| Sustainable Development: Any construction that | | | | levels of contaminants. Any breach in a holding |
| can be maintained over time without damaging | | | | pond, waste system or cooling system could |
| the environment; development balancing | | | | have a detrimental impact on nearby water on |
| near-term interests with the protection of the | | | | both aquatic life and water quality for humans. |
| interests of future generations. | | | | The method of disposing of these contaminated |
| National Interest: A state's national interest is multi | | | | waters would be discharging them into water |
| faceted. National interest is simply a states | | | | sources but in limited amounts. The aquatic |
| interest in its security and survival. In the modern | | | | organisms are not the only life forms at risk. |
| world, however, it is considered to be a states | | | | Various birds and animals rely on the existence of |
| ambition towards the growth of its economy, | | | | clean water and CRP for their very survival. |
| wealth, and power. | | | | There have been proposals to completely |
| Alternate Energy: The umbrella term that refers | | | | eliminate the CRP program in Iowa. In some |
| to any source of usable energy intended to | | | | states, such as South Dakota and Iowa, CRP will |
| replace fuel sources without the undesired | | | | be eliminated by up to 60 percent in the next |
| consequences of the replaced fuels. | | | | year. The species particularly affected by this |
| The United States' undesired increase of | | | | legislation is the Ring-Neck Pheasant. Iowa is |
| dependency of oil from the Middle East coupled | | | | currently one of the most sought after pheasant |
| with the public's increased awareness of the | | | | hunting destinations in United States. State wide, |
| negative environmental impact of fossil fuel | | | | Iowa grosses over 90 million dollars annually from |
| emissions, has caused a public outcry for alternate | | | | pheasant hunters. Pheasant hunting is an industry |
| sources of energy. In the wake of the turmoil in | | | | in rural parts of some states that many people |
| the middle-east and their love of their | | | | depend on to make a living. The population of |
| environment, Americans have sought alternate | | | | pheasants is expected to decline by 55 percent |
| sources of energy. Through their impatient nature | | | | due to the loss of CRP habitat. Bird populations |
| of and lack of skepticism, Americans have allowed | | | | such as the Northern Harrier and the Henslow |
| themselves to be led to believe that ethanol is the | | | | Sparrow are two other species that will be |
| solution that reduces our dependency of fossil | | | | threatened should current CRP lands be |
| fuel. What is also failed to be realized is the | | | | significantly reduced. |
| implications of ethanol. Ethanol production is very | | | | The effect that ethanol has on the environment |
| impractical and furthermore, it has caused a rise | | | | are very unappealing. From an efficiency stand |
| of inflation and food shortages. Our current | | | | point, corn ethanol is not a viable option to replace |
| methods for creating ethanol are as inefficient as | | | | fossil fuels. On the brighter side, new technologies |
| they are detrimental to the environment. | | | | on the not so distant horizon may enable us to |
| Currently, corn is the main source of ethanol. | | | | switch to ethanol as an alternative fuel. Research |
| It is harvested and sold to ethanol plants where it | | | | and development have explored the possibility of |
| is then broken down and fermented into ethyl | | | | obtaining ethanol from more efficient sources. |
| alcohol. It is then mixed with gasoline, labeling it | | | | One particular species that has gained a lot of |
| E-85, eighty-five percent ethanol and fifteen | | | | attention is switch grass. Bio-genetic engineers |
| percent gasoline. What is often overlooked and | | | | have created a strain of switch grass that can |
| unrealized is the actual amount of land and energy | | | | grow up to 10 feet tall. The level of efficiency is |
| required to create ethanol. In order to make one | | | | far better than corn. Comparably, switch grass |
| gallon of ethanol, approximately twenty-six | | | | runs at 700 percent efficiency, superior to corn's |
| pounds of corn is required. One acre of land can | | | | 64 percent. There are other positive facts about |
| produce 7,110 pounds of corn, which translates | | | | switch grass that make it very appealing. Switch |
| into 328 gallons of ethanol. With that in mind, one | | | | grass grows fast and it is not a 'row crop' like |
| might ask, 'how much corn would it take to | | | | corn. Switch grass grows just like other prairie |
| produce enough for the United States to be | | | | grasses, which would reduce the amount of |
| independent of imported fossil fuels?' Some | | | | erosion. Furthermore, switch grass provides much |
| researches estimate that if all available farmland | | | | better cover and habitat for species such as the |
| was subsidized for ethanol production, there would | | | | Ring Necked Pheasant. |
| only be enough to power about 4 percent of the | | | | Switch grass is certainly another option that |
