More on biofeuls

Just a short note in relation to my previous post (Roundhouses...). The BBC just reported on comments by two Latin American presidents on the effect of biofuels on food supply: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7359880.stm

Both Bolivian President Evo Morales and Peruvian President Alan Garcia stressed the negative effects of biofuels upon food supply and prices, harming vulnerable groups. The inflation of food prices and food supply issues have been repeatedly highlighted in the press over the last few months, I can recall reports on comments by major development agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on the critical issue of growing hunger in the world.

Now I'm not saying that biofuels are responsible for the overall rise in food prices, although I am sure that increased production of biofuels has played a part in this situation. These articles and continuing conversation, however, highlight the importance of caution in our strides towards alternative energy sources. We cannot focus upon a single product or mechanism for the production of energy and significant pre-application evaluation needs to be conducted on any energy source to understand the ramifications that follow its usage. Haste has not served us well in the past and given the havoc created by greenhouse gases, it is better to proceed with care.