Air Soy
March 26, 2004 6:34 AM Subscribe
New biofuel would combine jet fuel and soya oil to slash consumption of fossil fuel, and help slow the rise in greenhouse gas levels...
This strikes me as an excellent halfway house until viable, entirely biologically-derived fuels are marketed. BABFO here in the UK swear that ethanol is the way forward, and Brazil have been pretty keen for over 25 years.
posted by Skaramoosh at 7:40 AM on March 26, 2004
posted by Skaramoosh at 7:40 AM on March 26, 2004
My complexion isn't as oily as it once was, but I'll scrape it once a week if that would help as well. I bet I can do at least a cup a year.
Also - will jet engines run on old fryolater oil?
posted by troutfishing at 9:55 AM on March 26, 2004
Also - will jet engines run on old fryolater oil?
posted by troutfishing at 9:55 AM on March 26, 2004
I love the idea of biofuel, but my understanding of agriculture in the US is that it takes an enormous about of fossil fuels (in the form of petroleum-based fertilizers) to produce much of our crops. This is one of the reasons that some studies have found that it takes very close to 1 part petroleum to produce 1 part ethanol (from the farming of corn). We need to change the way we farm in the US in conjunction with changing how we fuel our planes.
posted by gwint at 10:43 AM on March 26, 2004
posted by gwint at 10:43 AM on March 26, 2004
We need to change the way we farm in the US in conjunction with changing how we fuel our planes.
Well, letting real farmers back in the game instead of the vast majority of the food supply being in the hands of agribusiness might be a start.
There are lots of ways to farm without using that much fossil fuel...heck, people did it for thousands of years. But the family farm, where manual labor is used more than equipment, and the fertilizer is homemade and not petroleum based, is almost a lost thing. The studies that you mention are primarily based on big ol' corporate "farms".
The market has demanded cheap food, and that's what agribusiness provides. Not really tasty, not particularly good for you or the planet, and sucking up farm subsidies faster than you can say "genetic modification"...but it's cheap.
I live in a rural community. I tell a lie. This used to be a rural community. McMansions are the current crop being raised, however. There are a few farms, a dairy, and a horse ranch left on the road near me. The farmers all sell their wares at the tiny, antiquated Farmer's Market. Most of these families have been farming for 4-10 generations...and this will likely be the last generation to do so.
Um...wow, got off on a populist derail there. Sorry. My bad. I hold out great hope for biofuel. It would be great if we could find some alternative to jet fuel.
Now, if we could just convince the government to dedicate some real money to solar and wind power...
posted by dejah420 at 8:17 PM on March 26, 2004
Well, letting real farmers back in the game instead of the vast majority of the food supply being in the hands of agribusiness might be a start.
There are lots of ways to farm without using that much fossil fuel...heck, people did it for thousands of years. But the family farm, where manual labor is used more than equipment, and the fertilizer is homemade and not petroleum based, is almost a lost thing. The studies that you mention are primarily based on big ol' corporate "farms".
The market has demanded cheap food, and that's what agribusiness provides. Not really tasty, not particularly good for you or the planet, and sucking up farm subsidies faster than you can say "genetic modification"...but it's cheap.
I live in a rural community. I tell a lie. This used to be a rural community. McMansions are the current crop being raised, however. There are a few farms, a dairy, and a horse ranch left on the road near me. The farmers all sell their wares at the tiny, antiquated Farmer's Market. Most of these families have been farming for 4-10 generations...and this will likely be the last generation to do so.
Um...wow, got off on a populist derail there. Sorry. My bad. I hold out great hope for biofuel. It would be great if we could find some alternative to jet fuel.
Now, if we could just convince the government to dedicate some real money to solar and wind power...
posted by dejah420 at 8:17 PM on March 26, 2004
...and a horse ranch left on the road near me.
I'm sorry, but could you provide a link to support that??
posted by mcgraw at 4:16 AM on March 27, 2004
I'm sorry, but could you provide a link to support that??
posted by mcgraw at 4:16 AM on March 27, 2004
Um....a link to a ranch owned by people I don't know, on the road near me? No....but if you're in the Dallas area, I'd be glad to give you directions so you can drive by it...head up 66 towards the lake until you get to Liberty Grove, turn right, head up LG for about 2 miles, ranch will be on your left. If you turn left at the stop sign (there's only one), you can see 2 cattle ranches, one beef, one dairy....and if you keep heading down that road, you'll see a couple of farms and some people who raise work horses. (As opposed to race horses...which to the best of my knowledge, nobody raises out here. It's mostly cutting and herding horses.)
posted by dejah420 at 7:08 AM on March 29, 2004
posted by dejah420 at 7:08 AM on March 29, 2004
That is more than sufficient, dejah420. Thanks for clarifying!!
8 )
posted by mcgraw at 1:45 PM on March 29, 2004
8 )
posted by mcgraw at 1:45 PM on March 29, 2004
my question had been meant as a joke, which i'm pretty sure you had figured it to be.
in retrospect, i'm not sure that my joke was all that funny.
i like your homepage, dejah. thanks for taking my goof in a good-natured way.
posted by mcgraw at 1:54 PM on March 29, 2004
in retrospect, i'm not sure that my joke was all that funny.
i like your homepage, dejah. thanks for taking my goof in a good-natured way.
posted by mcgraw at 1:54 PM on March 29, 2004
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posted by mcgraw at 6:39 AM on March 26, 2004