Bio-Fuels?

  I keep hearing about other sources of fuel being the salvation of the budding Gasoline Crisis. In particular Alcohol from agricultural sources is being promoted as the “next” big thing. Beyond the fact that the corn and other grains used to make alcohol are heavily subsidized as are the production processes that convert the raw input into something useful, the process that produces the alcohol uses more energy than the end product provides!
  That means we are going to generate even greater demands on our already limited fuel resources (oil, atomic, hydro, coal, natural gas, etc.), generate greater volumes of greenhouse gasses (the by-products of the alcohol production process have to go somewhere), and actually make the problem we are trying to solve worse!
Oil based products, especially fuels, and in particular, Gasoline are very difficult to replace. Gasoline and Diesel fuel are easily separated from their source. They are readily transported and stored. They have very high energy content in relation to volume and weight. And, they are readily converted to useful energy in our various conveyances.
So, what will it take to work us out of our “Gas Crisis”? I drive to work in an 8 cylinder 4×4 pickup truck. The total one way distance is 1.8 miles. Could there be some other form of transport that would be more effective and efficient? A bicycle maybe? Have you ever tried riding a bicycle on any of the roads around your neighborhood or town? Dodging uncaring and/or aggressive drivers is just too exciting for me. The road surfaces don’t promote safe riding either. So how about a golf cart? Unfortunately, most state and local laws don’t allow such vehicles on public roadways, and there are no alternatives to the roadways. Walk? I am fat and old and I need to walk! But, will I? Not a chance!!! An electric or hybrid vehicle? So far they all cost 50% more than my truck if I purchased it new today.
  If we want to work our way out of our “Gas Crisis” we are going to have to fundamentally change the way we live our lives. No hopping into the car to go down to the store for a quart of milk, take the bus or the train, or even walk.
  Look at the parking lot beside most businesses, they are full of cars that each carry one person back and forth. No, no, no! Car pool, the bus, the train. Want to go to Atlanta? Don’t drive, walk down to the station and take the train into town, or take the bus! Convert the roads to accept bicycles, golf carts, mopeds, scooters and pedestrians. Build a mass transit infrastructure that can actually get one to where they want to go. Tear down and rebuild all of our towns and cities to refocus them from car centric to people centric.
  And if pigs could fly Santa wouldn’t need reindeer! I’m not going to change until I’m forced to. Just try to take away my wheels! I’m not going to give up my freedom to travel where ever I want for anybody. Please let me know when the rest of the world changes. That’s when I’ll join in!!!
(By the way, I do have a bicycle and I’m contemplating the purchase of either a golf cart or a scooter.) 7/07/06