ETHANOL IS AS DIRTY AS GAS

And it has a lot of other disadvantages. But the politicians in the farm belt like it because advocating it gets them campaign donations.

Ethanol-blend auto emissions no greener than gasoline: study
March 30, 2007 (Canadian Broadcasting Company)

WHO
Greg Rideout, head of Environment Canada's toxic emissions research.

WHAT
An unpublished federal report concludes that ethanol-blended fuel produces no cleaner emissions that gasoline fuel.

WHEN
The article gave no details about the Canadian report. It is unpublished.

WHERE
Presumably Canada. No further details were reported.

WHY
The conservative Canadian administration has committed $2 billion to corn- and wheat-based ethanol and biodiesel fuels. The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association promotes their use and has convinced Canadians they are environmentally friendly. Greenhouse gas emissions of regular unleaded fuel and 10 per cent ethanol blended fuel are statistically the same, according to the study.

QUOTES
- "Looking at tailpipe emissions, from a greenhouse gas perspective, there really isn't much difference between ethanol and gasoline," said Greg Rideout, head of Environment Canada's toxic emissions research. "Our results seemed to indicate that with today's vehicles, there's not a lot of difference at the tailpipe with greenhouse gas emissions."
- Bill Rees, ecology professor at the University of British Columbia and longtime opponent of ethanol: "People are being conned into believing in a product and paying for it through their tax monies when there's no justifiable benefit and indeed many negative costs."