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Gasoline 'more green than many biofuels'

TG Daily -- Most biofuels are worse for the environment than gasoline, according to the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa).

Since biofuels stem predominantly from agricultural products, there can be negative effects, for example on the supply of food in times of drought, or whether arable land is oversupplied with nutrients.

And, says Empa, many biofuels based on agricultural products do indeed lead to other environmental pollution, such as too much acid in the soil and polluted lakes and rivers.

"Most biofuels therefore just deflect the environmental impact: fewer greenhouse gases, thus more growth-related pollution for land used for agriculture," says researcher Rainer Zah.

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Submitted Sep 28, 2012 By: NOTSOGRN

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remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,963 Points:2,116,640 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Sep 29, 2012 8:35:03 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse Hmmm... that doesn't comfort me very much.
NedW Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:5,614 Points:1,142,245 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 11:59:06 PM Ignore NedW Report Abuse Thank you for submitting, NOTSOGREEN.
MAC48 Champion Author Dallas Posts:1,546 Points:765,945 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 10:53:43 PM Ignore MAC48 Report Abuse Still want my US Representative and both Senators to rescind the biofuel use mandate and end any & all subsidies for biofuel production. At the same time, we still need to use taxpayer dollars to advance our level of technology both to increase the efficiency of our current technology and to discover and develop new technologies in the biofuel arena.
sillywagon Champion Author New York Posts:14,883 Points:1,440,370 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 8:09:54 PM Ignore sillywagon Report Abuse It would have been fun to read more details.
E-Squirrel Champion Author Orange County Posts:3,012 Points:819,060 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:00:44 PM Ignore E-Squirrel Report Abuse DerHahn advises: "make biofuels from waste products and leave the food products alone." Well, that has "been the plan" for a number of years now. Unfortunately, the most hoped-for technology to do this, cellulosic ethanol is mired back where the German chemists left it in the last century. It still costs at least double of what corn derived ethanol costs. Given the high price per BTU of ethanol to start with, this makes it cost more than you would be willing to pay.
DerHahn Champion Author Illinois Posts:13,704 Points:2,113,910 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 4:23:46 PM Ignore DerHahn Report Abuse make biofuels from waste products and leave the food products alone. bad enough it's hard for many to afford the fuel needed to get to work, no need to drive food prices to the same levels.
TruthMatters Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,520 Points:533,985 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 3:35:40 PM Ignore TruthMatters Report Abuse Don't believe everything you read!
EvergreenON All-Star Author Ontario Posts:938 Points:482,715 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 3:17:11 PM Ignore EvergreenON Report Abuse Just stop ethanol production
ObieDog Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,961 Points:850,920 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 3:12:29 PM Ignore ObieDog Report Abuse It's painful to look at what things really cost.
Yooperheart Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,414 Points:527,005 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 1:36:47 PM Ignore Yooperheart Report Abuse Like your comment MrDeath666...
CapriceWagon All-Star Author Washington Posts:934 Points:478,095 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 11:39:09 AM Ignore CapriceWagon Report Abuse If you really want to shrink your carbon footprint, just don't have kids. Otherwise, accept that you're going to have an impact on this planet, and that it's only natural.
schatzila Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:4,944 Points:1,015,645 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 11:34:43 AM Ignore schatzila Report Abuse I'll leave it to the scientists to figure it out.
Tehbob Champion Author California Posts:2,291 Points:456,630 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 10:53:47 AM Ignore Tehbob Report Abuse thata nice
Hemi3tc Veteran Author Vancouver Posts:283 Points:283,935 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 10:53:25 AM Ignore Hemi3tc Report Abuse Yuuuppp. Neet to look at the whole process. To much green forest land is being cut down and burned for eco fuel
blupupher Champion Author Houston Posts:3,545 Points:747,070 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 9:45:23 AM Ignore blupupher Report Abuse yup, you need to look at the entire process to see what is green.
AlienBug All-Star Author Connecticut Posts:732 Points:218,035 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 9:04:57 AM Ignore AlienBug Report Abuse Yet another reason to drill baby drill.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,939 Points:751,985 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 8:35:43 AM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse The Church of Green is not going to like this....
MAJB Sophomore Author Indianapolis Posts:226 Points:109,435 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 8:26:06 AM Ignore MAJB Report Abuse I don't believe there was ever any doubt in the minds of most intellectuals
MrDeath666 Champion Author Houston Posts:1,611 Points:243,215 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 8:17:58 AM Ignore MrDeath666 Report Abuse This article will make Al Goron cry.
MrLefty0706 Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,444 Points:351,085 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 8:10:27 AM Ignore MrLefty0706 Report Abuse Sad. There have to be more positives. Was this an objective study?
car253 Champion Author Ohio Posts:6,293 Points:1,468,620 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 8:08:06 AM Ignore car253 Report Abuse No real surprise here. No free GREEN lunch. [Edited by: car253 at 9/28/2012 9:09:12 AM EST]
