The world is changing. We are taking a serious look at alternative fuels and more environmentally friendly options. I applaud this, and think it's the smart thing to do. But as with all change, unexpected consequences do arise. The change most relevant to the title of this blog is the rising cost of corn.In the last few years, the increased demand for biofuels has increased the price of corn dramatically. What does this mean for the average consumer? Well, the price of cereal is going up. So is the price of popcorn. Corn is used in animal feed, so the rising prices of corn will affect the prices of chicken, pork, beef, eggs and dairy products. When you start to connect the dots, the results are rather alarming.
The tragic thing is that I'm not entirely certain that ethanol-based biofuels is any more efficient or any better for the environment. Instead of vast oil fields, we will need vast corn fields to produce our fuels... fields that would otherwise be used to increase our food supply!
I think the graph will give you a sense of just how high and how fast the jump in corn prices is happening. On the bright side, I may one day create an "Inconvenient Truth" style documentary about a global corn crisis. That makes me really happy for some reason.
2 comments:
Just recently, I saw a documentary that predicted food shortages in the future because so many farmers are turning to corn production.
On the plus side, the obesity problem might recede a bit since the rise of obesity in America is correlated to the increased use of corn syrup in soft drinks. And weight loss due to famine goes without saying.
I've got a better disaster scenario! Just read it in Friday's Globe & Mail (!) and it's predicting (effectively) the end of the world.
Due to peak oil (which will occur this year) fuel will become so expensive farmers won't be able to run their tractors. Food production will practically cease, leading to the end of civilization as we know it.
As a scientific experiement, 10 adults & a dozen children are living off the grid in a faming community, using their poo to fertilize their fields. (Uh, won't they die of E. coli poisoning? NEVER MIND!)
They're saying you should pay off your debts, buy a month's worth of non-perishables, learn how to can food and live in urban bungalows since all other forms of housing (suburbia or urban condos) won't be liveable when the lights go out & there's no fuel.
Wow!
Oh yeah, and they're split on whether or not you should buy a gun & lots of bullets.
Me? Screw all that, I'm going to practice my aggressive driving techniques and get a nice set of leathers (and a late-model American muscle car). And a sawed-off shotgun.
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