Biofuels – Are they a Valid Alternative?

Many great things are being said about Biofuels – where they are depicted as ‘the solution’ to traditional carbon polluting oil. When hearing the word ‘biofuels’ – picturesque images pop up in one’s mind of beautiful corn, soya and sugar cane fields.

It’s plants, it’s green, and generates anywhere between 50 to 90% less carbon dioxide when being used than gasoline – so it must be good, right?

Let us investigate what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ – meaning – ‘how are these biofuels produced’ – to get an idea of the implications of replacing our current oil consumption with new ‘green fuel’.

Corn

First, we’ll have a look at the manner in which corn is processed to become a usable fuel:

-          First, the corn is ground and mixed with water
-          This mixture gets heated
-          Added enzymes convert the starch into sugars
-          Then, the mix gets transferred into a fermentation tank
-          In the fermentation tank the sugars gradually transform into alcohol
-          The alcohol gets separated from the water by a process of distillation
-          The leftover which are known as “distillers’ grain” are fed o the cows
-          Some of the wastewater being high in nitrogen are applied to fields as fertilizers

This whole process gives off large amount of carbon dioxide. Most ethanol plants (=biofuel) make use of natural gas and coal to create the heat and steam which is necessary for the process of distillation.

The growing of corn also uses up a lot of natural gas and diesel. This is because in the planting and growing process of corn nitrogen fertilizers and farm machineries are used – which run on diesel. Some studies even reveal that the amount of carbon dioxides released during the process of creating ethanol pretty much cancel out the later ‘carbon dioxide reduction’ through replacing oil with ethanol as an energy source.

If this isn’t already bad enough, considering the rising prices of corn crops which give incentive to farmers to expand their production -- there’s as much as 35 million acres of marginal farmland which was actually set aside for soil and wildlife conservation which will be used for corn production for farmers. This may potentially cause an increase in the release of more carbon in fallow fields. Corn is also a highly erosive crop which means a lot of time and energy will have to be placed in rehabilitating the soil.

Furthermore, we are directing food crops towards an energy consuming industry and society while everyday 25 000 people die (of which most are under 5!) of hunger – which is completely unacceptable. In addition, we cannot simply shift our dependence from oil to ethanol as current and future climate changes may very well undermine this type of agricultural activity. The soya story goes much the same way, although is maybe a bit less disastrous.

Sugar Cane

Brazil seems to have had some success in using sugar cane as medium for biofuels.

Unlike corn, sugar cane already contains 20% of sugar in an entire sugarcane stalk, and it already start to ferment the moment it has been cut. Sugar cane fields also yield much higher rates of ethanol per acre compared to corn: 600 – 800 gallons an acre, which is almost twice as much as corn. In general sugar care seems to have much higher and better benefits than corn – though again, it is not without its implications and side-effects.

Most Brazilian cane is cut by hand. Although this type of labour is well paid, the conditions are hot and extremely strenuous to the back. To facilitate the cutting by hand of the cane fields, the fields are mostly burned before harvesting to kill any looming snakes and to make the canes easier to cut. This process fills the air up with soot while releasing methane as well as nitrous dioxide – which are both potent greenhouse gases.

Similarly as with corn, as biofuels will boom and thus the prices as well – this will push farmers to take up more land. This in turn will drive cattlemen deeper into territory such as the Amazon and the ‘cerrado’ (biologically diverse savannahs). So even though all these biofuels are deemed as ‘clean’ and ‘environmental friendly’ – the process behind their creation tells us quite a different story.

Replacing oil with any other ‘alternative energy source’ is always going to end up in a disaster at this point. We simply cannot replace oil with any other fuel at the rate that we are producing and consuming things. The rate at which we are producing, consuming and creating waste, is so disproportionate in relation to the resources available on Earth – that we’re always going to end up with some undesirable consequence that we want to ‘fix’ – but won’t be able to fix. The problem is not the fuel/energy source itself – it’s us humans and our ridiculous obsession with consumption and greed. As long as we do not fix the core problem – which is us – we’re not going to get anywhere (except maybe our own annihilation as a race and the destruction of our home planet).

Times is running out and we must decide NOW, act NOW. We must consider an alternative socio-political and economical system within which we live our lives. We must design and implement a system that is in total balance and equilibrium with planet Earth, nature and all its living beings. The Equal Money System is this new system. It is the only way through which we are going to be able to sort out this mess and ensure a safe and secure future for the children to come.

