The Next Great American Corporate Boondoggle: Biofuels

First, there was hydrogen cells. You've heard about it, it takes more energy to produce energy from hydrogen than what it outputs. Better to just use the original energy. So, after doling out millions of dollars for research, the American taxpayer finds out that hydrogen cells are no longer the next best "great solution" or even a solution. Of course, the auto industry already knew that.

Now, the next wildcard alternative energy thing is biofuels and how they, too, can save us from the decline in fossil fuels so that none of us will have to change our lifestyles. Of course, therein lay the lie. Keep on living the dream, we are told, what James Howard Kunstler described as the Jiminy Cricket syndrome: "If you wish upon a star, your dreams will come true." There is no reason to invest in mass transit or scale back on suburban living or think about car-sharing or any check on current habits. So, have you checked your gasoline credit card lately?

That has not stopped folks from dreaming about their own suburban spread. The belief that growing millions of acres of freshly grown veggies can produce the same level of BTU's as fossil fuel is widespread and believed. After all, the dreamers say, biofuels are just "concentrated veggies." Duh! If we concluded from this level of madness, uh... apathy, that Americans are just fossil fuel junkies, that would be a mistake. In fact, Americans are consumption junkies writ large, willing to consume anything that makes us "feel good," look good, stay young, or be anything we wanta be. Like army ants, devouring almost everything on site. And, like junkies, Americans are always looking for the next quick fix, which corporations are glad to oblige, always willing to tell the big lie that junkies, being junkies, believe. "A fool is born every minute," but a junkie every 15-30 seconds.

I'm surprised that certain recreational drugs — to go un-named here — are not legal in the American consumption universe. As in most things, the US is the world's leader in the widespread use of recreational drugs. Of course, since corporations have become more involved with the prison system, my surprise is that more otherwise gainfully employed citizens are not incarcerated and their property confiscated under RICO (Rich International Corporate Organized crime). Why legalize non-prescription drugs when Americans will consume anything that many believe will allow them to maintain their current level of consumption mania or experience an even greater degree of narcocism, if that is possible. Well, yes, body art reaches that level, of which plastic surgery must be included. Think Michael Jackson.

Back on point, however, regarding biofuels and alternative energy solutions, Benjamin Sovacool states the obvious when he reminds us that "the energy problem is a people problem...and finding a solution means changing peoples' conception of energy's central role in society." I don't think reasonable delineation of the facts will do that. Behind the movement to push the nation towards a biofuel economy are huge agribusiness corporations, like Monsanto, who seek to control food in the world, thereby controlling the people who live in it.

In Florida, Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson, has already launched an initiative supporting the growth of bio-fuels. Bronson believes that Florida can be a leader in the effort of producing energy from crops and timber because of the vast amount of farm acreage in the state and its mild climate, which permits crops to be grown virtually year round. Yes, but... isn't Florida a major contributor to the nation's food distribution system?

Here's what we know today or have known for more than a decade about bio-fuels:

• Supporting energy crops for biofuels, especially in Third World countries, is a formula for mass famine and planetary destruction. Think Haiti, Ethiopia and Somalia.

• Biofuels are damaging to the environment and will accelerate global warming if primary and secondary forests are converted to energy crop plantations, as is rapidly occurring today in Latin America and continues in Asia and Africa.

• Supporting bioenergy crops will promote the destruction of biodiversity, and further accelerate global warming and species extinction.

• Biofuels give poor to negative energy returns and small savings, if any, on carbon emissions from most existing energy crops. Maybe, that's the plan!

• There is not enough land to grow energy crops and food crops for the world's population. Biofuels compromise food security both by compromising the food chain and by competing for land with food crops, and will push up the price of food globally thereby affecting everyone. If you need a breadbasket study to tell you just how bad it is, just go stand in the supermarket for a couple of weeks. The latest satellite data reveal that 40 percent of the earth’s land is already used up for agriculture. That leaves your backyard and those mega-acred golf courses up for grabs. Add to this already bad equation the use of corn to produce biodegradable plastic packaging and you have the makings of a catastrophic food deficit disaster.

• Bioenergy crops are unsustainable. They deplete soil nutrients and soil fertility especially in the near term and cause major problems long-term. As a result, bioenergy crops will require MORE chemical AND energy inputs, not less. Will there be affirmative action for birds, bees, and butterflies? Probably not. There has been little relief for whales and humans thus far. Let's add immoral and unethical to our list of negatives, too.

• Using ethanol will NOT reduce carbon emissions. Scientists tell us that ethanol generates mutagens and carcinogens and increases ozone levels in the atmosphere. This will be really good for planet Earth. Billions more for shuttling. At least the wealthy 1% will get a chance to relocate to cleaner planetary pastures with their servants. Remember, it's an "ownership society" or as Disney once sang, "It's a small world, isn't it?"

• Millions of indigenous people and farmers have been evicted worldwide and tortured when they tried to resist. The entire planet appears to be turning into a gigantic vegetable oil field for the benefit of agribusiness. Their fate, to live in the ever-sprawling urban slums around the globe. See Mike Davis, 'Slum Ecology', Orion Magazine, March/April 2006.

• Biofuels will remove current subsidies to agriculture and be allocated for renewable energies. NOT! A rose by any other name is a rose. According to Dr. Mae-Wan Ho,

Thus, the question remains, as other national leaders, particularly in Europe and Asia, get it, will US policymakers develop an energy policy that corporations do not control? And, if not, can you — you know, the proverbial average American — make a difference ... before it's too late?

There is an alernative

Click here for the answer: The Electric Car.