[quote=Iowa_Flames_Fan;869533]That's a pessimistic view--and on the details, you're absolutely right. But you forgot one factor:
4. Consumers like it because it makes them feel like they're helping the environment. Most people care about the environment, but want to find ways of solving the problem that don't involve drastic lifestyle changes--totally understandable.quote]
I actually think that your 'optimistic' view of things is actually part of the problem as to why our governments continue to plow money into this. An example of this insanity is in Canada. Those Ethanol ads are citing Ethanol as a 'homegorwn' energy source so we don't have to rely on imports. That's fine if you're speaking to residents south of the 49th, but for Canadians we are one of the world's largest exporters of crude oil and natural gas. We are more than self-sufficient and will continue to be long after the world is forced off of oil due to necessity. Power hungry politicians are feeding off of this 'willingness to help the environment' to sell to the public pork-barelling schemes that do nothing to solve any problems but buy votes in certain regions. Ethanol is a make work scam. I know it helps out the communities in which corn is produced but you would be better off helping these communities by promoting economic alternatives that actually make economic and/or scientific sense. This is very similar to projects on the East coast where they build and rebuild fishing docks to unload imaginary cod. It's a waste of money and effort.
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