It’s time to let go of our greed, it’s time to let go of our self-interested obsessions and start considering Life as a whole. You can play a part in this transformation for a better life and future. Investigate Equal Money and let your voice be heard!

Sources:
National Geographic Magazine, October 2007, “Green Dreams”, pp 38-59

Equal Money System - “what if I need so much physical help when I'm old that I can't pay with the equal money I get per month”

Equal Money System Q&A – “what if I need so much physical help when I'm old that I can't pay with the equal money I get per month”

Understand that within the Equal Money System, where you receive your basic income on a monthly basis for your basic needs – that this “Equal Money” does not imply “the same amount of money for everyone”. 

Equal Money implies that everyone has the same right to life and that everyone bears equal value as life. This does not mean that everyone is the same and that there is ‘one amount’ that will fit each and everyone. Basic needs will differ from person to person – from context to context – but are all equal in that they are basic needs. 

Hence, if you are an elder person within society and have “more needs” that require to be attended than for example an average healthy 24 year old – then this will be reflected within the Equal Money credits you receive as your basic income.

Not being able to pay for the attendance of your physical needs due to old age will therefore not be an existing concern.

In short: There is no fixed amount that each one will receive. Each one’s situation will be assessed individually and each one’s Equal Money Income will be a function of their individual basic needs.

Inflation & Corruption within an Equal Money System

Here is a response I made to a question asked on the Equal Money Forum:

1. You defined following: "all money being issued has the nature of a loan with interest". And yes, the banks are the worst factor in all dealings concerning money. This can be controlled although banks should probably die out (at least banks as we know them). The problem is that your definition is not throughly correct. When you print money you have inflation, but not only because interest rates are lower and interest rate is the price of money, but also due to the fact that so called "aggregate prices" go up. By that I mean literally prices of all goods (in general). When the prices are higher you can buy less with the same amount of money. This means that the system should have a very high control (just like a monetery expanisive politic should have). Control is the main problem in today's world. This ALWAYS lead to corruption. What are your ideas and, possibly, strategies on solving this problem?

You are correct, banks and loans are not the only factor in causing inflation – the inflation problem is caused by multiple factors. What these factors do have in common is that they all in some way or another are linked to unbalanced mathematical equations (such as asking interest on a loan and creating money out of nothing). In essence, inflation is mostly a symptom of our current economic and monetary system. Since the Equal Money System will be based and operating on whole new set of principles and thus a whole not set of equations which will actually be balanced – inflation as a symptom will disappear.
Any type of monetary policy is currently only an attempt at postponing the inevitable. The current system is based on an incorrect equation, where the two sided “don’t add up”. All monetary policies are doing now is trying to monitor and manipulate the outflows of this dysfunctional system with new equations – but they can never truly fix it – because the very initial equation the system is based on, is unbalanced and doomed to spiral out into massive disproportion. Inflation should thus cancel itself out in an Equal Money System.

The same can be said about greed – greed is mostly a cause and symptom arising from a dysfunctional, out-of-proportion system. Due to extensive polarity and extremities where society and its peoples are divided between an extreme line of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. Greed, having “a lot”, wanting abundance only stems forth from the polarity opposite of massive lack. People want more and will accept bribes because there is no security within our current system. If you don’t play by the rules or you are simply ‘unlucky’ – the system will simply disregard you and you will be left with nothing. It’s this constant insecurity, not knowing what will happen, knowing that any time you can be left with nothing, knowing that there are so many people who already have nothing – that drives people to want more to satiate and drench their inner fear and anxiety. The current system is the creator and supporter of Greed through not providing an actual platform of support for Human Beings, where living Life is self-evident and where each one receives the tools and resources to do so.
Obviously greed will not disappear overnight and will still stick up its head from time to time – but it should be nowhere near as problematic as it is currently, and will be dealt with in terms of re-education of those who participate within it.

2. You declare that people will do jobs when they find out they are necessary. But how would you deal with jobs that nobody want to do, except for money. Like dealing with waste (garbage)?

As you can read on the home page under the FAQ, jobs which are absolutely vital to human survival and support will be placed within the 4 year conscription. Basically after one is done with their primary stage of education, each will participate for a duration of 4 years within a labour program which tends to all the jobs and tasks that need to be done to keep the basics of society running. This is an educational period where one learns about the know-hows of what is involved in terms of keeping humans sustained (which a lot of people take for granted at the moment); as well a first experience and introduction to the labour side of the Equal Money System. Just like any other job someone would take on, one will receive remuneration for the job done. The conscription point is simply a point of equality – everyone has certain basic needs that need to be taken cared of, everyone can contribute to this equally.

