Aren't we lucky that we can surf the Internet and find out the truth, rather than rely on the heavily biased and factually inaccurate coverage of the News-Sentinel?
In today's paper, we have this line in an editorial on world food prices: While biofuels are only a part of the problem, News-Sentinel link here.
Really? Part of the problem? Could it be that it's described as part of the problem because of one of the paper's main advertisers is receiving subsidies for ethanol based fuel?
Could it be that the paper does not want to criticize the cause of its favorite political celebrity, Al Gore?
Here's the truth:
A combination of high fuel costs, bad weather and land allocated to biofuels is constraining food supply. At the same time, producer countries are seeking to conserve food for their own people by curtailing exports. Link here.
Oxfam's Phil Bloomer welcomed the news, saying biofuels pushed up food prices and led to "land grabs" from the poor.
There are concerns that agricultural land is being used to produce biofuels despite a shortage of food production.
Mr Bloomer said: "Setting mandatory targets for biofuels before we are aware of their full impact is madness.
Not only are biofuels pushing up food prices, but they are also linked to human rights abuses and land-grabs from the poor."
Friends of the Earth's food campaigner, Vicky Hird added: "UK and European targets for increasing bio fuel use by adding it to our petrol must be scrapped." Link here.
In today's paper, we have this line in an editorial on world food prices: While biofuels are only a part of the problem, News-Sentinel link here.
Really? Part of the problem? Could it be that it's described as part of the problem because of one of the paper's main advertisers is receiving subsidies for ethanol based fuel?
Could it be that the paper does not want to criticize the cause of its favorite political celebrity, Al Gore?
Here's the truth:
A combination of high fuel costs, bad weather and land allocated to biofuels is constraining food supply. At the same time, producer countries are seeking to conserve food for their own people by curtailing exports. Link here.
Oxfam's Phil Bloomer welcomed the news, saying biofuels pushed up food prices and led to "land grabs" from the poor.
There are concerns that agricultural land is being used to produce biofuels despite a shortage of food production.
Mr Bloomer said: "Setting mandatory targets for biofuels before we are aware of their full impact is madness.
Not only are biofuels pushing up food prices, but they are also linked to human rights abuses and land-grabs from the poor."
Friends of the Earth's food campaigner, Vicky Hird added: "UK and European targets for increasing bio fuel use by adding it to our petrol must be scrapped." Link here.
1 comment:
"A combination of high fuel costs, bad weather and land allocated to biofuels is constraining food supply. At the same time, producer countries are seeking to conserve food for their own people by curtailing exports."
You are right about the fact that land allocations are only part of the problem, and you point to several other good reasons. The private and public sectors however, are merging together ideas and dollars to look at non-food source, biofuel options. One in particular is garnering lots of attention: switchgrass.
Switchgrass is being target because of its ease to grow, and its huge supply of cellulose.
Millions of dollars are being spent in East TN alone to research switchgrass' use as a biofuel.
Why not use interstate right of ways to plant switchgrass? It looks nicer, only requires mowing twice a year, and doesn't take available farmland.
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