Letters to the Editor

Letters posted here are associated with the following article:
Hurricane ethanol
Andrew Leonard [2007-05-11]
The letters thread is now closed.

  • Thank you, Andrew

    For the most reasonable article on biofuels that I've seen in awhile.

    I think the politics of agricultural subsidies are really important here. The US and Europe spend a lot of money to keep farmers afloat. And the African farmers, etc., get screwed by artificially low prices. And governments on neither side of the Atlantic show any willingness to change the status quo.

    So wouldn't it be helpful if these farmers had something more to do, so subsidies would be less necessary? So African farmers could get a decent price, and maybe, you know, develop sustainable economies?

    I concur with Andrew that the environmental risks of biofuel cultivation are real. But they are so not a deal-killer in my view.

    I'd also like to promote pelletized grass as a good fuel for stationary applications- if you're not moving, you don't really need liquid fuels; pelletized grass has a much, much better energy balance than ethanol, etc. Middlebury College, for instance, is installing some pellet-based heating systems.

    -- syphax
    [Read syphax's other letters]
    Friday, May 11, 2007 04:30 PM

  • I was just wondering...

    How long will it be until I can fill up on Organic biodiesel, ethanol, whatever?

    -- SB
    [Read SB's other letters]
    Friday, May 11, 2007 09:06 PM

  • Oranges

    We shouldn't worry about Brazilian oranges in the U.S. My Brazilian girlfriend, who is visiting the U.S., is crazy about American oranges: They are, she says, more colorful, plumper and sweeter than those in her country.

    --Anonymous
    Saturday, May 12, 2007 09:15 AM

  • Uh

    Do the Chinese drink O.J.?

    -- Ktwdawg
    [Read Ktwdawg's other letters]
    Thursday, May 17, 2007 07:49 AM

Letters Help