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Breaking the habit.(FROM THE EDITOR)(Editorial)
- Article from:
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Earth Island Journal
- Article date:
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June 22, 2008
- Author:
- Mark, Jason
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Copyright informationCOPYRIGHT 2008 Earth Island Institute. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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America, as even President Bush acknowledges, is addicted to oil. If so, then biofuels are little better than methadone.
Our addiction is dangerous. It is one of the primary sources of the unchecked carbon emissions that are altering the Earth's atmosphere. It contributes to the pollution of our air and water. It has badly skewed US foreign policy and helps explain why more than 150,000 soldiers are fighting in Iraq. Like junkies, we are oblivious to the damage we inflict on ourselves.
In an attempt to deal with the consequences of our oil addiction, politicians and corporate leaders have trumpeted the promise of biofuels--energy sources made from plant matter. But as ...