Ethanol?

[Jo]

Is ethanol a realistic alternative? Does it really make sense to turn toward it to lessen the dependency on oil?

[Jejune]

Oh, my, this is a pet peeve. No, ethanol makes no sense at all, and will just prolong our problems. Given that it takes as much oil to produce ethanol as it does, I see it as a short term solution to a corn surplus rather than a long term solution to the nation's energy problem.

Has anyone else read The Omnivore's Dilemma? There's a very interesting section on the corn industry, and it is just depressing as all get out.

[Val]

I had really hoped so. Kristen has now squashed my dream of moving the kids to a farm and raising... ethanol LOL Seriously, I don't know the first thing about the production of it, which would be the deciding factor. As far as the use of it, sure. It gets less miles per gallon but it's cheaper so who cares. For me it would really depend on how it goes from corn to ethanol.

[Kristen]

I was going to say what Kristen said....since it takes so much oil to make ethanol, there's really no benefit. And there's issues with the corn farmers and subsidies and all too.

I wish it were the solution, but it's just not.

I'd love it if our country explored some more in the way of wind power....that seems like a very good, clean, widely available source of energy. I know we couldn't power cars with it, but it would reduce our dependence on more traditional energy sources in other areas.