War on Drugs Creates More Crime – Equal Money & DIP is Solution

When the Government of a country ‘declares War on Drugs’ it will try and prevent the production and especially import of Drugs within the borders of its country.

How does this practically affect the ‘free market forces’ in the economic system?

Prices are set in relation to supply / demand. If there is a high demand for a particular product or service, the people that are ‘demanding’ this, will ‘compete’ with each other in the form of accepting higher price rates. The ‘value’ of any given product/service will also be dependent on the availability of the particular good.

So – if we look at the scenario before War was declared on drugs, you’d have a particular stream of supply coming into the country and according to the demand it will be set on a price accordingly.

Because the demand for drugs is high, and the fact that drugs is a ‘habit forming’ product – the demand for drugs is very inelastic (inelastic = there will not be a big change in demand if one changes the price of the product, elastic would be if you for instance increase the price of a product and it has a drastic effect on the demand of the product  - this is not the case with drugs which means that they can pretty much ask any price and the consumer will try and pay that price).


So now the Government has declared War on Drugs and ‘less’ drugs comes into the country. This implies that the supply has diminished which means that the product is now more ‘scarce’ while the demand remains exactly the same.

This ‘supply shortage’ in turn translates into a ‘higher value’ of the product and the Prices go sky high. But now the demand is still exactly the same. But if one now wants to get hands on drugs, they have to come up with more money which results in more crime!

So nothing has been solved at all, at best things have just gotten worse because they exact same condition is still present but now there’s extra crime happening to be able to pay up for the drugs.

The truth is that there is no possible solution within our current economic system to truly effectively deal with a problem such as Drug Abuse & Profiteering. Because ‘Profiteering’ is what our current Economic System is all about and it implies that for someone to win there must be someone losing. In essence you could say that our System Promotes Drug Abuse & Profiteering because it uses the exact methods that defines our System.

So if you have a look at Drugs there are two main points that come to the fore in terms of consideration. The first one is on the side of the consumer and pertains to the reason of Drug Consumption. The other point lies on the side of the supplier whom is obviously in the Game because of Profit.

If we look at reasons why people use drugs we can boil it down to a general ‘dissatisfaction’ with their life. Whether it is boredom, depression, wanting to have ‘fun’ (indicating a lack of fun and adventure) – it is always some sort of dissatisfaction or lack. So if we want to ‘tackle’ the demand, we have to take on this reason, this dissatisfaction. The most effective proposal to deal with such a point would be an Education Process such as the Desteni I Process. The Desteni I Process deals with one’s inner reality and pushes for the taking of self-responsibility and living a fulfilling life.

This would very effectively deal with Drug Addiction as has already been proven by many who have walked the Desteni I Process. A list of reference is given at the end of this post. Check out their blogs to see how they deal with their reality and work towards a fulfilling, self-empowering and satisfactory life for themselves.

If we now look at the other side of the coin where we are dealing with making money – the only effective Solution is the immediate implementation of an Equal Money System. Why? Because our Current Money System does not provide for all Equally. It is a System out of Balance that provides for the few who have in abundance and ensures that this abundance only grows for which the majority who do not have “pay the price”.

Those who do not have live a miserable life while the rich live on their expense. This gives those who are in an unfortunate position an incentive to either a) become drug consumers to numb the pain of their existence or to b) to use drugs as a product to sell so they can get money to survive within this world. This need then turns into Greed as the fear of ending up in a position with no support it just to horrid to even think of.

An Equal Money System in contrast, is a System of care and everyone’s physical needs are taken care of. There is no condition of survival prevailing where people find the need to exploit others in order to survive. In addition the profit motive is taken away as Profit will not be non-existent within an Equal Money System which eliminates the enticement to start a drug business. There is no need to turn to drugs to numb you life experience as you are supported to LIVE and explore life instead. Thus – the Equal Money System dealing with one’s external reality, deals with the Money point whilst the DIP deals with one’s inner reality and self-empowerment. Together they are the perfect team =).

