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Biofuels Are No Cure for Climate Change

Don’t judge a climate cure by its color. Give it a rub, and you’ll find that the term ‘biofuels’ is actually obscuring an insidious reality

By Megan Tady

Sigh. Another day, another inane strategy to fight global warming. The bee in my bonnet this time is biofuels. They’re nothing new, but governments and corporations are pushing biofuels with a renewed ferocity as the panacea for our ailing planet. But just as biofuels are working their way into our climate-cures lexicon, organizations, environmentalists and even the United Nations are blowing… return to article

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  • Zoom OutZoom In Reader Comments (8)

    Page 1 of 1 pages

    Biofuels are not perfect but they are a tremendous improvement over oil Oil has serious drawbacks that are not associated with climate change. See Iraq and the entire middle east for examples.

    Most of the starvation in the world today is caused by strife, not lack of food or resources. See the entire continent of Africa for examples (sadly, they are overly abundant).

    That said, i continue to hope and lobby for solar power. It is truly carbon free and as Germany has demonstrated, it is feasible. Barring that, nuclear seems to be the only other viable alternative (and we all know the problems associated with that).

    United States Posted by wolf on Nov 8, 2007 at 10:33 PM

    1. Grow industrial cannabis for seed. The oil can be used in properly configured diesel engines. For those who get their panties in a twist over the dreaded demon weed, remember that industrial hemp is entirely low in THC, as are the seeds. Any smokers will only get “high” off the carbon monoxide. Hemp also grows on marginal land much better than most food plants.

    2. Use bikes for short trips in town, or walk if it’s within a mile and you’re not carrying a heavy load. Hard to beat by almost any measure of practicality. If you can’t walk a mile right now, build up to it by steps, it won’t take too long.

    3. Reinforce investment in R&D for nanotech improvements in solar arrays, via tax breaks. DON’T punish them by way of seizing profits, for God’s sake!

    4. Unfortunately we took the “car” evolutionary route and it will require some backtracking to re-tool in favor of light rail and other forms of relatively efficient transport.

    Gotta give up two ideas: a) I have the right to use up whatever I want, and b) who gives a damn about the future generations, let them figure it out.

    Philippines Posted by Kuya on Nov 9, 2007 at 6:23 AM

    You have to love special interests. The planet is burning, people are starving, capitalists are sucking the life out of everything, and the special (capitalist) interests just shrug and continue on with business. In this case, agrobusiness.

    Canada Posted by Arby on Nov 11, 2007 at 12:28 AM

    Whenever I get to feeling too optimistic, I check out ITT where every silver lining is at least tarnished if not counterfeit.

    If we give aid to anyone it must be:
    A.  going to the wrong people
    B.  for our own profit or other benefit

    If we don’t get involved:
    A. we should have, or…
    B. it’s due to racism or some other prejudice

    If the climate is changing:
    A. it is a crisis and…
    B. primarily our fault

    Whatever is bad must be due to a conspiracy planned and carried on across generations for decades.

    What could be more profoundly arrogant than to believe there is some solution we can, could have or will be able to institute?

    If not for previous climate changes we’d be chasing huge reptiles out of the yard. If not for over zealous and greedy businessmen we’d be mowing around buffalo chips.

    Hey, how many previously “endangered” creartures have become extinct over the eons? How many have we really missed?

    United States Posted by whattheheck on Nov 12, 2007 at 6:23 PM

    The ignorance of the above comment (by whattheheck) is astoundingly sad, and unfortunately common.  Arrogance, when it comes to climate change debates, is not to think that the actions of modern industrial civilization are profoundly affecting global climate, or that we should or even can begin to combat the results of our actions.  The actual, true arrogance is the flippant,” whetever, things have changed before,” attitude that many have when faced with the atrocious things that we are doing to the world.  That we think more human inventiveness and clever doodads will solve a fundamental problem of an economy and society based on waste and consumption is obscenely conceited. 

    Deluding ourselves into thinking that the business models that lead us into this mess are going to get us out are only going to lead us to more plans that are benign at best (inane ideas like carbon offsets or a plethora of new “green” products) and seriously dangerous at worst (the idea of a biofuels economy).  Face it: the only “green” (what an awful buzzword) ideas that will work are less and local.

    United States Posted by Nickolas on Nov 12, 2007 at 8:51 PM

    The Drive 55 Conservation Project seeks to reduce consumption by 20%-50% when drivers voluntarily observe all posted speed limits and never exceed 55 MPH. No new technology, no new taxes, no real sacrifice at all, just slow down, observe posted speed limits, and never exceed 55 MPH. Visit www.Drive55.org for details and download a FREE Real World Vehicle Efficiency Report to prove it yourself. http://www.Drive55.org

    United States Posted by Drive55 on Nov 14, 2007 at 2:46 PM

    Drive55,

    The first truly sensible thing I’ve read here in a long time.

    United States Posted by whattheheck on Nov 14, 2007 at 3:20 PM

    I might think about reducing my already relatively small “carbon foot-print”, but I’m sorry—Al Gore is gonna have to “lead”, and give up his glass house first!

    United States Posted by Natalie on Nov 15, 2007 at 10:36 PM
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