I think Brazil and some other nations have been using ethanol as a major fuel source for years. Does anyone know about the experience in these other nations regarding the efficiency and cost-benefit of ethanol use in Brazil or elsewhere?
Mark D. Dixon Assistant Professor Department of Biology University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD 57069 Phone: (605) 677-6567 Fax: (605) 677-6557 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of stan moore Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 10:35 PM To: [email protected] Subject: cost-benefit of ethanol as fuel additive/substitute I have seen some science-based dialog on the carbon inputs required to grow corn and turn it into ethanol, including the diesel fuel used by tractors, the energy needed to distill it, the natural gas used for fertilizer, etc. Some scientists believe strongly that the benefit of ethanol as an energy source is negligible because of the totality of energy inputs nearing or perhaps exceeding the energy value of the ethanol itself. But what if more ecological factors were evaluated, such as topsoil loss, depletion of aquifers, pesticide and other chemical run-off, large-scale monoculture impacts on biodiversity, even the ultimate use of corn as feed for livestock to produce meat, which Jeremy Rifkin and others believe we would do better without or greatly reducing it in our diet. When the President emphasizes a program to massively increase ethanol production, one has to wonder who the beneficiaries really are! Stan Moore _________________________________________________________________ FREE online classifieds from Windows Live Expo - buy and sell with people you know http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwex0010000001msn/direct/01/?href=http:/ /expo.live.com?s_cid=Hotmail_tagline_12/06
