Cellulosic Ethanol Rocks! Environmentalists and supporters of a practical, and efficient fuel source (derived from our urban trash at our local landfills) that promote our trash being turned into treasure, UNITE! Living in the mecca of American automobile manufacturers, and once again ticked off about gasoline prices, I decided to find information regarding an alternative fuel source. Surfing the Net, I stumbled upon a publically held company known as BlueFire Ethanol, which is where I began to learn about ethanol, particularly cellulosic ethanol. Reading the information posted at the BlueFire Ethanol site, I began to learn the difference between corn-based ethanol (also known and currently sparsely sold as E85) and cellulosic ethanol. The next thing I know, on the March 12th, 2007, broadcast of Fox News Network's "On The Record with Greta Van Susteren", they hosted President Bush allowing him to make a feeble attempt at speaking about the subject of cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol is an extremely efficient fuel source derived from green waste and wood residue. If Bush and his people had done their research correctly (hasn't THAT happened before?), they would have realized and known that it makes absolutely no sense to continue production of ethanol with a corn based product (as has happened, on a small scale). Talking with Van Susteren, Bush spoke conveying that we had not made enough advancement to institute cellulosic ethanol at this point. He said that as a result, that we have no choice but to produce and utilize corn-based ethanol because the technology to produce cellulosic ethanol is not available. Here's the thing ... To continue ethanol production using a corn base will cause an increase in supply and demand, clearly causing the cost of corn to spike upward in the months and years to come. An interesting and "funny" thing; You mean that Bush didn't appear to know that his U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Cellulosic Grant Program (that awarded up to 385 million dollars!) was given to cellulosic ethanol biorefineries (including BlueFire Ethanol)? That tells us that someone must think that BlueFire Ethanol (and the other biorefineries awarded grants) focus must be quite viable. For BlueFire, this grant was awarded to them to develop a solid waste biorefinery project at a landfill in Southern California. For the record, BlueFire Ethanol has no need to research how to get this project going. It's our government that seems to have some need to do research (or waste money?) on a patented and proven process that exists and is currently being utilized in Japan. Because of that patent, BlueFire Ethanol happens to be established and ready to deploy the commercially ready, and proven Arkenol Technology Process that utilizes urban trash (from landfills), rice and wheat straws, wood waste and other agricultural residues (Reference: www.bluefireethanol.com; FOR FACTUAL VERIFICATION) . BlueFire Ethanol simply needs more funding in order to produce the many refineries needed to make the product: fuel. Question: Does Bush have a personal investment in the industry of farming (specifically, corn farming) just as it has been reported that he has (or has had) a personal financial investment in crude oil? You decide. So, here we go again. Taking steps backward (with first generation production of ethanol being corn-based) when we could now stop there, and take steps forward. It would be practically unanimously agreed that to take steps backward in the area of energy efficiency is simply stupid. Instead of "the powers that be" beginning with the currently available Arkenol Technolgy Process (by way of BlueFire Ethanol, or any other company like it, by the way), we have begun producing ethanol derived from corn, obviously. Besides the apparent pluses of making fuel with trash, something else to consider is that our initial ethanol factories will probably have to be retrofitted (from corn refining to trash and "green waste" refining) which will more than likely be something else that will cost us all more money. In the future, be prepared to re-orangize your menu plans when corn could become such a highly priced commodity that it's almost a delicacy. When we realize that the corn that we've normally served at our summertime backyard barbeques is scarce (if not available at all) because our nations corn farmers will not have the ability to keep up with supply and demand, let's also remember not to "freak out", or complain about it. The corn will be in our fuel tanks. Let's remember to keep our mouths closed (when we approach the produce departments within our local grocery stores) when we realize that we are faced with corn prices that are so high that it will cause our jaws to drop. Obviously, this hasn't happened, not yet. This is what we will most likely have to look forward to. Will "they" be wise enough to produce the second wave (or second generation) of technology called cellulosic ethanol? Cellulosic Ethanol Rocks! supposes that if we don't ask questions, form opinions, and make a decision about how we feel about this, that it's "par for the course". Once more, "they" will make our decision for us. Hence, what we'll gain in paying a lesser price at the pumps, we'll lose within the produce department's fresh corn aisle at our local grocery stores. Maybe then, we will recall having heard about this possibility. And, that this could have been avoided in the first place. To begin production of an ethanol, cellulosically, has obvious advantages that far outweigh continuing production with a corn based ethanol. It just makes sense. Use our urban trash (taken from our local dumps) as treasure; fuel. And, use our fresh grown corn to feed the nations! And, don't let anyone fool you. It seems that we won't ever become detached from the petroleum industry. Not for many years, if ever. Just like the manufacturers will continually utilize petroleum and our water supply, which environmentalists (like the members of Cellulosic Ethanol Rocks!) are up in arms about. Because so many things that we use are directly (or indirectly) manufactued with petroleum and water, we obviously do know and understand that the boycott of cellulosic ethanol is futile. Especially, in any debate over it's use in regard to it being made with water. Besides better prices at the pump, The Arkenol Technology Process, when used to make cellulosic ethanol reduces the potent greenhouse gas, methane. This is done by using post-sorted municipal solid waste as feedstock and available landfill gas in order to generate thermal and electricity needs. There's an old saying, "don't put the cart BEFORE the horse". Big business auto companies (and any and every other manufacturer and/or company making or selling anything) are the ones who the environmentalists that boycott cellulosic ethanol, for the sake of water, should go after; the ones who make the cars and trucks that utilize water (and have done so for years) to produce the vehicles that we all drive, that are powered by the fuel that we all need. The anti-cellulosic ethanol environmentalists need to shift their focus. Start at the beginning, or at the top (with Big Business). Not in the middle, or at the end (with cellulosic ethanol biorefineries). Everyone knows that to start at the end is completely backward. When anti-cellulosic ethanol environmentalists find a tested, patented, and proven fuel source for all of us to use to drive our cars, trucks, tractors, and such (without any company involved utilizing water), they need to let us ALL know. Cellulosic Ethanol Rocks! environmentalists, pro-water people ourselves, haven't heard of (or found) anyone offering a tested, patented, and proven, ready-for-market-use, alternative fuel that is any better. Any other unproven, supposed fuel source being touted today is based out of purely rhetorical ideas, speculation, and unfortunate highly unlikely promises, and spin. That reminds me of another old saying, "Y'know ... That dog don't hunt!". CELLULOSIC ETHANOL really does ROCK! SUPPORT CELLULOSIC ETHANOL! Ask questions! Form an opinion! Make a decision!