| United States' energy needs on a net basis. With | | | | should be explored. There are several other |
| the current technology used in ethanol production, | | | | sources of energy in development that may also |
| it is impossible to completely become fossil fuel | | | | decrease our dependency on fossil fuels as well. |
| energy independent. Ethanol is not only impractical | | | | Wind energy, hydroelectric and hydrogen are all |
| but is also very inefficient. It is widely debated as | | | | potentially environmental friendly alternate fuel |
| to whether ethanol, as a fuel, results in net gains | | | | sources. Hydrogen power is an energy source |
| in energy or losses. | | | | that has not been thoroughly explored, but could |
| Most recent studies have shown that it takes | | | | potentially be the cleanest and cheapest form of |
| more energy to produce it than is actually gained. | | | | energy. Hydrogen is the most abundant resource |
| When the energy associated with planting, | | | | on our planet. It can even be harvested from |
| fertilizing, maintenance, harvesting, transporting, | | | | algae. Transforming hydrogen into a usable energy |
| and production are all taken into consideration; it | | | | form is very difficult, dangerous and inefficient |
| takes roughly 1 unit of energy to produce .64 | | | | with the present technology. Hydrogen is still very |
| units of energy. So corn ethanol runs on only 64 | | | | far from being used as a fuel source. But with |
| percent efficiency. One must consider fuel | | | | continued effort of technological advancement |
| sustainability when we lose 46 percent of the | | | | and further research, hydrogen could very well |
| energy involved in production on a net basis. With | | | | become a potential source for alternate energy. |
| so much corn demanded for the production of | | | | Concerning the topic of sustainability, corn ethanol |
| ethanol, the question of its effect on food supply | | | | is not a technique that should be employed as an |
| and demand is raised. What does the future of | | | | alternate energy source. |
| the food supply and demand look like, given that | | | | There is net energy loss when producing ethanol. |
| the 'eviro-friendly' ethanol fuel is employed? | | | | If more energy is used in producing ethanol than |
| Ethanol production is dramatically affecting not | | | | is actually gained, then how can it be rationalized |
| only the United States; it is affecting the entire | | | | as an alternate energy source? Soil degradation |
| world's food market. With the sudden spike in | | | | will also become a major concern should corn |
| demand for corn, a result in ethanol production, | | | | ethanol production continue. As stated earlier, corn |
| prices in food have become very inflated. Milk | | | | would be planted continuously, causing erosion and |
| prices have increased by over 200 percent, corn | | | | elevate the chemical contaminant levels in the |
| prices have quadrupled in one year causing | | | | environment. This would decrease the lifespan of |
| starvation and unrest in many third world | | | | many valuable water sources and destroy the |
| countries. Countries including Mexico, Indonesia, | | | | environments that many species depend on. So |
| Yemen, and Egypt are all feeling the sting of | | | | as the United States moves toward ethanol, |
| shortages and high food prices. In Mexico, there | | | | more land will be required to meet the quantity of |
| were 'tortilla riots', a result of the high prices for | | | | corn demanded. This will decrease the land |
| corn flour. Mexico's poorest citizens diet consists | | | | designated for soybean, rice, grains and livestock. |
| mainly of tortillas. If the price increases of corn | | | | Inevitably this shortage of food supply will inflate |
| flour continues, malnourishment and starvation is | | | | prices of food to the point where poorer people |
| certain to accelerate. Mexico's officials have tried | | | | will no longer be able to afford them. This could |
| to put a price cap on the price of corn flour but | | | | cause unrest globally. Should we proceed with this |
| shopkeepers simply cannot maintain such low | | | | strategy of corn ethanol as our alternate energy |
| prices when the prices they par are so high. | | | | source, we could possibly degrade the soil to the |
| In other third world countries such as Egypt, food | | | | point where we could no longer farm it, One must |
| shortages have caused unrest and have nurtured | | | | now ask, is ethanol really the answer to saving |
| Islamic radicalism. Does Ethanol help us with one | | | | the environment and protecting our national |
| problem or just create others? As more corn | | | | interest? Or is it simply politicians pandering to a |
| goes into ethanol production the necessity for land | | | | voting bloc? |
| designated to corn growth will increase every | | | | After weighing the gains and losses in of our |
| year. To counter overproduction, maintain market | | | | national interest, it can be concluded that we |
| balance and keep a healthy environment, the US | | | | would lose more than we will gain should we |
| government implemented a program called | | | | substitute corn ethanol for fossil fuels. First, I will |
