by Varsha Sankar
In today's economy, oil and petroleum seem to be one of the most valuable, demanded, and scarce resources on the planet. However, continued use of these fossil fuels has caused drastic shifts in weather patterns and climatic changes on the planet, sparking alarming concerns about the environment and global warming. Alternatives for fossil fuel have become extremely vital. Scientists have proposed using biofuels and countries such as Brazil, much of the European Union, China, India, and now the United States have all jumped on the band wagon to using this alternative phenomenon.
Biofuel is a fuel that is derived from dry organic matter and combustible oils produced by plants. Biofuel is proposed to be great for the environment because it will result in lower levels of carbon dioxide and other toxic emissions. However, the Institute of Science in Society warns that the consequences of this growing trend need to be thoroughly examined before countries can begin to quench their thirst for fuel.
Experts warn that this biofuel boom may permanently alter the economics of food, creating a situation where the poorest and hungriest countries will be hit the hardest. Valuable land that could be used for growing food is now being used to promote the production of bioenergy crops. At the beginning of the 21st century, world leaders promised that by 2015, the portion of people who are chronically hungry and live on less that a dollar a day will be halved. However, with forecasts of increased food prices because of this biofuel boom, there is much concern of how this goal will be accomplished.
Mexico is already feeling the harsh effects of the demand for biofuels. In January of this year, protests were sparked when the price of tortillas, a stable food in Mexico, tripled to 15 pesos that’s about $1.36 per 2.2 pounds. This boost in prices was alarming for Mexicans since most people live on less than five dollars. An increase in demand for ethanol has also had adverse effects on food prices here in the United States. In agricultural states such as Iowa, farmers are more focus on producing corn alone and have given up on rotating corn and Soya crops, since corn has become more lucrative in the production of biofuels. An increase in the level of demand for products, such as maize and sugar cane, has cause corn prices to increase to the highest level that it has been in for decades.
Increases in food prices will greatly impact food providers' ability to distribute and give out food to the poor. There is a great possibility that if food prices continue to increase, more individuals will go hungry. Although, experts claim that the rise in food prices will level off and decrease over time, prices will never return to the level it was prior to the hike. British food aid expert, Edward Clay said that, "We’re into a new structure of markets ... By next year, (food) prices will begin to fall away, but that doesn't mean they’ll ever fall to where it was before." Our society is now left to debate the importance of fuel emission and global warming as well as the impact of increased food prices on the poor.
