September 4, 2008

Bio Fuel and Corn Cravings of US

A Mix View Of My Own.

 Lately I have been researching over the Internet reading different books and magazine issues. I smelled a sudden change, more precisely a U turn of an opinion or I would rather say “The Verdict”. Forgive me for being Melodramatic. It all started with the development of Biomass to Biofeul and it added to my knowledge  that What is

 “The Holy Grail”

“The Future of Energy”

“No need to fight a war over it”

“Fueling the future”

“The Green Fuel”

“The Eco-Friendly Fuel”

Recent Findings of Dr. Paul Kortzen the Nobel winner and colleagues have calculated that some of the commonly used biofuels releases twice the amount of No2 green house gas emission as previously estimated. Even a critical reception of the Paul Kortzen’s working considered “probably wrong” by Donner.

 "What we are saying is that growing biofuels is probably of no benefit and in fact is actually making the climate issue worse"

- Keith Smith

 Biofuel on its commercial triumph telling success stories, still won’t be able to fulfill the need of not more than 20% of the vehicles of United States even if they consume full corn and soybean yields of their country to produce biofuel. Keeping in mind the direct emissions adding more to green house gas emission. Two other major blows what our world receives while biofooling ourselves.

 1.              Inflation in the FOOD prices

 2.              Destruction of Forest and Peat lands.

Soaring prices of Corn resulting in riots in Mexico City to record high price of flour in Pakistan, Punjab which was once known as Grain Pocket of the world. Conversion of Rain Forest in to fields to plant soybean and corn to produce Alternative Fuels is resulting in the sudden climate change disturbing the ECO system.

According to staff scientist William Laurence at Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute,  "American taxpayers are spending $11 billion a year to subsidize corn producers—and this is having some surprising global consequences"

The  Fuel  Ethanol Distilleries in production in United States are consuming 53.29 million tons of Corn which capacitate these distilleries to produce 5,455 million Gallons of Ethanol fuel the Data is of Dec 2006, a report compiled by Earth Policy institute.

The under construction Distilleries to produce Ethanol in the same report shows anticipated production of 5,628 Million Gallons consuming 51.05 million tons of corn. In addition some of the distilleries are under Expansion mode. Under the  data compiled as of Dec 2006 The Projection in this report shows that by 2008, in which we are right now the share of Corn harvest for Ethanol fuel would be around 48.5 percent which in 2000 was 6 percent and in 2006 was 20 percent. It seems to me that by 2010 it Corn consumption for Ethanol would reach 160 million tons or may be more.The Subsidies provided  by the US Govt is attracting the US Farmer to grow more and more Corn just to produce Ethanol. This Policy has largely effected the production of Soy which has fallen by more than 15 percent and it’s adding more to the global price hike. Now the situation gets more worsen when the Second largest producer of soy Brazil is pushing towards more and more production resulting in conversion of Amazon in to soy fields and even converting cattle ranches in to soy farm which facilitate soaring beef prices.

Some head banging, nail biting and toe crushing figures.

·       365 days a person could be fed on the corn needed to ethanol fueled  SUV.  TIME  Magazine  April 08

·       $ 100 billion Estimated size of 2010 biofuel Market. TIME Magazine  April 08

·       300000 Hectors of Brazilian rain forest in the last six months of 2007. TIME Magazine April 08  

  Let’s put this thing to an end.(My Way or the High Way) 

The Sugar Cravings has in the US are setting new records every year. According to National Diabetes Statistics Prevalence of Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Diabetes among People Aged 20 Years or Older, United States, 2007 is gone 23.5 million adults. What Better one can expect when an Average American Consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar per week. This does not account in a healthy Diet at all in fact it ruins the immune system of the body “An open invitation to almost every Disease”   

Well this calls for a National health Emergency. National Policies should be made to cut down the sugar consumption at every level. If this happens what is going to happen to the sugar suppliers and sugar cane producers wait a second why we need to stand in a loose and loose situation when we have such a clear winner.

 “Sugar Based Ethanol” with a Healthier American Nation.