tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post3428758579583823913..comments2024-03-26T00:14:00.509-07:00Comments on Crunchy Chicken: Biofuel quandaryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-76130052046164772752008-02-20T10:40:00.000-08:002008-02-20T10:40:00.000-08:00The biodiesel that you buy at fueling stations is ...The biodiesel that you buy at fueling stations is not made from recycled cooking oil. If you want to go that route you need to brew your own, or modify your vehicle to run on straight veg oil once it is warmed up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-77888798020817347732008-01-09T07:47:00.000-08:002008-01-09T07:47:00.000-08:00I just read a great post about biofuels. It's a bi...I just read a great post about biofuels. It's a bit long, http://casaubonsbook.blogspot.com/2008/01/three-billion-dead-future-of-biofuels.html<BR/>But the basic idea that the post revolves around is "there will be strong economic incentives to continue biofuels growth at the expense of the world's poor, and that mass starvation could occur quite rapidly, [...], as soon as 5 years from now and Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-33783404125819434092007-07-14T05:40:00.000-07:002007-07-14T05:40:00.000-07:00I might be mentioning something everyone here know...I might be mentioning something everyone here knows, but just in case here goes another train of thought.<BR/>When we start raising crops for fuel, the crops may not be organic, they may be genetically modified. I live close to a major agricultural area and it's a real concern about "fuel" crops coming into the area because they could contaminate the organic seed crops....<BR/><BR/>My solution Deb Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03729615248033326334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-72196373149398916422007-07-13T02:45:00.000-07:002007-07-13T02:45:00.000-07:00Like Greenpa, I think it's important to think, act...Like Greenpa, I think it's important to think, act, do something and not get too frustrated by all the conflicting information. Then, of course, don't beat yourself up for making the wrong choice. Reevaluate and act again.<BR/><BR/>Although I have no solutions, I do have another argument against ethanol, as an example. I saw a document on an ethanol plantation in Brazil. The sugar cane was grown Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-23217621219233129582007-07-12T20:15:00.000-07:002007-07-12T20:15:00.000-07:00I think the answer is in the exact, complete calcu...I think the answer is in the exact, complete calculations. The challenge is gathering the data so as to make those calculations. I'd love to know the breakdown, myself.Isle Dancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04755103029114698264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-28978204243396099262007-07-12T10:54:00.000-07:002007-07-12T10:54:00.000-07:00Another alternative is car sharing. Here in the S...Another alternative is car sharing. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have 3 different car sharing companies. The one I belong to is Flexcar, but there is also City Carshare and Zipcar. I checked, and Flexcar operates in Seattle as well. And many of their cars are hybrids, at least here they are.<BR/><BR/>If you want to give up owning a car, but you still want to be able to drive when Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-63980223149669201412007-07-11T12:24:00.000-07:002007-07-11T12:24:00.000-07:00Um, put an 'or' or two in between those scenarios ...Um, put an 'or' or two in between those scenarios and they'll read much better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-23699727393008380142007-07-11T12:23:00.000-07:002007-07-11T12:23:00.000-07:00I love our eco-cyber-community. I love rational, ...I love our eco-cyber-community. I love rational, calm discussions like this one.<BR/><BR/>I don't know enough about bio fuels to have a strong opinion. I think Dr. Dan makes his own, so it might be worth calling him up and asking about the fuel it takes to make it. He seems like a rational guy and I can't imagine him on this crusade if he knew it wasn't worth it.<BR/><BR/>I am worried about Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-23744678588370640812007-07-11T11:47:00.000-07:002007-07-11T11:47:00.000-07:00On a recent trip to upstate NY, my husband and I w...On a recent trip to upstate NY, my husband and I went to a "green" vehicle expo. One of the vehicles on display was a Dodge pickup truck that runs on ethanol. When pressed about the amount of oil that goes into making ethanol, the representative from Dodge trotted out a few stock phrases such as "ethanol is energy neutral" and "ethanol is renewable." I think he's got a few wires crossed. <BR/><BRvaleriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16739871845326904146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-15687970613183362322007-07-11T11:43:00.000-07:002007-07-11T11:43:00.000-07:00I'm with Greenpa on this one, you just do the best...I'm with Greenpa on this one, you just do the best you can, and for our family, choosing a diesel car that gets 50 miles per gallon was a much better choice than a SUV guzzling down gasoline. We live in the mountains and I can say with confidence that very few people NEED 4WD here, even when it snows 7 months out of the year. It's the best we can do for now: become a one vehicle family, use Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-27419199713076024372007-07-11T09:47:00.000-07:002007-07-11T09:47:00.000-07:00lol. e4; sorry about that. Crunchy, your "verifi...lol. e4; sorry about that. Crunchy, your "verification" is being annoying, for me at least; I often have to do it 3 times to get it to work; don't know why. that weird start to my previous comment happened when the cursed cursor jumped without telling me.