Report: Driving Our Way to Energy Independence

Date: 5 Jun 2008 | posted in: Energy | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Updating our pathbreaking 2003 report, this June 2008 report by David Morris describes how commercially available technologies today could transform our petroleum powered transportation system into one powered by electricity and biofuels. Provisions in the recently passed Energy Act could accelerate that transformation. With the adoption of complementary policies, the revolution in our transportation sector can generate an equally profound revolution in our electricity sector. Hundreds of thousands of locally owned wind turbines and solar electric arrays supplying flexible fueled, plug-in hybrid vehicles can allow tens of millions of Americans to become energy producers not just energy consumers.

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Report: Ethanol and Land Use Changes

Date: 5 Feb 2008 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, environment | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This February 2008 report by David Morris criticizes the authors of two recent studies published in Science for advancing a conclusion not supported by their own studies. The paper notes that the vast majority of today’s ethanol production comes from corn cultivated on land that has been in corn production for generations. Since little new land has come into production, either directly or indirectly, the current use of ethanol clearly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

On February 7, 2008, Science published two studies that examined the greenhouse gas impact of land use changes caused by the growing demand for biofuels. Within hours, news of the studies was carried by a remarkable number of media outlets. Reporters summed up the findings indire terms. National Public Radio declared, "Study: Ethanol Worse for Climate Than Gasoline." The New York Times headline read, "Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat."… Read More

Give Ethanol a Chance: The Case for Corn-Based Fuel

Date: 15 Jul 2007 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, environment | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Working Assets is my long-distance phone company. I love it dearly for its combination of business efficiency, social responsibility and progressive politics.

Each month, my phone bill carries alerts that urge me to take action on a specific issue or two. Recent Citizen Actions suggest the gravity of the issues chosen: "Save Our Constitution," "Impeach Dick Cheney," "Close Guantanamo."

This month Working Assets urged me to "Say No to Ethanol."

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Group Calls on Congress to Correct Its Mistake on Cellulosic Ethanol Mandate

Date: 4 Dec 2006 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, Press Release | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 4, 2006 Contact: David Morris, 612-276-3456 x208 – dmorris [@] ilsr.org Group Calls on Congress to Correct Its Mistake on Cellulosic Ethanol Mandate Minneapolis, MN – In an article published December 4, 2006, in RenewableEnergyAcces.com, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance argues that a single sentence added to the Energy Policy Act … Read More

Report: The New Ethanol Future Demands a New Public Policy

Date: 21 Jun 2006 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, environment | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The New Ethanol Future Demands a New Public Policy by David Morris, Vice President Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) June 21, 2006 This document is an expanded version of “An Ear for the Market,” an opinion piece published in the New York Times. Ethanol’s time has arrived.  After 25 years of fighting just to survive in … Read More

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