Quoting KL577 (Reply 12):
That's not extreme, that's what is actually happening in many parts of the world (Brazil, Malaysia to name a few). Multiple studies are pointing to the huge threat for remaining patches of undisturbed areas caused by promoting bio-fuels. |
Quoting EXAAUADL (Reply 17):
Bio fuels are environmentally, economically and ultimately politically worse than buring fossile fuels:
Forrest destruction to grown more corn
Rising food prices in the 3rd world
political instability in the 3rd world
ultimately massive immigration fro mteh 3 to 1st world |
True, and interesting to see such a point coming from the USA. But, warn you, the USA are suffering a lot from lobbying from oil companies, which, becoming increasingly unpopular worlwide, would find anything to defend oil... I'm not questioning any of these effects, but : the true point to raise is : what is the effect of oil exploitation on the problems brought by biofuels? Let's see:
Forest destruction: yes, major. Alberta's or Siberia's primary boreal forest among others is facing huge threats with oil prospection and exploitation.
Political instability: well, major again. think about Nigeria, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Sudan (Darfour), Chechenia, Iraq and others. how many oil wars on this planet, and how many countries with the world's most brutal regimes are actually living from our oil?
Food supply and food price issues may be less directly connected to the problem though, even though some countries with tremendous oil income still rank among the least developed ones (Angola, Iraq...), and by development, we include, not eclusively though, availability of food.
Massive immigration: well, even though some people are working on oil platforms, the rest of the country still does not find jobs locally...
Good to think, but one has to think critically.
And yeah, I was listening this morning again on the radio here in Canada how biofuels (sugar cane) helped to lower Brazil's dependence on foreign oil? Quite amazing indeed... Now how much rainforest has been cut to meet the demand? No one raised the point.
Back to topic: being better than last plane generation, yes, saving the planet, come on... Aviation has to get a green image from the public, so they are working hard to obtain it, à-la oil companies who claim that biofuels are worse.
When I doubt... go running!
