U of M study: Corn ethanol no better than gas

A new University of Minnesota study has found that corn ethanol is no better than gasoline when it comes to fuel - and may be worse for air quality.
...
The state estimates that ethanol is a $6 billion industry in Minnesota. An ethanol advocate said he hasn't seen the study and will need time to understand how its conclusions were reached.

However, some ethanol supporters are already wary of the university. Last year, researchers there published a paper that said the exploding demand for biofuels would worsen global warming if farmers around the world clear forests and grasslands to grow more corn, soybeans and sugar cane.

"I'm stifling a yawn," said Mark Hamerlinck, communications director for the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. "It would be news if the university had anything positive to say about corn ethanol. It's how they make a living over there."

Bakersfield College professor of geology and physical science Natalie Bursztyn weighs in

...Humans are going to die out anyway. The less concerned we are about it, the sooner we'll die off and the more rapidly the Earth will be able to repair itself. If, however, we want future generations of humans to continue to thrive on this green Earth, we'd damn well better be concerned about it because it's not going to stay green under our current energy-land-sucking lifestyles. Can we really stop it? Again, yes and no. Yes, if everyone, today, immediately ceases to a) eat meat and b) drive. Is that going to happen? No. Why would that help? A) The meat industry uses a tremendous amount of energy in production, and believe it or not, cows, to the incredible population extent that we farm them, are insanely high producers of another greenhouse gas: methane. B) Driving, be it propane, diesel, gasoline or electric cars, consumes fossil fuels and outputs greenhouse gases. Electric? But they're zero-emission vehicles! But, where do we get that electricity? Here, despite the commercials seen on TV, most of electricity comes from coal-burning power plants. So can we really stop it? I don't think so. I am highly skeptical that the majority of first-world people would be willing to trade in their lifestyles of luxury and privilege for a few more centuries of time on planet earth.