ethanol
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The world is one poor harvest away from chaos
An Indian woman sifts grain from a previous harvest. Water shortages could drastically affect this year’s harvest.Photo: World BankIn early January, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that its Food Price Index had reached an all-time high in December, exceeding the previous record set during the 2007-08 price surge. Even more alarming, on […]
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With global grain prices surging, corn ethanol looking dumber than ever
There’s nothing green about wasting corn for ethanol.Grist has been tracking rising food prices for some time — and we’re not the only ones. New York Times columnist and Nobel economist Paul Krugman has been writing on the subject, including some interesting analysis of the interaction of climate risk and food prices. Here’s a key […]
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How to make sure there will be enough food
We shouldn’t be getting so much of our energy from cornfields.Photo: Ben HusmannToday there are three sources of growing demand for food: population growth; rising affluence and the associated jump in meat, milk, and egg consumption; and the use of grain to produce fuel for cars. Population growth is as old as agriculture itself. But […]
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Recycling 'blackouts in a can' should inspire other uses for recalled food
Here in America, we don't believe in wasting food. Not only do we find a home for unwanted alcoholic energy drinks, but also edible food-like substances and even potentially hazardous items like contaminated eggs.
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Four Loko will now fuel cars, not mayhem
Four Loko: It's gross, bad for you, and only existed legitimately for about five minutes before turning into its own punchline. But it's finally doing something useful by getting turned into ethanol.
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Corn lobby cashes in on tax compromise
It wasn't just plutocrats who made out like bandits in President Obama's grand tax compromise. King Corn got his paws into the public till, too, snatching a cool $5 billion. So why does fiscal rectitude mean that school lunches only get a tiny boost -- offset by a cut in food stamps?
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Ethanol is dead; all hail plant-based synthetic gasoline! [PODCAST]
In my latest podcast, I talk to Jim Thomas of ETC Group, my go-to source for cutting-edge information on the machinations of global agribusiness. He blew my mind on the topic of ethanol and the "new biomass economy."
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The Climate Post: Scientific papers paint most accurate portrait of Earth’s future yet
Just in time for the ongoing talks in Cancun, Mexico, the U.K.'s Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research has rounded up a trove of cutting-edge scientific research that paints what may be the most accurate portrait of Earth's future to date. Plus, how to blame extreme weather on climate change (without having to apologize for doing so) and what Tea Partiers and environmentalists agree on.
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King Corn's bad pre-Thanksgiving week
Tomorrow, millions of people will feast on flavorless turkeys raised in tight quarters and stuffed with industrially produced, genetically modified corn. You'd think King Corn would be grinning ear-to-ear this week. Instead, His Majesty is furious!