Biofuel: Dangers of Irresponsible Biofuel Production
 
The image above is a NASA photograph of deforestation in the Amazon, Brazil. NASA has observed that the mechanized destruction of the Amazon has been steadily increasing to make way for crop land. Many of these crops, such as sugarcane and soy beans, are used to produce biofuels. Converting forests to cropland also has a more pronounced ecological and climate impact than other land conversions because it involves the complete removal of land biomass, including tree trunks, stumps and woody roots. Like everything else, it’s how we execute the creation, development, maintenance, use, and growth of biofuels that make them a beneficial product—not just the biofuels themselves. Irresponsible biofuel production will worsen the environmental impacts of burning fuels, increase carbon output, push up food prices, encourage deforestation, and chew up land for crops. As we can see with oil companies, defense contractors, and many other government and private interests, we need to keep tuned in to how these things are going and keep our government informed of our opinions. The best long term approach seems to be to buy biomass domestically, and to grow cellulosic biomass like switchgrass and poplar for biofuels, and leave soy and corn production alone and focused on food. The cellulosic crops grow in less hospitable soil, do not displace existing or future food crops, put down deep and long-term root systems that help hold soil and improve its quality, and require much less fertilization or chemical pesticide/herbicide treatments than crops like corn and soy. Additionally, conversion of other farm biomass like corn leaves and stalks can contribute to our supplies. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/amazon_crops.html  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/amazon_crops.htmlshapeimage_1_link_0
Sunday, June 10, 2007
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