In a message dated 07/11/2008 18:22:02 GMT Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
although I would like to move away from hydrocarbon diesel, I have yet to be convinced that bio-diesel is better for the environment over all. I agree. Many of the claims for greener living are based on emotional rather than practical reasons and many of the general perceptions don't bear analysis when you look at the implementation of them. A mature tree, for example, is a net producer of CO2 - overnight the growth processes mean a tree produces less oxygen and more CO2 than in the day time. In the UK, it seems to be better for the environment to cut down a tree than to allow it to grow. ;-) In Essex, dustcarts are trundling across the county to deliver compostable material to Cambridgeshire and recyclable material to Spain. In the latter case the ships will be pumping high amounts of sulphur into the atmosphere due to the low-grade fuel they burn. Despite what has been suggested, old glass bottles in the UK are not generally turned into new bottles; the only large-scale use is to grind bottles to a powder, mix them with a plastic and stick the result on the roads as white lines - which gradually wear away releasing the glass powder into the environment Similarly, according to reports, the large-scale use of bio-fuels may introduce other non-benefits to the environment in forms of pollution and health problems caused by the growing, processing and transportation of the materials. If the supply of recycled vegetable oils goes 'mainstream' demand is likely to exceed supply - and ISTRT this is already happening in some areas. I might have to eat even MORE chips to ensure the supply is maintained! ;-) In one of the last few budgets, the Chancellor introduced the enabling powers to tax bio-fuels and used veg-oil at the same rate of duty as normal diesel so that there would be no loss of revenue. This would mean that the current tax-benefits will not hold up if too many people started using them. To my mind, there's no fuel like an old fuel. DaveD I raise money for charity just by searching the web! www.everyclick.com is an internet search engine with a big difference - it donates half its revenues to charity, please support them too! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
