The ancillary effects of large scale ethanol fuel gets worse yet, than either of us has stated.

Another problem with it is the fact that that it takes almost as much energy from fossil fuels to produce a gallon of ethanol, as the energy obtained from that gallon. It does not therefore, reduce our dependence upon foreign (read that as 'enemy') oil sources very much.

So to try to overcome the problems that make ethanol fuel production so marginal, producers have been experimenting with gene-splicing; on the corn, and also on the fermenting agents (yeast, etc) -- Net results, plants that literally dissolve into alcohol at near room temperatures! Unfortunately, it tended to occur prematurely, sometimes killing young plants before they could grow large enough to be of any practical use.

So OK - just one failed experiment - big deal. Right?

WRONG! What if those enhanced fermenting agents get out of the laboratory and spread into the natural environment? And the chance of that is pretty certain once such a process is in general use. Can that be prevented? - YES of course. But it WON'T be, especially when some corporation decides to enhance its stock market position, by cutting corners to save a buck or two.

So after it gets into the environment - what then. Oh - nothing more than the specter of worldwide famine; as many, or even all agricultural crops are dissolved into alcohol right in the field, and are thus destroyed. Talk about unintended consequences! A potential environmental disaster far exceeding biblical proportions!


Oh yeah - Ooooops -
Only a caveman would believe that the species homo-sapiens is NOT all knowing and omnipotent - and can safely handle such tampering with nature.

Nevertheless, the fact is that we have not safely handled much of anything - ever! We HAVE BEEN our own worst enemy on all sorts of countless social, physical, and environmental issues; that chronically afflict mankind. We will be on this one too!

So - I guess y'all should now put two caveman hats on my head! Oh - and maybe y'all could lend me some of those rose colored glasses you use, when looking at the politically correct solutions to everything.