Here are but a few who stand as a living example of actual absolute change within stopping drug consumption & addiction. Visit their blogs as a living testimony of how they will change into their lives.  To find out more about an Equal Money System visit: www.equalmoney.org  . For more info on the Desteni I Process visit www.desteniiprocess.com


Marlen: http://www.marlenlife.multiply.com/
Anna: http://annabrixthomsen.com/
Julieta: http://www.julietazochi.blogspot.com/
Garbrielle: http://garbrielle.blogspot.com/
Marek: http://desteniiprocesodzaciatku.blogspot.com
Deedra : http://desteniiprocesodzaciatku.blogspot.com
Niklas: http://maxernst1desteni.wordpress.com/
Maya H: http://harelmaya.wordpress.com/
Talamon: http://talamon.blogspot.com/

Our Economic System, a Recipe for Disaster & The Real Bad Effects of ‘Good Intention’ Government Interventions

Profit and Self-Interest is that which lies at the very core of our Current Economic System.
It is the very baseline of any equation from which economical mechanisms are derived from.
It is the venom that seeps through every inch of our society of which no-one remains unaffected.

It’s a venom that kills.

*Beep*                                   * Beep*              uuuugh..................

Our Economy falls back on two basic ‘powers’ / ‘laws’ interacting with each other:
               
                1. I want to sell stuff expensive so I can get lots of money
                2. I want to buy stuff cheap cause I want to have lots of money

(These two are the trademark of Capitalism and Free Market)

But now – just looking at these two points together, it is obvious that you cannot have both happening at the same time. For example: You want cheap milk, but they only want to sell you expensive milk – both parties want to score.
 So even though this is not practically possible – these are the rules the Economy lives by.

Now, these two essentially self-interested laws, make up ‘Supply’ and ‘Demand’ (first one being supply [giving], second one demand [receiving]).

And even though these ‘laws’ have no practical consideration whatsoever - but the one for profit – it is accepted and enforced as status quo.

So we have established that both two ‘laws’ are drenched in self-interest  - and ‘combat’ each other.  But the combat between these forces creates a ‘vacuum’ – as both of these points are just eating up all the money – and these vacuums are then represented by manifestations such as poverty and scarcity.

Now – people start complaining and when the moaning starts getting to the Government they feel that maybe they should do something about it.

The Government will then implement some rules to try and create some sort of balance so that the poor people don’t get too angry and get it in their heads to maybe revolt against the government.

These rules can take the form of for instance protecting moaning Farmers by setting a particular minimum price for their goods. This minimum price will be above the ‘equilibrium price’ [*the equilibrium price is where supply perfectly meets demand,  there’s no excess or shortage. For example, a farmer supplies 50 000 litres of milk at the local town market – at a particular price – and at this price all of his milk is bought. There is no excess but also no shortage of milk. ]

By setting a minimum price that is above the equilibrium price (at the price that people are willing to pay) -  an excess supply is created because people don’t want to buy the expensive stuff!

So if the Farmer now for instance sells his milk at 3 euros a litre - less milk is going to be bought, and there’s going to be many litres left unsold.

 So the higher the price – the less people will buy it (can buy it) which means = less people have food. So now okay, the farmers get some extra cash but now we’ve created a new problem as more people are without food. On top of that, we’re still sitting with all this excess of supply (the unsold milk) that’s just lying around, and now the Government’s got to get rid of it. If they give the food to the poor people then they’re not gonna buy the food on the market and then the farmer’s not going to get their money and then the whole minimum price thing was useless from the beginning. And obviously the Governments Ego cannot admit to that, so then they rather buy the food with TAX MONEY (yes that’s right, they take your money so now you’re still losing) and then destroy the excess supply.

I mean – if you look at it – it’s really pretty freaking insane right? I mean, twenty first century? Evolution?  LMAO

Then there is minimum wages / basic income!

The people’s gone moaning again and the government feels it should respond to this threat (yes threat instead of common sense responsibility – in our world literally EVERYTHING is in reverse).

So now the government goes ‘Let us implement minimum wages/basic income!’ – because they see that people are complaining because they are looking rather skinny and beaten up by their slave labour.

 Because remember:  BUY CHEAP – SELL EXPENSIVE. This translates into PAY PEOPLE CHEAP (buying labour) – SELL THE STUFF THEY MAKE EXPENSIVE – KEEP MONEY IN MY BIG FAT POCKETS. That’s how we’ve designed our system.

