Biofuels in Boston

I was listening to NPR this morning on the way into work and I heard that the People's Republic (Massachusetts) is considering mandating Biofuel usage in place of heating oil. Story and audio can be found here. So I got to thinking that is not all good (nothing ever is) and the story went on to say that of course the price in Biofuel would be higher but eventually when no one can afford oil, there will be no choice but to use biofuel and how smart is Massachusetts for aligining us saps now to eventually switch over to biofuel. Of course if/when oil becomes cheaper again, we will be screwed but hey - it is the thought that counts.

Well Newsbusters has a great story on environmentalists calling the use of biofuels "crimes against humanity". The story (which can be found here) quotes one of Britian's leading environmentalists, George Monbiot as saying the following in an interview with a British paper:

"If the governments promoting biofuels do not reverse their policies, the humanitarian impact will be greater than that of the Iraq war. Millions will be displaced, hundreds of millions more could go hungry."

The issue as Monbiot points out, is that biofuel production (including growing the fuel source and use of nitrogen based fertilizers) is actually more damaging to the environment and contributes more to Global Warming. I wonder what the liberals are going to do with this one. I am surprised (not) that NPR didn't track down someone with an opposing view on this to educate how some of these feel good policies have some serious long term impacts that never seem to make it to the decision makers. Does Deval Patrick up there on Beacon Hill know this? Maybe he should.

Outspoken Roman