Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Archives for March 13, 2007

Ethanol Pushes Up Price of Tortillas?

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The price of tortillas in Mexico has tripled in recent months and Ruth Gidley in a piece entitled ‘As biofuels boom, will more go hungry’ is blaming ethanol.

With US government greenhouse policy and the price of oil favoring a shift to ethanol, the price of corn is climbing. The US produced 24percent more ethanol in 2006 than in 2005.

Corn is a main ingredient of tortillas as well as ethanol.

The Mexican government responded to rioting in January by capping the price of corn.

Is concern over global warming or the price of oil, or both, driving the demand for ethanol which is making food more expensive in places like Mexico?

The Defining Moral and Political Cause of Our Age (Global Warming) Dominates British Politics

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“A frantic race to play the winning ‘green card’ will take place in Westminster this week, as Britain’s three main political parties focus on the environment and global warming as the main battleground of the next general election,” according to Nigel Morris in an article ‘Politicians step up the battle to secure the green vote’ published yesterday in The Independent Online.

“Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Miliband and David Cameron are all placing unprecedented emphasis on the environment as they set out their plans to combat global warming.

“The manoeuvring over green issues suggests the political elite believes success or failure in the ballot box depends on their ability to convince a sceptical electorate they can tackle the biggest issue of the day.

Read the complete article here: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2350048.ece