Are you up on the latest planetary “car”tastrophe? You probably already know that gasoline and other “fossil fuels,” such as oil and kerosene, give off greenhouse gases when they are burned in a car’s engine. Greenhouse gases are gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, that contribute to global warming, the slow warming of planet Earth. This means that our reliance on the automobile and other forms of transportation that burn fossil fuels has been spelling a lot of trouble for the temperature of our planet.

So, what’s the answer to this dilemma? Should everyone ride bicycles or hoof it to work on foot? In a perfect world that would be great, but unfortunately, this option isn’t very realistic. Some people live far from work; others are too old or ill to ride a bicycle. Goods still need to be transported and mail and other packages need to cross the country. Oranges need to get to Washington from Florida and grapes need to get to New York from California. On top of that, most people don’t want to give up the freedom a car gives them. 

Biofuels such as ethanol, an alcohol made from corn and soy, seem like a great solution. But if you look at the picture a little closer, you’ll see that it’s not the answer to all our problems either. Can you guess why ethanol presents a problem? The main issue is that corn and soy are major food crops.  Last year, 14% of all US corn crops were used to make ethanol. This year it was 20%. Next year it will probably be 25%. All this activity has made corn prices go through the roof! Here lies the problem…corn is a major food crop for both Americans and the global population! This spells real trouble for poorer countries. In Mexico, for example, tortillas, a major food, are made from corn. The price of a tortilla is twice as high this year as it was last year! Wow! And soy crops are experiencing the same rise in prices!

Wondering whether a solution can be found in an imperfect world? Tune into tomorrow’s blog for the scoop on tomorrow’s super fuel…pond scum!!!