[Vision2020] Food Crisis & Biodiesel From Algae Ponds In Deserts

[Ted Moffett]

We are already seeing food prices increase due to competition with biofuels,
corn from ethanol in the US being a good example.  And food price increases
and fears of food shortages are causing many nations at this moment to ban
exports of grain, though I am not saying competition with biofuels is the
primary cause of this development.  Emergency measures are being advocated
by the World Bank to address this crisis, causing food riots:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/06/food.foodanddrink

>From URL above:

Analysts have cited many factors for the rises, including rising fuel and
fertiliser expenses, as well as climate change. But while drought is one
factor, another is the switch from food to biofuel production in large areas
of the world, in particular to fulfil the US energy demands. A continuing
change in the global diet is also putting a further squeeze on rice. In
China, for example, 100 million rural migrants to the country's big cities
have switched from a staple of wheat to rice as they have become wealthier.
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Forests are being cut down for palm plantations to produce biofuel in
Indonesia, a case of biofuel production directly causing ecosystem damage:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6320285.stm
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Biodiesel from algae may offer an alternative that lessens impacts on food
production for human and animal feed, and ecosystem damage:

>From the University of New Hampshire regarding biodiesel from algae:

http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html

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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
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