Interesting reasoning, but more like rationalization to me. Acceptance of "reality" by the "pragmatic" rather than challenging assumptions is a key factor is getting "US" and the earth in the present fix.
How many acres of land are required for a month's worth of "average" driving (or some other understandable statistic)? What if the present land were used for unsubsidized crops? WT At 12:26 PM 2/9/2006, Don Cipollini wrote: >True. Unfortunately, the choice (at least in areas like in >southwestern Ohio) is usually not between continuing agriculture and >restoring the habitat - it is between continuing agriculture or >putting up a Wal-Mart or more McMansions. > >Wayne Tyson wrote: >>Or restore it to habitat and save tax money for government support >>for corporate welfare, not to mention erosion, siltation, chemical >>contamination, air pollution, resource depletion, blah, blah, blah? >> >>WT >> >>At 11:25 AM 2/9/2006, Don Cipollini wrote: >>>I have thought recently about this, and without having read that paper, >>>I might throw out that supporting ethanol fuel production could have the >>>secondary (mostly) beneficial effect of keeping some land in agriculture >>>that might otherwise be under development pressure. >>> >>>DeSolla,Shane [Burlington] wrote: >>> >>> >I am pretty sure that this has already been posted on ECOLOG, but since >>> >the topic has come up again... >>> > >>> >A study by Patzek (2004) found that the use of ethanol (obtained from >>> >growing corn) ultimately consumes more fossil fuels than it saves. He >>> >advocates that the US dramatically reduce its corn production, and >>> >reduce its use of ethanol from corn. Not all biofuel comes from corn, >>> >but I suspect that the vast majority of it does. >>> > >>> >This is not the only study that came to this conclusion, but is among >>> >the most recent. It is a long read, but is in depth. Of course that does >>> >not make it right, but his argument is not trivial. >>> > >>> >Tad W Patzek. 2004. Thermodynamics of the Corn-Ethanol Biofuel Cycle. >>> >Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. 23(6):519-567. >>> > >>> >Cheers, >>> >Shane >>> > >>> >Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent those of >>> >his employer. >>> > >>> > >>> >>>-- >>>*********************************** >>>Don Cipollini, Ph.D. >>>Associate Professor-Plant Physiology/Chemical Ecology >>>Associate Director Environmental Sciences PhD Program >>>Department of Biological Sciences >>>Wright State University >>>3640 Colonel Glenn Highway >>>Dayton, Ohio 45435-0001 >>>(937) 775-3805 >>>FAX (937) 775-3320 >>>email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>Lab Page: http://www.wright.edu/~don.cipollini > > >-- >*********************************** >Don Cipollini, Ph.D. >Associate Professor-Plant Physiology/Chemical Ecology >Associate Director Environmental Sciences PhD Program >Department of Biological Sciences >Wright State University >3640 Colonel Glenn Highway >Dayton, Ohio 45435-0001 >(937) 775-3805 >FAX (937) 775-3320 >email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Lab Page: ><http://www.wright.edu/~don.cipollini>http://www.wright.edu/~don.cipollini