Back to the Government – so now they implement ‘minimum wages’ – which is really the same principle as setting a minimum price for the farmers. Corporations do not want to buy expensive labour [it is seen as ‘expensive’ because this minimum wage is above the ‘equilibrium wage’ where supply & demand meet (because people will do anything to gain some money to survive, so they are willing to work for almost nothing)]. So Corporations have to now implement this minimum wage – but they don’t want to spend that amount of money.
As a result they start firing and cutting back on their staff. Which results in more people being unemployed – but heeeey at least those few people who have a job get a minimum wage, right? Yay? No?

So the very people the government is “trying to help” are the ones that end up being off worse. As you have seen from the examples, you either end up without food and/or without a job.  And the knowledge that these type of interventions are absolutely not effective – is Economy 101, it is one of the first things you learn in studying economy, imagine what else we might encounter down the road!!

And then obviously if one tries to look at other ‘solutions’ = there are none. Each move you will do that approaches ‘care’ will be catastrophically as what the System breathes in and out is Self-Interest. It is repulsed by ‘care’ and will simply spit out anything that is not serving Profit & Self-Interest.  Thus there are no possible solutions within our current system. As long as we want to create / provide solutions within the current framework of our Economic System = it is going to fail.

Because as the very Starting Point of our System is that of Self-Interest – it will only cherish and harvest that singular point. There is simply no space for anything else. It is a Formula, an Equation which is not Equal [and for an equation to be effective there must be EQUAlity, you know EQUA-TION it is implied in the word]. So no matter what you place into the formula – it will always end up in disaster as that is the way it’s been designed.

So understand that when you read or hear things in relation to Equal Money Solutions – that we are talking about a whole new system, a whole new formula – it is beyond our current system, it’s a whole new world! Because, we cannot save our current system, it is done for.

So if you can see , just like me the absolute fucked-up-ness of our current Monetary and Economic System – Investigate Equal Money! It is the only solution !!!

The Principle of Economy... Or what it Ought to Be

The other day I was watching one of the DVD’s that goes with my Economy module for this Semester and an interesting point opened up.

The guy in the video was explaining how the ‘basic’ Principle of Economy in essence works with three point:

1.     We have a certain amount of limited resources.

2.     There’s a certain amount of Beings that require these resources

3.     How do we get those resources to those Beings?

But now the interesting thing is that in real life this is not really how it works.
Instead it follows the following Principe:

1.     We have a certain amount of limited resources

2.     There’s a certain amount of Beings that require these resources

3.     Not everyone can pay for these resources

4.     How do we get the resources to the people that can pay for the resources

So – we’re not looking at basic common sense practicality where you know if a child were to set up an economy it would look at “okay how much is there of this, there’s so many that need it, how do I get to there’. That seems to be the most simply way of dealing with the situation.

Though in reality this is not how it is applied . No, instead we’re playing a game of win and lose where if you have money you are part of the winners and if you have none well then you’re not even a loser, you don’t even have the privilege to ‘play’ the game.

So how did it get this far that we allow basic points such as the allocation of basic resources that everyone needs be directed by only money. Why does money decide where what goes? Why can’t we just decide from a starting point of Common Sense and what is best for all?

Obviously the solution is already outlined in the initial principle mentioned – but since we are in a current World System that works with Money to move every single point – the only possible way to correct this “mistake” is to give everyone Equal Money! Because – if everyone has Equal Money then everyone can access the Basic Resources = Problem solved!

Also – if we have a look at the current System and what our “limited resources” are being used for = it’s a whole lot of bunch of CRAP: technology with an expiry date, shoes that fall apart in a matter of months, clothes that look pretty but require a manual for you to know how to put it on, make up, shampoo, food that is not food – basically most of the things that you see in your everyday mall are products of consumerism that support the profit making money game. They have no other practical use whatsoever.

So instead of moaning about ‘our limited resources’ and ‘we’re gonna have to up the prices, because the resources are getting more scarce’ – we should have a look at what we are spending our precious resources on and if it is really worth it. Because if I look at all the crap in this world that is being produced – 98% is all just for profit – where foods are being produced in masses and get thrown away, where there’s hundreds and thousands of designs and brands for a single object, just so you can have your ‘choice’. It’s too much and we don’t need it.

So Imagine in an Equal Money System, where we stop wasting our resources on useless crap – just imagine what is possible and what future we can secure for those still to come.

Support Effective Use of Resources - Support an Equal Money System!