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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Why Is Biofuel Better than Other Renewable Energy Sources? by Leticia

First off, what is biofuel?
Well, it comes from biomass, which is actually something that has been recently living, such as animal waste, carcasses, etc, etc. Biofuel isn't known very well in the world for powering our lives. In fact, it's used mostly in developing countries to get electricity. But is it better than:
Wind power
Hydroelectric power
Solar power
Geothermal power?
Well, we'll see.
First, biofuel is renewable. We're not sucking up coal, natural gas, and oil for electrical power. Instead of using up all of our resources, we're making the most of our surroundings. Since the beginning of time, animals have been around - and with them, their waste and carcasses later on, which we can use to transform for electricity. But we're not blocking rivers and stopping the trout reproduction, like hydro power. With coal and natural gas, we're using up all we have fast, and it's not reliable. Eventually, we'll run out of this nonrenewable fuel and we'll find ourselves stunned and lost. Instead, biofuel is renewable and will continue being around forever. It's constantly available and we have no fear of running out, whereas with nonrenewable energy sources, it will eventually run out.
Biofuel is also reliable. For solar and wind power, it depends on the weather, so we can't rely on our power sources. Who says it'll be rainy one day, windless and dry the next, or sunny and windless the other? Weather is unpredictable, and we can't rely on it for power. True, solar and wind power is efficient, but we don't know when we can use it or not. Biofuel, on the other hand, doesn't rely on much. We'll have this source for a long time, and not much will be able to wipe it out. It's very reliable.
Next, biofuel is also cheap. Geothermal power, solar power, wind power, and hydro power is very expensive to gather and create. A dam is very expensive, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to create. Solar power is just as costly. Let's not even think about geothermal power, drilling holes into thinner surfaces of the Earth. It could cost millions of dollars! Instead, we can just go to the nearest farm and collect animal dung for biofuel. A farmer might not even charge for that unpleasant task! It's simple to collect, but it's still pretty hard to make. Turning animal waste into fuel! That's a true transformation, but it's only a hint of human brilliance.
Biofuels also help the environment. Plants create oxygen and clean our air, which is now filled with pollution! We can grow so many crops intended for biofuel and clean our air at the same time! That's very effective. Especially because we're ensuring childrens' futures. Eventually, they'll grow into adults, and kids wouldn't want to grow into a desert that was once a beautiful forest, or a run-down town that was once a big city. By using biofuel, we are reducing pollution and protecting the environment that has been our home for thousands of years.
Countries are beginning to use biofuel more often now. Biodiesel - "a diesel-like fuel commonly made from palm oil" (National Geographic) is used more often in Europe now.
But biofuel also has a downside. It takes a lot of chemicals to purify animal waste and carcasses into fuel. We end up throwing in lots of chemicals to process it, and lots of it ends up polluting the environment, so it's not perfect. And, if we're using biodiesel more, palm plantations are actually wiping out corn, wheat, potato, and other vegetable plantations. That means farmers are getting less to eat and fuel is becoming more important than food. Palm oil makes a lot more money than, say, potatoes, so people will naturally plant palm trees and abandon potato crops. However, biodiesel is renewable and we're making the most of our surroundings.
But, with coal and natural gas available, we don't need to worry about those things yet, do we? But those problems will eventually come. Electricity makes things so much more easier for us, but we've become dependent on technology, and if it's not available, we'll be lost. Utterly lost.
What do you think? Is biofuel better than other renewable energy sources?

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25 comments :

  1. Very true!
    But biofuel is a very weak energy source, undeveloped, and in a way, unreliable. We can't use it just yet. It's not quite as perfected as the human society needs it to be. It could become a major energy source, but not quite yet. We need to work on it before it's ready enough to be used commonly.

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  2. Coal has been so reliable to the human race for many years!
    True, it pollutes, but think about how much we're earned with it! Why, coal is powering the lights in scientist's labs that created biofuel! Coal has powered entire cities!
    We can't give up on it quite yet. There must be some way to purify it, and some hidden jackpot under the Earth that others will find.

