The video we watched in class on Wednesday of Shiva brought to mind the first lecture I heard here at the University of Minnesota. During welcome week on college day, a "mock" lecture was presented to me and my fellow classmates about using prairie grass--instead of corn--as biofuel. Unfortunately I do not remember the name of the researcher who presented, but I did find a NPR news report from 2006 that discusses this idea, and David Tilman could in fact be the man who gave us the presentation. What I took away from the presentation was that the benefits of prairie grass as biofuel far out weigh the benefits of corn as biofuel. However, apart from that presentation and my results from my deliberate googling of prairie grass as biofuel, I have never heard mention of it or seen articles on it. I love the idea of bringing the prairie back to America and I feel like there are many benefits of doing such a thing. Prairie grasses are the natural ecosystem of the Midwest region. Fertilizers and pesticides would not need to be used. They enrich the soil instead of depleting it. Furthermore, like Tilman says, "We actually get more energy from an acre of land growing prairie grasses [and] mixtures of prairie grasses and converting them into ethanol or into synthetic gas and diesel than you would by growing corn and soybeans and converting them into ethanol or biodiesel." So why, if this idea of prairie grass for biofuel has been around before 2006 and it is more beneficial than corn, are we only hearing about the magic of corn? Is it a phenomenon of the people who control the corn industry that the alternative energy source of prairie grass is not being publicized that widely? Is this a parallel to the way certain companies control and monopolize the food industry as Shiva discussed?
Gas from Prairie Grass
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This page contains a single entry by schm2146 published on October 29, 2010 8:37 AM.
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As being an environmental science major, I know quite a bit about ethanol and biofuel. From the start we learn about ethanol, and basically how it is wasteful. It consumes more energy to make, and also wastes a ton of water in the process, which is a major issue. Prairie grass is a great alternative, but unfortunately we live in a country where basically "corn is king." I do feel however, that more farmers are looking at the effects of growing continuous monoculture. A lot are concerned about the soil, and it is true that prairie grass is excellent at giving nutrients back to the soil, as well as adding organic matter because of it's expansive root systems. I travelled a lot throughout the midwest this summer for my job, and noticed areas (in Iowa) where cropland had been converted to a natural prairie, to help restore habitat. As far as it being used for a fuel source, farmers do have the option to partake in conservation practices that allow them to convert part of there land to grass, in which they then receive a form of "credit." What they decide to do with that grass is up to them.
As far as your questions go, firstly, I feel that not enough education is being put into alternative fuel sources, and that many people think ethanol is the only option. Ethanol is HUGE is Iowa (go figure) and I think a lot of farmers are biased towards it. I also feel a lot of it has to do with money. By cutting out your corn crop, you are cutting out profit, but there ARE ways to make up for it, by joining government conservation programs.
Secondly, I think it is also not publicized widely because again, not enough research/education is being put into it. You yourself said you couldn't find much about prairie grass as an alternative fuel, and that right there is the problem.
Lastly, I believe large corn corporations are pushing ethanol for the wrong reasons, but I believe people are slowly but surely starting to realize that ethanol isn't the only option out there. I think a lot of smaller farm operations are more willing to try new options and realize the implications of ethanol. Really though, a lot of it has to do with where the farmers priorities lie, and their moral stance on the environment.