Gas_Eyes Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,672 Points:643,885 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:49:55 AM Ignore Gas_Eyes Report Abuse The claim of Ethanol from Corn is a little suspect in this year's drought.
Buckeyee Champion Author Maine Posts:4,602 Points:898,780 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:47:55 AM Ignore Buckeyee Report Abuse Very well said, alex395 !!
doeslayersr Champion Author Illinois Posts:9,111 Points:871,030 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:44:48 AM Ignore doeslayersr Report Abuse Not to mention the amount of water and energy expended to produce a gallon of "gree" renewable fuel (such as ethanol). It requires a lot of water and the energy of of 1.5 gallons of gasoline for each gallon of ethanol produced. [Edited by: doeslayersr at 9/28/2012 8:45:54 AM EST]
Cakes77 Champion Author Harrisburg Posts:5,156 Points:1,651,670 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:33:36 AM Ignore Cakes77 Report Abuse Hard to believe this. There may be a FEW modern refineries like this.
alex395 Champion Author Louisville Posts:2,045 Points:276,435 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:30:00 AM Ignore alex395 Report Abuse Greenies out of touch. That is what happens when you have your head rammed up the EPA's butt.
gandalfthegrey1 Champion Author Houston Posts:1,184 Points:384,785 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:29:40 AM Ignore gandalfthegrey1 Report Abuse Ah. Seems to be a case of "pick your poison" - or more to the point pick your pollutant. Greenies will have a nice day figuring this one out.
bar1035 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:9,152 Points:1,297,245 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:29:27 AM Ignore bar1035 Report Abuse Reminds me, I need to plow the garden today
SycamoreISU Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,040 Points:259,685 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:28:12 AM Ignore SycamoreISU Report Abuse Food should fuel living beings, not motors!
GingoutMD Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,495 Points:713,305 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:16:58 AM Ignore GingoutMD Report Abuse If the author is counting intangibles into the "green" calculation of biofuels, does the author also consider the cost of oil spills (damage to the environment and amount of fuel burned to clean up the mess) into his calculation for gas? Not likely...
WalRus49 Champion Author Boston Posts:4,070 Points:867,890 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:05:36 AM Ignore WalRus49 Report Abuse Bunk!
Joeski1 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,992 Points:1,741,610 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 7:00:19 AM Ignore Joeski1 Report Abuse I guess I'll use 87 octane on my flower beds next year instead of miracle-gro*
Wally3023 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:2,030 Points:540,200 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 6:53:22 AM Ignore Wally3023 Report Abuse I'd like to see a study done
Evilmaddog Champion Author British Columbia Posts:3,317 Points:956,575 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 6:48:29 AM Ignore Evilmaddog Report Abuse never mind the energy it takes to make ethanol, and the lower mpg
evowner Champion Author Salem Posts:2,177 Points:358,285 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 6:21:38 AM Ignore evowner Report Abuse Really?
bicycle1966 All-Star Author Akron Posts:605 Points:402,590 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 6:09:49 AM Ignore bicycle1966 Report Abuse there's a new twist
Xavier80 Champion Author Victoria Posts:1,773 Points:377,465 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 6:05:30 AM Ignore Xavier80 Report Abuse ok
JamesCalvin Champion Author Lancaster Posts:3,181 Points:518,480 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:58:07 AM Ignore JamesCalvin Report Abuse The truth that "Gasoline 'more green than many biofuels'" is self evident! Has been for decades!
Piper0072 All-Star Author Rochester Posts:906 Points:380,830 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:38:24 AM Ignore Piper0072 Report Abuse Ethanol scam needs to be reversed.
MImusicman Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,873 Points:407,525 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:36:24 AM Ignore MImusicman Report Abuse Over regulations can create more problems which then gov't wants solve again.
pscamp Champion Author Ottawa Posts:3,277 Points:474,385 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:36:21 AM Ignore pscamp Report Abuse OK
wrunner Champion Author Virginia Posts:4,440 Points:1,136,360 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:29:50 AM Ignore wrunner Report Abuse Really?! Figure the odds!
dr047 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,592 Points:517,445 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:23:35 AM Ignore dr047 Report Abuse We're not helping with all the Huge Gas Guzzling Beasts out there.
el_fr Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:3,337 Points:744,700 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:20:42 AM Ignore el_fr Report Abuse Say No to ethanol
yardslave Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:2,555 Points:596,805 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:00:12 AM Ignore yardslave Report Abuse Ok.
Lugi1967 Champion Author Ohio Posts:4,783 Points:1,001,270 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 4:46:41 AM Ignore Lugi1967 Report Abuse but its renewable
APlus Champion Author San Antonio Posts:3,918 Points:991,445 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 4:37:58 AM Ignore APlus Report Abuse ok
farmboyTN Champion Author Tennessee Posts:2,262 Points:448,560 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 4:26:43 AM Ignore farmboyTN Report Abuse ok
George0446 All-Star Author Massachusetts Posts:500 Points:231,100 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 4:12:52 AM Ignore George0446 Report Abuse We have advanced technology. We must use it in the most efficent way. Cut the mandates and subsidies. Let the free market pick the winners.
grandpadon28110 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:4,716 Points:1,142,310 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2012 3:58:12 AM Ignore grandpadon28110 Report Abuse Yes.