© 2012 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. Ethanol requirements in gasoline are almost a complete disaster. Not quite, but close. Let us count the ways ethanol is good: there is only one. If no conventional fuel is available during a crisis, such as a war in the Middle East, we are glad to have ethanol. Is there anything else good about ethanol? No, the harm is profound.
To be sure gasoline is better, cheaper, less polluting, non-corrosive and ultimately less risky. Ethanol is so very corrosive that it cannot be transported by pipeline; rather, it must be shipped in stainless steel tanks either on the railroad or by truck. And therein is the problem for the consumer. Ethanol is so corrosive that people with older vehicles will see the destruction of gaskets, steel tanks and rubber fittings.
Car companies like ethanol because it guarantees that the public will have to discard their vehicles sooner than otherwise without ethanol destruction. The car companies get to sell more cars. And the farmers of Iowa get more money for their crops with the demand for their corn being both food and fuel.
The sad fact is that in the last few decades drilling for oil has been opposed by so many political groups that our country is not energy independent. Our country has the energy reserves to be a net exporter of fuel but for political reasons we are not. We would not be talking ethanol, wind and solar if our policies for energy development were to insure our country not being beholden to our enemies, both avowed and possible.
Over the last century the agricultural lobby in Washington, D. C. has wielded considerable influence. Ethanol is an extension of agricultural policy and is tied lately to the presidential elections since Iowa, producer of most ethanol, is the first presidential election site.
The harm of ethanol is not just to our pocketbooks and our vehicles, the use of food to make fuel when our nation has abundant energy resources causes food prices to increase. This is not just corn products. Wheat and rice products increase as consumers react to corn prices so that all three food prices increase. And, since beef, chicken and pork use these same grains, the price of meat increases dramatically.
In our country this is hard for people who live on subsistence calories. But the real damage of ethanol is that it injures fragile populations throughout the world. This has been seen with the price of corn tortillas in Mexico and food in the Middle East. Each place where food increases in price causes fragile citizens to be devastated by the pressure put on their basic subsistence.
In some societies a ten percent increase will cause starvation. In China and other societies that have gotten used to having meat with rice, wheat or corn the increased cost of meat along with the grains means those fragile citizens must forego meat. What we Americans are ignoring is that other societies know very well that it is our country burning corn for no good reason that is making their food prices rise.
The rise of food prices destabilizes some parts of the world, again, for no real good reason. Yes, there are those people who wave the “Global Warming” banner but day by day it is increasingly obvious to everyone that Global Warming is a political hoax.
In my town there was one vendor who sold gasoline without ethanol but alas, he was forced to only sell ethanol “enhanced” gasoline this last week. He sent me this message by email: “…I have spent my entire thirty two year career in the convenience store business being a leader and not follower. Words cannot explain my frustration and anger concerning being forced back into selling an ethanol blend fuel… I have a great collection of vintage vehicles and know the destruction that is being done by ethanol on my rubber gaskets and engine.”
The problem is Washington D. C. requiring a political solution to a non-political problem. People need energy but using the political solution of ethanol is tragic. This next year let us wrestle the government on the ethanol requirement. It may take all of us to do it.
Dr. Michael Swickard is co-host of radio talk show News New Mexico 6 to 9 a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
