Biodiesel and Ethanol Investing

AFP reports that use of crop-based biofuels may speed up global warming due to rainforest destruction. Because of the driving up of food prices and energy used just to produce the biofuels, as well as reports of pumping more carbon into the atmosphere than what should be eliminated, controversy surrounds the production and use of food-based biofuels. Deforestation and food crop use are showing harmful long-term effects, with marginal land use a moderately viable alternative. However, even this requires assistance to farmers because of the need for soil erosion reduction and fertilizer needs. With many tradeoffs a reality, one option could be use of already-degraded land in the tropics.