I would enjoy reading that article if you can locate it again. I have been offered a fantastic deal on soybeans to produce my biodiesel with several times in the past. But, lets see what the real cost would be?
Soy beans grown in South America via the use of petrol diesel machinery then transported to Charleston, SC via cargo ship burning a combination of used motor oil and petrol diesel. Unloaded from that cargo ship either by electric run crane or petrol diesel operating crane system. The product would then be shipped by truck to the rail station and delivered to Columbia, SC via the rail road. I hope it is needless to say that I turned this "cheap" offer down without even thinking about it. Cutting down rain forests to produce palm oil? That is a factual yet an absolutely stupid endeavor that I would not take part in and we, as the world's environment, will surely have to pay for. I produce all of my biodiesel from Waste Vegetable Oil and beginning to improve the usage of a by product of my process - glycerin. While certainly not totally a self sustaining fuel source biodiesel will at least begin to assist this nation in reducing our dependency on foreign oil sources. It makes no sense to me that American dollars are spent importing oils from countries that absolutely hate us and strive for our demise?????? One sticker I use on my collection containers reads: "Starve a terrorist and feed a farmer - American stock for American use." The use of soy as a feedstock to create biodiesel is a spin off from the political movements of the American Agribusiness structure. The National Biodiesel Board? Give me a break and stop treating the public like idiots Washington. As a feedstock for biodiesel it's (soy) yield, while much higher per acre than corn for ethanol is still a poor ROI. Jatroppa which is grown in lands not useful for normal, as we know it in this country, agricultural endeavors yields a much higher oil content than does soy. Additionally significant strides are being accomplished in the utilization of algae as a viable feedstock. Will war ever cease? Absolutely not! It is in man's nature. I believe that we are currently fighting for the use of oil and further think that the next "great" (what ever that means????) war will occur for the use of water. Please do not misunderstand me. I enjoy a good discussion. I will even fight for a person's right to disagree with me. I served three tours in Nam and am proud to be an American. I am just fed up with politics per normal!!!! :( Dave H... -------------------------------------------------- From: "Rich Thomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 9:18 PM To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Knock on wood... 300D > I don't know about the environment part -- a lot of the bio-d is being > made from food crops (soybeans) that take a lot of dino to grow > (fertilizer, fuel) and then to turn into bio-d (transport, refining), > and is driving up food prices when diverted. Also, a lot of rainforest > (cf. Indonesia) is being wiped out to grow oil palms, probably not a > good thing. I think the Next Big Idea is to use algae that grows in > seawater and sewage tanks in the desert, almost a "solar" fuel, but > there is some distance to go on that. > > As for the war.... I guess it has not worked out too well, as oil prices > keep going up. There was an interesting article the other day in the > WSJ, or maybe it was the Houston paper, about the reasons for the rise > in prices. They did not have much to do with anything but profiteering > by the traders, and when that was factored out, the "real" price of oil > should be in the $54 range, which is about where it was some few years > ago. I'll see if I can find the article, it was enlightening. I was > going to send it around then but forgot to get it. > > No politics have been created or destroyed in this email.... > > --R > > Dave H... wrote: >> better for the >> environment and no war required to operate your vehicle :) >> >> >> Dave H... >> >> > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
