Corn: The Environmental Impact Statement

Is it possible the environmentalists have been praying at the wrong altar?

Is it possible that corn – as a fuel – is a worse pollutant than (gasp!) oil?  Well, yes, apparently:

Despite their purported advantages, biofuels — created from crops such as corn or soybeans — cause more emissions of climate change-causing carbon dioxide than gasoline, according to the study from U-M Energy Institute research professor John DeCicco.

The multi-billion-dollar U.S. biofuels industry — promoted and expanded for more than a decade by the federal government — [ed. read “subsidies”] may be built on a false assumption, according to a University of Michigan study published Thursday that is sure to stir all sides in the contentious debate over the industry. – Detroit Free Press

Because wherever facts don’t matter assumptions will be king:

“Carbon neutrality has really just been an assumption,” he said. “To verify the extent which that assumption is true, you really need to analyze what’s going on on the farmland, where the biofuels are being grown. People haven’t done that in the past — they felt like they didn’t need to.

Well darn; so corn makes better food than fuel; and carbon makes better fuel than food. Who’d a thunk?

Today’s special muffins: coal or corn. Your choice

This has all been very disappointing. Build it and they will come, they said.

Turn it into gasoline and  it will be better than corn flakes they said.

People won’t mind paying a little more for their tacos and Doritos as long as we’re saving the earth, they said.

“Yeah, I’m bringing it home for the lawn mower!”

You’ll be a hero, they said. The earth will pay tribute to your name they said.

Apparently they meant yellow corn, not this wimpy half-white corn job.

If you need me, I’ll be on the beach, soaking up some of the sun’s energy.

Hey! Here’s an idea; why don’t we replace oil and coal with solar panels!!!

This public service message was brought to you by the Kellogg Foundation where our motto is “Let’s put the corn back in corn flakes.”