Ethanol Demand Is Boosting Food Prices Worldwide

hereisnowhy writes "The rising demand for corn as a source of ethanol-blended fuel is largely to blame for increasing food costs around the world, the CBC reports. Increased prices for ethanol have already led to bigger grocery bills for the average American — an increase of $47 US compared to July 2006. In Mexico last year, corn tortillas, a crucial source of calories for 50 million poor people, doubled in price; the increase forced the government to introduce price controls. The move to ethanol-blended fuel is based in part on widespread belief that it produces cleaner emissions than regular gasoline. But a recent Environment Canada study found no statistical difference between the greenhouse gas emissions of regular unleaded fuel and 10 per cent ethanol-blended fuel. Environmental groups have argued that producing ethanol — whether from corn, beets, wheat, or other crops — requires more energy than can be derived from the product."

Comments

Reducing the consumption of fossil fuels BAD??

[goldspider]

Weren't these the same environmentalists that have been telling us for years to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels? Were they right then? Or are they right now?

Or are most prominent environmentalists simply argumentative to the point where they will contradict themselves for the sake of opposing the inexorable progress of technology and industry?

I've long since dismissed the environmentalist movement for exactly this kind of thing. No matter what we to do try to placate them, we will be wrong. Giving them any consideration anymore is an exercise in futility.

Or you could....

[cheekyboy]

A) Get rid of tax if you earn under $100,000 which reduces demand for government evil tax employees and accountants
B) Get rid of more govt employees that are operating slower than a 486 (10% of workforce)
C) Use presidential power to overule and force through lots of modern designed smaller reactors (greenies begone you have no solution)
D) throw out 10m illegal aliens that do nothing but undermine jobs and produce crimes and send billions back to mexico.

But of course economists never see a ceiling on the earths ability to sustain human life, just infinite inflation based increasing profits, that never end.

Increasing yearly population + inefficiently built/designed housing is responsible for the bulk of GDP growth. How about give dome housing a go, it takes 24hrs to build a house for a fraction, but
that means that all those illegals wont have jobs.