ForumsWEPREthanol- Is it worth it?

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jalex12
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jalex12
195 posts
Nomad

Ethanol may be a new source of fuel, but is it worth all the pollution and food price increases?

  • 19 Replies
Estel
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Estel
1,973 posts
Peasant

Well, it could be a possibility that it may become a primary source for feul, and I believe that we are desperate to find a cheap and environment friendly feul. Is it worth it? Duh! Well, I haven't exactly studied if ethanol is that dangerous, or pollutive, but if it can be cheaply made and ecofriendly, then it is good.

Wittman
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Wittman
318 posts
Nomad

Like Estel said, it is totally worth it because it is cheap and eco-friendly.

jalex12
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jalex12
195 posts
Nomad

they use fertilizer on the corn . when it rains there is fertilizer runoff and it goes into the lakes and oceans, and other bodies of water, creating blooms. the blooms suck out all the oxygen from the water and the fish die. a.k.a. dead zone

Killer_Logic
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Killer_Logic
11 posts
Nomad

It's cheap, it's eco - friendly, and it's made from corn.
Being an environmental debater, i'm all for that.
But to support something you need to know the pros and cons of what happens if you use it.
If you don't know what negative side effects ethanol has, then I suggest you start following a mantra we have in our debate team.
And that is "You're never done researching."
Ok, that might be just a little extreme if you just want to know about ethanol.
But it doesn't hurt to research it and look it up.

Graham
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Graham
8,052 posts
Nomad

ethanol does nothing but make the gas price and food prices go up

Danstanta
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Danstanta
1,702 posts
Blacksmith

It could be the thing that is gas.

woody_7007
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woody_7007
2,662 posts
Peasant

It is not ethanol which is to blame for the rise in food prices but bio fuel. All of the grain used for fuel decreases the supply of grain causing the prices to up on the market. The US govt gives the farmers subsidies to grow grain for bio fuel instead to decrease pollution. The US gov needs to decide where its priorities lie. Global warming or the economy. I am guessing the economy really. But the main poin is ethanol is not to blame

jalex12
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jalex12
195 posts
Nomad

on the other hand, ethanol is another source of fuel and is cheaper, saving u money

woody_7007
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woody_7007
2,662 posts
Peasant

yes but it isnt really used to make food on a big enough scale to drive the prices up on food wjich is why i think the biofuel issue is more important.

jalex12
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jalex12
195 posts
Nomad

in the town i live in, there is a gas station that has ethanol and normal fuel. ethanol costs 2.99 other fuel: 4.15

J4son
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J4son
405 posts
Nomad

Ethanol isn't but the new seaweed ethanol is, it produces 100x the normal corn ethanol in an acre, they're farming it in New Mexico due to the salty soils.

Do some research into it, but I have to go.

Ricador
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Ricador
3,722 posts
Shepherd

It is definitely not worth it i think that we should stick to fossil fuels.

Recently in the news the Saudis have said that they will start drilling more, Bush is pressing for offshore drilling, and other countries are starting to produce more. Also, if we go into Alaska, that will make us less dependent on foreign resources, thus cutting down on money spent.

As for the Ethanol, it cuts down on fuel emission it does not eliminate fuel emissions, and also, it takes more fuel than originally wasted from using gas to make the Ethanol. So overall, Ethanol fails.

GregWeeler
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GregWeeler
259 posts
Nomad

@ Ricador

It does not matter how much drilling we do or how many pumps we have. The oil companies have realized that we are dependent on oil and the prices will not lower more than maybe 5%. Ethanol is however a cheaper source of fuel and more Eco-friendly. However, I don't believe the population will switch except for a choice few. We have been using this traditional gas for years now and a lot of people are too afraid of change that they won't switch until there is not a drop of oil left.

Ricador
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Ricador
3,722 posts
Shepherd

@GregWeeler: cYes i agree with you except that first part. The prices will not drop, we will just spend less because we will not have to by so much from foreign countries. Also you may have misunderstood me, i meant that prices for the consumerswould go down, meaning at your local Arco prices will go down, not the price per barrel from foreign countries. So that is what i said, not what you said that i said.

GregWeeler
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GregWeeler
259 posts
Nomad

Ahh, I seem to have been misunderstood. The prices for the consumers will not drop more than 5%(maybe a bit more) as I said. The oil companies even though they are not paying as much to export from foreign countries will still keep the prices high due to the fact that they know people are so dependent on it.

This all seems to be a repeat but you may get it the second time around.

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