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Does Ethanol Pollute More than Gasoline?

intota.com — Because ethanol has much lower fuel efficiency, it produces 54% more carbon dioxide (and, presumably, other pollutants) per mile driven than does gasoline. And this doesn't even take into account the pollutants created from the production of ethanol.

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weirdralph 181 days ago

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weirdralph, on 04/15/2008, -0/+9So... does anyone know where I can buy the "real" gasoline anymore? Just about every station in my area seems to have ethanol nowadays. And it's knocked my gas mileage down about 15% or so.
- weirdralph, on 04/15/2008, -1/+6And as a side note, it also appears that ethanol production consumes six units of energy for every one unit it creates.
  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/05032 ...
  - BigManOnCampus, on 04/15/2008, -1/+1It's a tradeoff I'm willing to make if it means hot girls get freaky with me from a few shots.
bluto36, on 04/15/2008, -7/+6do envirodorks even think about the consequences of their brain dead actions. so ethanol pollutes more and lowers mileage and makes it harder for poor people to feed themselves. way to go Goretards, what a great religion you have.
- BECoole, on 04/15/2008, -3/+4We as Conservatives are partly to blame for this. As Conservatives it is our job to review the Liberal's goofy ideas and stop them from being implemented. We let them get away with this one. We let our "conservative" president buy into their BS and be swayed by it.
  
  This should serve as a lesson - we must be more vigilant. We can't let them suppress the evidence like they did with ethanol.
  - bluto36, on 04/15/2008, -2/+2dugg up for yes i agree
  - johnny2k, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2BECoole, here's a thought: 'SILENT NO MORE!"
- grumpyrain, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1Actually, ethanol does not 'produce' CO2. The only carbon released by burning ethanol *was absorbed by the plant when it grew*. On the other hand, the carbon from burning petroleum was trapped inside the underground oil, and is increasing the amount in the atmosphere.
  
  Ethanol lowers mileage because it has a lower energy density than petroleum, but the bi-products of burning ethanol is water and CO2. Compare this to the Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides, benzine and other goodies found in petroleum and it is a relatively clean burning fuel..
  
  Ethanol causes food supply problems because of the political clout held by corn farmers. Using corn to create ethanol is plain stupid, but it buys important votes. Brazil far more effectively uses sugarcane, and the US should be investigating switchgrass and algae, not a base foodstock like corn. This has nothing to do with the appropriateness of an alternative fuel. Ethanol, when grown properly (and not at the expense of necessary food crops) is a sensible start.
- kingzing1, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2Actually, a lot of "goretards" are against the use of ethanol because it is so environmentally unfriendly. Ironically, most support comes from the Republican party base because it serves as a subsidy to farmers in Iowa, Nebraska, etc. More demand = higher prices. Just look at any stump speech in Iowa. They have to mention ethanol.
youtellme8, on 04/16/2008, -2/+5Ethanol is economically and environmentally not a viable option.
- grumpyrain, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2** Ethanol derived from corn
  
  Ethanol derived from switchgrass, algae or sugarcane is often viable - but that wouldn't buy any votes I suppose.
Stratochief66, on 04/16/2008, -3/+2It is fairly well known that ethanol has a lower energy density than gas, thus the lower millage. The argument for why it is more environmentally sound to burn ethanol than gasoline is not based on the amount of CO2 emitted per mile, but where that carbon was before it was burned in your car. For gasoline it lay dormant in the ground for thousands of years, for ethanol it came from the plant that got it from the air. Ethanol use therefore produces a carbon cycle, not a carbon line where ancient carbon is being belched into the atmosphere.
I agree with grumpyrain, nobody intelligent is arguing pro corn derived ethanol, but the other ways of making it are both environmentally and economically sound.
- tehbeermang, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1The ancient carbon was once part of a carbon cycle.
  - Stratochief66, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Sure it was, but not one on our timescale. Most things become a cycle when you zoom out far enough.
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Does Ethanol Pollute More than Gasoline?

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