Comments on: What we’re reading: LAS traffic drops, production boost for 737s and 777s, more air biofuel in next decade http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/what-were-reading-las-traffic-drops-production-boost-for-737s-and-777s-more-air-biofuel-in-next-decade/ The last honest travel site Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John M http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/what-were-reading-las-traffic-drops-production-boost-for-737s-and-777s-more-air-biofuel-in-next-decade/comment-page-1/#comment-21114 John M Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:45:00 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=26657#comment-21114 Bio fuels don't have to lead to more deforestation and/or destruction of tropical forests or even converting cropland from food production to fuel production. In reverse order, we have had a surplus of corn production for years. We're not talking about too much just for the US but so much that no one will buy it. Additionally, corn is not the most effective plant to convert to fuel, better choices are a variety of plants that grow in marginal lands. In North America, the best choices are things like switch grass and cattails, both of which grow on land that corn, wheat, barley, rice, etc., won't grow in. And they have the added benefit of being good for the environment. Picture the banks of major rivers being lined with cattails, that help filter the water, removing a range of pollutants, as well as acting as barriers to flooding. Given that these grow in places and quantities that don't require any additional deforestation, it would seem that the world is focusing on the wrong plants, sugar cane, sugar beets and corn are not the best choices to make bio-fuels. Bio fuels don’t have to lead to more deforestation and/or destruction of tropical forests or even converting cropland from food production to fuel production.

In reverse order, we have had a surplus of corn production for years. We’re not talking about too much just for the US but so much that no one will buy it.

Additionally, corn is not the most effective plant to convert to fuel, better choices are a variety of plants that grow in marginal lands. In North America, the best choices are things like switch grass and cattails, both of which grow on land that corn, wheat, barley, rice, etc., won’t grow in. And they have the added benefit of being good for the environment. Picture the banks of major rivers being lined with cattails, that help filter the water, removing a range of pollutants, as well as acting as barriers to flooding.

Given that these grow in places and quantities that don’t require any additional deforestation, it would seem that the world is focusing on the wrong plants, sugar cane, sugar beets and corn are not the best choices to make bio-fuels.

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