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The Biofuel and Food Controversy essay

There is an ongoing debate over the impact of manufacturing biofuels. Skeptics argue that using crops for biofuels divert resources away from human consumption, therefore causing a choice in whether the crops are used for food or fuel. This reasoning connects biofuels to global hunger issues. This is based on the claims of some food industry groups that more than a quarter of corn crops are being diverted from food to ethanol production and yet the U.S. corn supply has outpaced demand since 1989. Most people with any amount of human compassion would easily say that food is definitely a higher priority than fuel. Before we oversimplify the situation, let us take a look at the factors China HRM essay writing.

Increased Food Prices

First of all, it is important to note that the problem is not about food shortage. The central issue of the food vs. fuel debate is focused on increased food prices. It centers on business, money and power. Instead of allowing the entire weight of the crisis to fall on biofuel shoulders, high commodity prices are likely caused by a combination of elements. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) identified approximately 14 factors from 1996 to 2008 that were responsible for driving food commodity prices. These factors include growth in demand caused by increasing population, strong economic growth and rising per capita meat consumption (1996 to 2008), escalating crude oil prices (2002 to 2008), dollar devaluation (2002 to 2008), and severe weather (2006 to 2007). Even with all of these contributors, biofuels has become a target of critics, faulted for increased food prices and worldwide hunger.

Food vs. Fuel Solutions

One solution to aid the situation would be to focus specific biodiesel products. Algae essay writing, for example, grows in even hostile climates. Therefore, it would not need to take away from already existing agricultural sources. Improving our environmental situation even further, algae takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere utilizing it through photosynthesis. The only downfall is the water consumption that it requires. Another biodiesel product to consider is soybeans which yield both a fuel source and a food source, like soybeans. Unlike the corn, soybean plants make both a solid and liquid product. This means that the liquid, or soybean oil, can be used for biodiesel production while the solid, or soybean meal, can still be used for animal feed and human consumption. Soybeans are not only a complete protein, but also contain all eight of the essential amino acids that aid in human nutrition.

Another, possible but unlikely, solution to help both issues with climate change and hunger is to eliminate meat from the human diet. There will be more land to use to grow grain and the grain designated for livestock can be reassigned for human consumption. Newly industrialized nations would no longer create a demand for more livestock grain since they would not be increasing their meat consumption as is currently the case. If all people became vegetarians, we would essentially increase the amount of grain available for direct human consumption and fuel, as well as the added benefit of reducing the environmental pollutants created from livestock.