“Green” Fuel Production Hurts Environment

Apparently, it helps to look at the big picture when touting the benefits of alternative fuels. I have heard similar things about certain hybrid cars. Yes, they get better mileage, but…. The New York Times has more details.

Almost all biofuels used today cause more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels if the full emissions costs of producing these “green” fuels are taken into account, two studies being published Thursday have concluded.

The benefits of biofuels have come under increasing attack in recent months, as scientists took a closer look at the global environmental cost of their production. These latest studies, published in the prestigious journal Science, are likely to add to the controversy.

These studies for the first time take a detailed, comprehensive look at the emissions effects of the huge amount of natural land that is being converted to cropland globally to support biofuels development.