Why Is Ethanol Better Than Conventional Fuel

Bio fuels and its’ importance to our country

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that approximately 50 percent of Americans live in areas where levels of one or more air pollutants are high enough to affect public health and the environment (Nakaya 36). This shows that things need to change and we need cleaner ways of making and using energy. Ethanol is a commonly used “alternative fuel fermented from corn, grains or agricultural waste or it is chemically extracted from ethylene (hydration). It is used primarily as a supplement to gasoline” (Gable and Gable). Ethanol, while currently used as an alternative fuel, is not as beneficial as once believed because it is expensive to make, takes more energy to make than it produces, is bad

One reason ethanol is a problem is because it increases the price of corn which is used for many things such as food for humans, cattle, and other farm animals. According to the article “The Great Corn Con” from the New York Times, “…reducing food supply to a hungry world…” is a bad thing. It states that “…4 of every 10 ears of corn grown in America… are shunted into ethanol…” (Rattner). This means that nearly half of our corn fields are turned into ethanol. Corn is “America’s largest crop... A small portion of production goes to human consumption; about 40 percent feeds cows, pigs, turkeys, and chickens. Diverting 40 percent to ethanol has disagreeable consequences for food. In just a year the price of bacon has soared 24 percent” (Rattner). This ties back to the problem with ethanol because it takes corn away and it costs more to produce the corn which we need. Due to the fact that there is less corn, farmers need to charge more for their food because it all connects together. In fact, “The use of corn and sugar in fuels has driven up the cost of food by a whopping 75% worldwide…” (Dannen). Corn is the primary source of ethanol fuel and the use of it increases the cost of everything. Other alternative fuels should be considered because they could be

“Making corn ethanol consumes vast quantities of water and increases smog” (Rattner). Corn needs a lot of water to grow so it takes away needed water which in turn will drive up the cost for water. Smog is harmful to the environment, animals and humans and can even cause death. Another alternative fuel is cellulosic biofuels. “Cellulosic biofuels, meanwhile, are made from grass, municipal waste or the woody, non edible parts of plants all of which take less land and energy to produce” (Fahey). Biofuels are better than ethanol because “There is no doubt that the use of fossil fuels harms the environment in numerous ways” (Nakaya 18). Fossil fuels are also harmful to us (humans and animals) and the environment. Therefore, we need to find and make better alternatives then ethanol and fossil