| Conservation Reserve Program (commonly | | | | lay out the gains should we commit to ethanol |
| referred to as CRP) in the 1950's. CRP is a | | | | production. We could become energy independent, |
| program that subsidizes land to reduce erosion, | | | | and no longer rely on the Middle East for oil. For |
| increase habitat for wildlife and stop over | | | | this reason, many people endorse the idea of |
| production of crops. The farmer agrees to let | | | | ethanol. We are currently at war with many |
| these subsidized areas grow into wild grass and | | | | Middle Eastern countries and on tense terms with |
| plant reserves. The CRP program is very | | | | several others. Should we have to commit to war |
| important to environmental enhancement in areas | | | | with any other countries, we must have our own |
| all over the United States, especially the mid-west. | | | | source of energy. |
| As the demand for ethanol increases, farmers will | | | | The environment, in some ways, is a beneficiary |
| begin to search for ways to maximize they're | | | | to the ethanol switch. Ethanol burns far cleaner |
| production of corn. Corn requires a fall tillage which | | | | than any fossil fuel, leaving a much smaller carbon |
| leaves the soil barren between October and June. | | | | foot print. Engines run more efficiently and are |
| In areas where ground is most vulnerable, such as | | | | often cleaned, reducing the amount of sludge |
| steep inclines, CRP is planted to prevent erosion. | | | | buildup in the engine. These are some of the |
| An erosion experiment was conducted at the | | | | potential gains to our national interest should we |
| Rathburn Lake Watershed in Iowa. After | | | | switch to ethanol. In my opinion, the negative |
| converting approximately 29 percent of the most | | | | affects outweigh the gains. Ethanol is inefficient; it |
| erosive land (approximately 4 percent of the | | | | requires more energy to produce a unit of energy |
| entire lake's watershed) into row crops from CRP, | | | | than is gained. It will cost more to produce the |
| an increase in erosion was very apparent. | | | | fuel than will be gained from it. Although fossil |
| By replacing the CRP with row crops (corn is a | | | | fuels run at about 84 percent efficiency, it still is |
| row crop), the erosion increased by 204,000 tons | | | | better than the 64 percent efficiency of ethanol. |
| of sediment per year. That was four times the | | | | Ethanol production will endanger or cause species |
| government's acceptable level of annual erosion | | | | to become extinct. This could create ecosystem |
| for Rathburn Lake's watershed. As the demand | | | | problems by allowing certain species to proliferate |
| for cellulosic ethanol production increases, the | | | | while devastating others. Our soil quality will |
| affect on sustainable soil quality remains uncertain. | | | | diminish, making it harder for future generations |
| Farming corn is very clean. After a harvest, there | | | | to sustain a high quality of life. If the demand for |
| is little to no residual crops left. Therefore, in | | | | corn continues to rise, food shortages are |
| order for there to be any nutrients in the soil, | | | | imminent. It will inflate the cost of food and |
| farmers must inject pesticides and fertilizers into | | | | decrease the amount of available food world wide. |
| the soil in order to plant corn the following year. In | | | | It will make it harder for poorer Americans to |
| addition to the increase of sediment flowing into | | | | pay for food. People could resort to crime as a |
| water sources, the amount of chemicals comes | | | | way to survive. In other countries poorer people |
| into consideration. As a result of the increased | | | | will no longer be able to afford food at such a |
| amount of phosphorus at Lake Rathburn, an algae | | | | high price, leading to starvation and |
| growth was stimulated in conjunction with the | | | | malnourishment. |
| increase of sediment deposition. This spike in algae | | | | So why should Americans care? As seen in |
| growth shortened the lifespan of the lake. | | | | Egypt, Yemen, Bangladesh, and even Mexico, |
| As a consequence of the increase of pesticides | | | | food shortages cause unrest and a rise in |
| and fertilizers such as nitrate, the water will | | | | radicalism. In Egypt, a rise in radicalism was |
| become unsuitable for humans to drink and for | | | | noticed when the supply of corn was reduced and |
| aquatic life to live in. Exposed farmland sprayed | | | | the price was increased. In Mexico, thousands of |
| with fertilizers and pesticides will wash pollutants | | | | demonstrators rioted over the high price of corn |
| into water sources potentially killing aquatic life and | | | | flour. Impoverished people will resort to crime and |
| becoming toxic for humans to drink. In the city of | | | | revolt if that is what it takes to keep them fed. |
| Doon, where the city's water head is farmland, | | | | Ethanol is not the answer to our problems. It is in |
| the nitrate levels exceeded legal limits by 10 to 40 | | | | effect the grounds for more problems to surface |
| percent. Furthermore, regarding water quality, | | | | and for existing problems to deteriorate even |
| waste after ethanol production, is very high in | | | | further. |