Current Event: Population and Resources
I. Summary of the Topic of the Two Articles
The two articles discuss the importance and efficiency of biofuels, or agro fuels, in our world today. They discuss the pros and cons of the production and usage of biofuels from plant sources (such as crop from sugarcane). Biofuels are considered as an efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and are commonly used as alternative fuels for automobiles. However, recent developments imply that some biofuels contribute more to global warming than the fossil fuels they replace. This issue has been taken up in the two articles.
II. Graphic Organizer
Biofuels cut Greenhouse Gas emissions
Ø Producing biofuels from a fast-growing grass delivers vast savings of carbon dioxide emissions compared with petrol.
Ø Studies calculated that the production and consumption of biofuels such as ethanol cut CO2 emissions by about 94% when compared with an equivalent volume of petrol.
Ø Burning biofuels releases carbon dioxide, but growing the plants absorbs a comparable amount of the gas from the atmosphere.
Ø A team of US researchers also found that switch grass derived ethanol (biofuel) produced 540% more energy than was required to manufacture the fuel.
I. Summary of the Topic of the Two Articles
The two articles discuss the importance and efficiency of biofuels, or agro fuels, in our world today. They discuss the pros and cons of the production and usage of biofuels from plant sources (such as crop from sugarcane). Biofuels are considered as an efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and are commonly used as alternative fuels for automobiles. However, recent developments imply that some biofuels contribute more to global warming than the fossil fuels they replace. This issue has been taken up in the two articles.
II. Graphic Organizer
Biofuels cut Greenhouse Gas emissions
Ø Producing biofuels from a fast-growing grass delivers vast savings of carbon dioxide emissions compared with petrol.
Ø Studies calculated that the production and consumption of biofuels such as ethanol cut CO2 emissions by about 94% when compared with an equivalent volume of petrol.
Ø Burning biofuels releases carbon dioxide, but growing the plants absorbs a comparable amount of the gas from the atmosphere.
Ø A team of US researchers also found that switch grass derived ethanol (biofuel) produced 540% more energy than was required to manufacture the fuel.
Common Points
Ø A number of organizations, including the UN, have expressed concern that biofuels may do more harm than good.
Ø There are certain factors within the process of producing the biofuels that limited its financial and environmental feasibility.
Ø The criticism of the biofuel technology include taking large areas out of food production, inflating crop prices, and limited carbon emission savings.
Biofuels Need Strict Standards
Ø Biofuels should only be produced if they meet strict environmental standards, as was concluded by a G8 meeting.
Ø They say that biofuels should not be made from materials grown on land with recognized value for biodiversity.
Ø Also, the greenhouse gas emissions involved in their production and use should be significantly less than those produced by fossil fuels.
Ø The rapid expansion of energy crops could threaten global food security, and add further pressure to sensitive ecosystems including rainforests.
III. Commentary on Why this Issue is Important
Today, our planet is constantly battling against sweltering heat, unfathomable weather patterns, rising sea levels, and air pollution, all due to greenhouse gas emissions causing the greenhouse effect. Among many proposed solution arises that of using biofuels. These would supposedly dramatically lower the greenhouse gas emissions. So far, they’ve been regarded as the best way in nearing our goal to lessen pollution and greenhouse gas levels, but now arises a new debate- are they really working? The fact that biofuels really are eco-friendly is a fact that is now being seriously doubted. Surveys in the US have revealed that some biofuels plants are exploiting the water resources to an extreme extent. Factories producing ethanol have been placing orders for huge quantities of water, and thus their true value is being doubted. The food security in countries with poor circulation may be seriously affected. Estimates show that by the year 2050, biofuels may provide as much as 65% of the worlds current energy demands. The regions with the highest potential for bioenergy production today are Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean along with Latin America.
IV. Bibliographic Information
Article # 1
Title: Grass biofuels ‘cut C02 emissions by 94%’
Author: None Given
Publishing Date: 8th January, 2008
Source: BBC News
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/hi/science/nature/7175397.stm
Article # 2
Title: Biofuels need ‘strict standards’
Author: None Given
Publishing Date: 22nd February, 2008
Source: BBC News
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/hi/science/nature/7259593
Additional Sources (Background Info)
Ø United Nations Foundation (Official Website)
Ø www.energyfuturecoalition.org/biofuels/
Ø The Economist (March 1st-7th Issue), “Ethanol and water don’t mix”
Ø Biofuels should only be produced if they meet strict environmental standards, as was concluded by a G8 meeting.
Ø They say that biofuels should not be made from materials grown on land with recognized value for biodiversity.
Ø Also, the greenhouse gas emissions involved in their production and use should be significantly less than those produced by fossil fuels.
Ø The rapid expansion of energy crops could threaten global food security, and add further pressure to sensitive ecosystems including rainforests.
III. Commentary on Why this Issue is Important
Today, our planet is constantly battling against sweltering heat, unfathomable weather patterns, rising sea levels, and air pollution, all due to greenhouse gas emissions causing the greenhouse effect. Among many proposed solution arises that of using biofuels. These would supposedly dramatically lower the greenhouse gas emissions. So far, they’ve been regarded as the best way in nearing our goal to lessen pollution and greenhouse gas levels, but now arises a new debate- are they really working? The fact that biofuels really are eco-friendly is a fact that is now being seriously doubted. Surveys in the US have revealed that some biofuels plants are exploiting the water resources to an extreme extent. Factories producing ethanol have been placing orders for huge quantities of water, and thus their true value is being doubted. The food security in countries with poor circulation may be seriously affected. Estimates show that by the year 2050, biofuels may provide as much as 65% of the worlds current energy demands. The regions with the highest potential for bioenergy production today are Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean along with Latin America.
IV. Bibliographic Information
Article # 1
Title: Grass biofuels ‘cut C02 emissions by 94%’
Author: None Given
Publishing Date: 8th January, 2008
Source: BBC News
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/hi/science/nature/7175397.stm
Article # 2
Title: Biofuels need ‘strict standards’
Author: None Given
Publishing Date: 22nd February, 2008
Source: BBC News
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/hi/science/nature/7259593
Additional Sources (Background Info)
Ø United Nations Foundation (Official Website)
Ø www.energyfuturecoalition.org/biofuels/
Ø The Economist (March 1st-7th Issue), “Ethanol and water don’t mix”
1 comment:
Dear Anant,
I liked how you talked about biofuel and the comparisons were really good . The best part of the current event was the summery of the two articals. You explained it really well. I liked it.
Rachel
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