they have done everything they can to prevent alternative fuels.

case in point is alchohol fuel - which by the way has been around for the last 80 or so years--

the government has been touting CORN as the golden fuel "maker... trouble is corn is probably the worst crop to use- its Land and energy hungry to grow - it depletes the land its growing in and the energy spent to make it into fuel is probably equal to or more than it saves - not to mention its a food crop==

but the government types have been brainwashing the non-researching public that its great-- but..... oh so sadly (down the road) it "just isnt working" oh oh we will Just have to go back to oil products -- its too bad cause we tried! and now no one will starve either!"

bleccch!

they WANT it to fail so They can say they tried and arent they wonderful for trying this obviously bad idea???!!!!!

of course they dont MENTION that better quality fuel can be made from weeds.....

to answer another writer - YES there are countries who DO use ethenol extensively -- brazil for one

and it doesnt have to be a brand new car to use it- there are ways to set up ANY car to use ethanol.

**************************************...

as for biofuel again WHY does it HAVE to be soybeans? another high maintanence food crop?? there are SO MANY other possiblities  

(most people who use bio fuels either use them straight from a source (PLAIN vegetable oil) or distill it t themselves to purify it and have the by product of glycerin (you can make really nice soap with that!).

considering how many TONS of wasted food oil is DUMPED each year -- and goes to WASTE!!!

WHY ON EARTH does anyone believe it has to be CORPORATE america that has to make your fuel!!

again to another writer: biofuel is not just a gasoline substitute - you might want to check your info sources on that. also it can be used in ANY diesal vehicles (yes even in a mercedes!)

http://biodiesel.grassroots.com/bulletin...

the politico's are such pains in the arses.....  if each American bothered to learn some basic facts they would be appalled at what their governtment and oil people are doing.

and by the way= i am not just some whack job who is anti - government-- this information has been FREE for the reading for YEARS

ANY issue of The Mother Earth News will give you good logical information on a Large number of issues

and if you doubt the efficacy of using NON oil products check these little articles out - starring Henry Ford himself! and he was looking at this stuff since 1910!

http://www.hempplastic.com/newSite/hp_ab...

and

http://www.thesoydailyclub.com/MOS/MOShe...

as for spending money elswhere - too many pocketlining backroom  deals is my best guess. the rich types LIKE to stay rich and dont give diddly for the other guy

if a person Really objects to whats happening- make a difference. all it takes is one person at a time changing the complacency for small but very important changes-

just my opinion

rj

also check out the "ANSWERS" question that was recently posted

"How can I make clean burning biodiesel at home?"

so far the answers have been very informative

Answer 2

we are not against ethanol and biodiesel. its just those are newer advances in fuel, and since many americans do not just go out and buy a new car every year or so, its hard to expect that there is a huge surge in them. Yes, they are a great thing, but some people cant afford to buy them. And many people are driving used cars, so they can not use biodiesel.

Another thing is ethanol is not quite readily available everywhere. I couldnt tell you where the closest E-85 pump is.  

i am all for it, but i cant go out and buy a new car. the US is having economy problems. many cant afford gas, house payments, food, let alone a new car.

Answer 3

I live in a place where there is both an abundance of corn and an ethanol plant. Why do you all think that ethanol will raise the price of food. Do you have actual proof or just believing what the media crackpots tell you. The cost of food is rising to fast because those trucks that drive the food from farmers to stores use? Yep you guessed it gas.

ONCE AND FOR ALL. THEY DON'T USE THE SAME CORN FOR FEED OR FOOD THAN THEY USE FOR ETHANOL PRODUCTION. ALSO EVEN IF THE GOVERNMENT GIVE SUBSIDIES TO THE FARMERS TO GROW CORN THERE ARE LAWS SET IN PLACE THAT STATE THESE FARMERS CANNOT GROW THE SAME CROP TWO YEARS IN A ROW. SO THEY HAVE TO GROW OTHER FOOD. THAT WILL BALANCE THE PRICES.

If only you sheep would just look at our country as a place that needs to be nutured. Would you hire a stranger who hates you instead of your mother? That's what your doing when you say ethanol should stop production and we should rely on foreign oil.

Answer 4

We just see what came out of it - the price of food goes up.

Answer 5

Note that nobody else much in the world is using ethanol or biodiesel, either.  Turns out that it's still far cheaper to use petroleum for transportation fuel, and that food crops are better-suited as food.  

Not every experiment works.  If cellulosic-based ethanol becomes practical, then it might be a viable alternative to petroleum, though it's kind of a long shot at this time.

Answer 6

biodiesel causes food prices to shoot up more. yes, gas also causes food prices to increase but if other crops were converted to biofuel, then food prices will increase more.

biodiesel is just an alternative to gas, it is not really efficient to cut down gas emissions.

Answer 7

Amen mr. bruu.  Someone who actually sees the big picture!!!  I'll take clean, American-made ethanol any day over foreign oil.  God forbid we clean up our air, help our economy, cut the trade deficit, and create good paying-jobs!

Answer 8

You answered your own question.  Americans are not against it: news media and oil companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to keep the status quo.

Answer 9

Very good question.  

Most people are undeducated on bio-fuels.

The culprit in higher food costs is increasing oil costs and the cheapening of the dollar.

In fact bio-fuels have actually held down both.  A recent study shows that without bio-fuels reducing the demand for oil that oil prices would be 15% higher than they are now.

So bio-fuels have actually held down  what could be even higher food costs.

We do not currently have a shortage of corn or soybeans.  What the increasing price of grains has also done is save the taxpayers, because it has cut down on farm subsidies.

Answer 10

Americans are not against them, their just realizing the way the government, lobbyists, and oil companies are going about it is wrong.