Biofuels

Freedom Fuels have produced an interesting film that...

"...takes an in-depth look at renewable fuel sources, such as bio-diesel, ethanol and vegetable oil. It explores the interaction of the petroleum industry and alternative fuels over the last 150 years, and examines the global impact that bio-fuels can have on our future."

The producers were awarded Winners of the Environmental Preservation Award, 2006 Artivist Film Festival.

The film offers an examination of the interconnection of human domination of the planet and the use of petroleum, and offers solutions for how we can stop our progression down this destructive path. It is evangelical in its gushing praise of bio fuels. You can watch the full film here.

At a time when Exxon Mobil has reported the biggest annual profit on record for a U.S. corporation - earning more than $75,000 every minute of 2006 on the back of record oil prices you'd think they could be forgiven for that. Perhaps not. What this video conveys is the notion that we can continue to burn fuel without thought of reducing consumption so long as we don't burn oil / gas. The consequences of this idea could be very harmful. Dr James Lovelock recently had this to say on bio fuels:

What I'm most against is bio fuel. If we move in that direction, and the oil companies are already moving in that direction, and try to get fuel for our cars and for aircraft by planting crops to harvest for our fuel, this is a route that will hasten our disaster.

"t is the most dangerous thing that we can possibly do. It's one thing to use agricultural waste, but to plant crops specifically to provide fuel is complete madness. We can hardly feed all of the people of the world if we try and plant crops to feed cars.

The film is though true to the description. It provides a useful summary of bio fuels in relation to oil and climate change. I wrote an essay about nuclear power and the role it could have in providing a solution to the problems of global warming. I concluded that nuclear energy should be included in the means used to reduce CO2 emissions. I considered the alternatives including bio fuels though only very briefly.