Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Ethanol's Failed Promise

And slowly they come around to what I've been telling you.
The willingness to try, fail and try again is the essence of scientific progress. The same sometimes holds true for public policy. It is in this spirit that today, Earth Day, we call upon Congress to revisit recently enacted federal mandates requiring the diversion of foodstuffs for production of biofuels. These "food-to-fuel" mandates were meant to move America toward energy independence and mitigate global climate change. But the evidence irrefutably demonstrates that this policy is not delivering on either goal. In fact, it is causing environmental harm and contributing to a growing global food crisis.

This has always been about politics. Sure, all things are in one way or another, but this was never a good idea scientifically or socially and anyone with any sense knew it.

Ah, but the political mileage... we can't forget the political mileage.

Via Washington Post.

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2 Comments:

Blogger daveawayfromhome said...

I'm thinking that the savings for ethanol is something like 10%, isnt it? It'd be much more effective to mandate a raise in gas milage of our automotive fleet (by increased taxes on gas-guzzlers, perhaps?), and maybe lower the speed limit back to 55mph. Fuel savings was the original rational for lowering it in the first place.

4/24/2008 01:45:00 PM  
Blogger SPIIDERWEB™ said...

I believe the 10% figure is right.

Your suggestions are right. That is the way to go rather than quit growing food crops, leaving people to starve, just to make money off ethanol.

4/24/2008 03:48:00 PM  

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