Promise of Ethanol and Biodiesel

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Biofuels, fuels that provide energy using relatively recent organic sources, have been around just as long as cars have. In fact, the first cars ran on peanut oil. Henry Ford, founder of a multimillion dollar American car company, planned to fuel his massively successful Model T’s with ethanol (National Geographic 2013.) However, this revolutionary idea was swept under the rug when the discovery of massive petroleum deposits kept gasoline and diesel cheap and affordable. As 2014 rolls around, consumers are starting see that the amount of petroleum in the Earth is shrinking and the same story goes for their wallets (Avro 2012.) Not only does burning gas and diesel empty out the wallet, it is also slowly covering the Earth with a warm carbon dioxide blanket that causes global warming. Transportation, which is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses (Biofuel Association of Australia 2013), is dependent on finite amounts of gas and diesel for its energy needs so it is very important we move towards a more renewable and sustainable fuel source. Biofuels, both ethanol and biodiesel, have the potential to fuel transportation efficiently and drastically reduce the carbon footprint, thus reducing the warm blanket of carbon dioxide on the Earth. The topic of global warming has been looming over our guilty shoulders since the early 1900’s. Transportation is the top contributor of greenhouse gas emissions which forms a barrier in the ozone, trapping in heat and heating our planet to unforeseen temperatures, much like a greenhouse. Over 225 billion gallons of gasoline is burned for transportation in the United States alone (CNN 2013.) All the harmful emissions from vehicles are starting to add up and scientists are watching the ice caps... ... middle of paper ... ...006, July 4). Ethanol vs. Biodiesel: Just the Facts. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger.com/ National Geographic Society (2013). Biofuel: The Original Car Fuel. Retrieved from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com Rosenthal, E. (2013, January 5). As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala’s Hunger Pangs. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/ Spiegel FW (2012). "Evolution. Contemplating the first Plantae". Science 335 (6070): 809–10. Bibcode:2012Sci...335..809S. doi:10.1126/science.1218515 Retrieved October 11, 2013. World Wildlife Fund, Ecofys, and Office for Metropolitan Architecture. "Renewable Energy Sources Can Satisfy Energy Demands." The Energy Report: 100% Renewable Energy by 2050. 2011. Rpt. in Renewable Energy. Ed. David M. Haugen and Susan Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

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