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  3. Thomas Hilson5/30/2013

    But eventually, Annie, that hidden jackpot will be consumed!
    True, biofuel is an excellent energy source, but, as Otis said, it's weak and undeveloped. Right now, we should focus on solar power and wind power. I'm a bit more on the side of solar power, because it's so powerful. Did you know that the energy from the sun that falls onto the Earth is enough energy to last for 1 year?
    Solar power is also undeveloped, but it's more developed than biofuel.

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  4. Maria Kellington5/30/2013

    Very true, as usual, Thomas!
    But won't the sun die eventually? As we speak, it is dying, even though very, very, very slightly and very, very, very slowly, but it is dying. In a couple billion years, what will we do then?

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  5. Genevieve5/30/2013

    That's not exactly the comment we were looking for.
    However, the death of the sun will eventually happen and we will perish.
    True, in an extremely long time, but it will happen, just like the end of coal and natural gas and oil. Do we need to find an almost permanent solution or a completely permanent solution that will last us all time?

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  6. Die, perish, wats the difference??
    Thats was pisses me off about these blogs.
    ya, watever, smart words and stuff and arguments but man their boring arguments!
    who cares? my electricitys workin right now and as long astit works i wont complain
    why shud i?

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  7. Melody5/30/2013

    Ok, we do not appreciate that comment, but in reality, you're just one of us, because you're stating your opinion, but in a different style.
    The only thing is that you're saying it in an angry, aggressive way.
    But you're still criticizing and analyzing, whether you like it or not. You know the info, and whether you choose to use it or not is your choice, but you know it.

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  8. Gregor5/30/2013

    Melody, that is such a sweet note, but Chris' comment is a pure result of how Americans have raised citizens to think. We're happy if we've got what we've want, we see only the surface, not the whole thing. We're shallow.
    It's plain sad to me.

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  9. Jacqueline5/30/2013

    I mean, I like to see things in depth, but that's just me. But really, _why_ do we see things in depth?
    What's the reason? To pain ourselves over the blindness of society? To suffer over what can't change? To worry about our futures?
    The modern average man only worries about buying and selling. Why are we worrying about what he worries in? I like to see, but now that I look deep, why?

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  10. Adrianna5/30/2013

    A very critical comment, Jacqueline. I couldn't have put it so myself.
    The reason I think we're doing it is because we can see. Knowledge is power. We can see what others can't, we're not blind. We understand, and sometimes knowledge can be heavy on your shoulders. What we can see puts us apart, and people who look can achieve great things.

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  11. But how come smart people use all of that language? It may be true, but it sounds awfully boring and not many people can understand. Doesn't it help if you change ur language for others to understand?

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  12. Very true, Mason!
    I think people do that because they have larger vocabularies and can put to use that infinite list of words. People who don't have such large vocabularies, which are many, I'm afraid, limit themselves to simpler words that society has learned to understand. People who use bigger words are fewer now.

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  13. Shelby5/30/2013

    A beautiful blog!
    I've been looking for one like this one, and now I found it!
    I'll recommend it to all of my friends!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Michaela5/30/2013

    Yeah
    I like all of the book reviews
    NERD
    WORD

    ReplyDelete
  15. oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    IMMA BELIEBER!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Willow5/30/2013

    Sigh. Eye roll.

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  17. Cecilia5/30/2013

    Uhhh...random.

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  18. Ingrid5/30/2013

    Biofuel is a great energy source, really. Very true.

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  19. Thank you very much, everybody!
    Your comments are critical, kind, and supportive. We're glad that this has sparked debates and arguments and has brought this community closer. Thanks!

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  20. Yeah, thanks everyone!
    We really appreciate your comments and your kindness. This blog is spreading thanks to you.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Andrea5/31/2013

    I like this blog.
    It's good.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Miranda5/31/2013

    HEY PEOPLE
    I WAS WONDERING, WANNA B INTERVIEWED ON GLOBAL WARMING AND DANCE?
    I HAVE A BLOG AND ITS BASED ON INTERVIEWS...ANYONE WANNA SEE IT??
    LOVE YA ALL

    ReplyDelete
  23. Daryna6/08/2013

    Awesome.
    But, like Thomas, I'm on the side of solar energy. Biofuel just isn't developed enough for this.

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  24. Anonymous4/14/2015

    yeah bitch biofuel

    ReplyDelete