Don't Fall for Ethanol Boogerman Stories

by TheTrucker

The corn ethanol story is the pick of the litter for oil companies and all other liars that infest the "preserve the carbon owners" lobby.  It is that corn is the WORST way to produce ethanol and the only reason it is subsidized is that it is a big vote getter in the midwest.

There are a great many biofuel sources that are economically superior to corn and much friendlier to the planet.  But these do not get the votes of the current majority of the farmers who inhabit the midwest. Quite simply, the alternatives do not compete with food crops and it is a double whammy for the midwest framers.  Pull the subsidy and the price of corn, wheat, alfalfa, and all the rest go down too.  And these guys have a loan at the bank for the new tractor.  And the ability to pay was/is based on  income from anticipated subsidized prices.  OUCH!

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Saving the ocean from acidity death economically and sequestering CO2 in algae, saving the fishery

by chondrally

Richard A. Feely of the National Atmospheric and Oceanographic association (NOAA) in Boulder Colorado, has published some stunning papers available at
www.scirus.com for free,  that shake our world view of the oceans.  By 2017 when the projected CO2 level will reach 450 ppm,  the deep ocean currents will offgas CO2 in the southern ocean,  turning this part of the ocean very acidic from carbonic acid which exists in huge quantities in the deep oceans due to ocean pressure and millenia of diffusion.
The following article suggests a way that we can economically save the oceans, the fish, the coral and the shellfish and molluscs, by some simple calcium chemistry in the oceans involving Calcium carbonate (aragonite and calcite:limestone deposits) and calcium bicarbonate.

continued at Daily Kos....

A Key Strand in the Web of Life: PhytoPlankton

by jamess

Please watch the Planet's Forests, Inhale and Exhale, with the Seasons ...

Observing Plant Life Health From Space

http://www.youtube.com/...

Now, watch Earth's "Ocean Forests", Breathe in and out, as well ...

Observing The Biosphere From Space

http://www.youtube.com/...

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Move over Brave New World -- BioRemediation is a Test Tube away

by jamess

I hate to be a fearmonger (really I do). I'm a fact-driven guy, on most occasions. But this new plan on the Bio-drawing boards, has me a little worried. Especially considering the "kitchen sink" approach, that has been taken so far, to help "disperse" the mess in the Gulf ... If only this tale was from 'The Onion' ... Microbes developing appetite for oil Evolugate seeks approval to use its life forms to help clean up the Gulf oil spill. By Anthony Clark, Business editor, gainesville.com -- Monday, June 7, 2010 A Gainesville startup company is developing "designer microbes" specially tailored to the Gulf oil spill in hopes of helping cleanup efforts. Evolugate LLC has developed a technology to speed the process of evolution in microbes used to create biofuel and to control insects. In recent weeks, it has turned its attention to cleaning the Gulf oil spill. [...] Once the microbes are ready, Evolugate will need approval from the Environmental Protection Agency. Well, at least, the EPA will need to give the Green Light first ...

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