Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Nigam Gandhi - Ethanol fuel: Environmental problem or Wave of the future? (THURS)
Though many people believe alternative energy is the wave of the future. This is not the case when it comes to Ethanol fuel. There are many disadvantages to the use of this type of energy. Specifically, there are many moral issues that are not always brought to people’s attention when discussing alternative methods of energy. I will examine the ethical dilemma behind the use of ethanol by showing that the arguments in support of ethanol usage are false. By examining the various impacts of ethanol on the environment, I will be able to compare through both Cost-effective and Value-effective analysis the disadvantages of using ethanol as a source of fuel. For example, many chemicals are released into the air during the production and transportation of ethanol. Another major ethical dilemma is the debate between the uses of crops as a food source versus a fuel source. This ethical dilemma is a moral issue dealing with the Allodial Land Right and who has the right to decide and what use the cropland will go towards. In addition, commodification is another issue which stimulates the unequal distribution of crops among many countries. Therefore, in order for this problem to be solved, one must realize our moral obligations when creating new technologies.
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I'm interested in seeing where farmer subsidization comes into play, and what effect Illinois politics and lobbying has on this issue.
ReplyDeleteSince business is what drives our society and farmers would respond only to the market prices of the corn they sell, how can the values of farmers compete with a higher market price for corn? An increase in demand of ethanol is going to drive up the prices for corn, which farmers will respond to. Is this something that the government should have more control over?
ReplyDeleteWhat are the ethical implications of the alternatives to ethanol use? Is it enough to pick the best option or should we continue using old technologies until morally sound ones are developed?
ReplyDeleteAlthough there may be environmental issues with Ethanol, what other forms of fuel would be preferred? I think the lower cost of Ethanol will continue its growth in popularity. Therefore, other forms of fuels that are better for the environment need to be cheaper than the current options. Are these alternative fuel sources available? Or will they be in the near future? Because advertising a greener form of fuel will be extremely easy to sell if it is less expansive than the current forms of fuel. This is why I think Ethanol has become somewhat popular, because it has been less expansive than oil. In addition, it is being promoted as green energy, regardless if it is environmentally sustainable or not.
ReplyDeleteIf all this is true, how have the Ethanol people succeeded in convincing the American people that ethanol is the best alternative?
ReplyDeleteYou raise an interesting point with the issue of allodial land rights and this issue. Who exactly as humans do we have obligations to? No one these days seems to believe that we should solely be egotistic and only look out for ourselves, but how far does our pluralism spread? You discuss the release of chemicals, so we have an obligation to the environment. Then you discuss is it right to use crops for fuel here when there are starving people over there? Do we have obligations to them? This could be an interesting topic to explore. What obligation comes first? If we could control for the chemical release, would an improved environment by using better fuel out weigh the fact that we are not sending our surplus of food to other countries?
ReplyDeleteCorn subsidies marked the beginning of the end of the American farmer. The number of small, family owned farms has shrunk to an absolutely tiny number since then. The variety of crops farmed has also been drastically reduced, since the demand for corn has far surpassed the demand for any other common farm crops. The average size of a farm has also expanded significantly. This all points to the fact that the farming industry is mainly controlled by large entities. It is virtually impossible to be a small farmer today and make a profit. Ethanol's creation and subsequent high demand has certainly played a part in this. What are the ethical implications of shutting out the individual farmer? Ethanol companies market ethanol as this wonderful fuel that will save the world, but really, it places harm on the individual.
ReplyDeleteHow do you plan to address the controversy of efficiency in this article. Some experts say that more energy is used in the growth and production of the raw material, than is actually in the ethanol. However, some experts estimate as much as a 34% net energy in ethanol. In using cost-effective analysis, how will this inconsistency be addressed?
ReplyDeleteDo you plan to examine the effect of ethanol on aquatic life and environments? Also, many communities complain that ethanol plants detract from the aesthetic aspects of their environment. Many complain of a smell that detracts from their quality of life. Do you think there is any validity to this argument?
ReplyDeleteAre there even enough farmers to produce and substance the switch to biofuels? When there becomes a shortage of corn, what demand (to eat vs. to have energy) will become more important?
ReplyDeleteIf our economy was able to switch to ethanol based fuel how long would this take and what major changes would need to be made in our society in order for to do this to happen? Wouldn't the auto industry be forced to make drastic changes in engineering techniques? Wouldn't America's culture change?
ReplyDeleteThere are always going to be moral dilemmas when a large body of people or a government allows a new form of energy to be used, how does the moral issues of using ethanol compare to the moral issues of other sources of energy? Are the moral issues of using ethanol belittled my the moral issues of using coal or oil?
ReplyDeleteEthanol is hugely subsidized. Would the ethics of the issue be less debateable if the market decided how much ethanol was to be produced as opposed to creating supply by subsidizing the ethanol?
ReplyDeleteHow would a utilitarian thinker view this dilemma? What would be the greatest good for the greatest number and how are we to decided this? Also, in the cost benefit analysis, who is deciding the goal and its alternative means because whoever decides this will have lots of power in swaying the outcome. And how does one account for agricultural problems such as run-off and chemical drift?
ReplyDeleteCouldn't one argue that Yes, using ethanol as a fuel would lead to a certain degree of commodification. But doesn't commodification already exist in terms of using the land to grow grain and corn in great quantities and then mass-produce food products?
ReplyDelete