<BR/><BR/>I just turned it off in my blog, though I still screen. I've only had to delete like 4 robot posts; no biggie.<BR/><BR/>2nd try...Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-5689852708055472692007-07-11T09:43:00.000-07:002007-07-11T09:43:00.000-07:00mnbilre4-"But second, biofuels can never scale up....mnbilre4-"But second, biofuels can never scale up. Several thousand people using waste veggie oil is great. Several hundred million is just not feasible." <BR/><BR/>Huzzah! You are absoLUTELY right- and this is something the guys pushing the tech companies keep saying is not so. <BR/><BR/>They've already tried to take tribal forest and clear it for sugar cane in Africa- for ethanol- and Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-4785046743722642872007-07-11T08:48:00.000-07:002007-07-11T08:48:00.000-07:00I agree with Anon...get a disel car and covert it ...I agree with Anon...get a disel car and covert it to run of vegetable oil--especially that left over from restaurants. it's a great deal...oopuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15012092849288557716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-55592336745563170442007-07-11T08:43:00.000-07:002007-07-11T08:43:00.000-07:00You can convert your car to run on straight veggie...You can convert your car to run on straight veggie oil - better for the environment. You can then set up relationships with restaurants to collect their used oil for free (some places will even pay you for disposing it). With a $40 home filtration kit you can filter the oil and put it directly into your car. As people have said, this isn't sustainable for millions to do but right now they're Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-27860550562307233242007-07-11T08:41:00.000-07:002007-07-11T08:41:00.000-07:00I have to agree that at this point, it is like thr...I have to agree that at this point, it is like throwing a dart, but once you get close to the dartboard, you will see that all the spaces are filled in with light, sweet crude.<BR/><BR/>Driving less seems to be the best option now. Plugging in an electric car charged by wind/solar the second best option - in the future.QThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15544956727530046973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-46251769218997035432007-07-11T08:28:00.000-07:002007-07-11T08:28:00.000-07:00I tend to think that using used vegetable oil to m...I tend to think that using used vegetable oil to make fuel is better than throwing it away. Using plants to make fuel, not a good idea. So, if you make your own biodiesel from used cooking oil I think that is a pretty good plan. Buying it at a pump, I have to think isn't from used cooking oil.Christyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14920326845870515381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-14590352627535135942007-07-11T07:44:00.000-07:002007-07-11T07:44:00.000-07:00I think there are two problems with biofuels - and...I think there are two problems with biofuels - and this applies to pretty much <I>any</I> biofuels. <BR/><BR/>First, it takes energy to create them. The energy returned on energy invested is generally not great, especially when we've been spoiled by petroleum for so long. Stick a pipe in the ground and stand back.<BR/><BR/>But second, biofuels can never scale up. Several thousand people using e4https://www.blogger.com/profile/13435927076587347401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-31342364372617019712007-07-11T07:19:00.000-07:002007-07-11T07:19:00.000-07:00Personally I'm not wild about biodiesel. It does t...Personally I'm not wild about biodiesel. It does tkae a lot of oil to make and seems pointless in the long run. I'd go hybrid or an electric car.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-11653657419559236422007-07-11T07:16:00.000-07:002007-07-11T07:16:00.000-07:00Well, that totally didn't link like I thought... o...Well, that totally didn't link like I thought... oops!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-49865340434045558892007-07-11T07:15:00.000-07:002007-07-11T07:15:00.000-07:00I posted about my concerns about ethanol a while b...I posted about my concerns about ethanol a while back (http://lorivillarreal.typepad.com/do_you_realize/2007/05/ethanol_for_the.html). I really agree that right now, biofuels in general are just "making noise" and not doing a whole lotta good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-67742885833171484622007-07-11T06:08:00.000-07:002007-07-11T06:08:00.000-07:00Take a look at my second comment on your previous ...Take a look at my second comment on your previous post. This IS an area where I am an expert. Even a recognized one; they ask me to come to meetings and everything.<BR/><BR/>All the media noise about biofuels is at SUCH a high pitch right now; the Heat to Light ratio is approximately 50 to 1. Really.<BR/><BR/>Best thing for regular folks to do is- just make your best guess; and go ahead with Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-36240537782115631242007-07-11T04:21:00.000-07:002007-07-11T04:21:00.000-07:00I share your concern. I heard Gore (?) interviewed...I share your concern. I heard Gore (?) interviewed on this topic awhile back. He said that this first generation of biodiesel wasn't really an improvement when you consider just the factors that you mention, but that the next wave of biodiesel (do I remember what that means? no) would be a vast improvement. Blah blah, I don't remember the details because I caught the interview with kids Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com