Comment Re:Sugarcane: Brazilian experience (Score 1) 560
Well, this thread discussion is almost over, and probably you will never read my answer... but I decided to do it anyway, because I think some of your points deserves some comments.
First off, most of the areas where sugar-cane is currently being cultivated were *already* deforested in ending 19th century up to 1950's for coffee crops (for Parana and Sao Paulo states). So, for Brazilian biofuel program, absolutely no new areas of deforestation were open.
So, you can see clearly here, that your point of 'deforestation' is completely bogus.
Concerning USA available agricultural area for sugar cane, I will assume that your information is correct, that the 3 states cited were able to cultivate sugar cane. And I will consider as theory (and also a simplification), that whole available area of cited state would be adequate for sugar cane production.
So, just contrast the available area in each country:
a) USA: Hawaii (area of 29,311 Km^2), Florida (area 170,304 Km^2) and Louisiana (134,382 Km^2) = 333,997Km^2
b) Brazil: Sao Paulo State (area 248,209 Km^2), Parana (281,748 Km^2), Mato Grosso do Sul (357,124) = 887,081Km^2
Attention: I'm not counting Brazilian North-East states: Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhao, Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraiba, Bahia. Those states had being cultivating sugar cane in the last 4 centuries, that alone will add up even more for the numbers.
And yes, you guys can extract biofuel from whatever source you wish! But pay attention that:
a) It will cost your citizens much more (money and human lifes)
b) In a really free market, the better and less expensive should be given priority
c) It will take at least 10 years, with political (Middle east nations), human (Iraq war anyone?) and environmental impacts (pay attention that USA is the number 1 source of pollution and CO2/greenhouse emission in the whole world).
Another poster had written that Australia had contributed for our biofuel program. I'm not completely sure if in the beginning of Pro-alcool (1975) we had exchanged information with them... but what I can say *for sure*, is that the currently cultivated sugar-cane varieties in the last 20 years were developed here.
Best regards
Savago
First off, most of the areas where sugar-cane is currently being cultivated were *already* deforested in ending 19th century up to 1950's for coffee crops (for Parana and Sao Paulo states). So, for Brazilian biofuel program, absolutely no new areas of deforestation were open.
So, you can see clearly here, that your point of 'deforestation' is completely bogus.
Concerning USA available agricultural area for sugar cane, I will assume that your information is correct, that the 3 states cited were able to cultivate sugar cane. And I will consider as theory (and also a simplification), that whole available area of cited state would be adequate for sugar cane production.
So, just contrast the available area in each country:
a) USA: Hawaii (area of 29,311 Km^2), Florida (area 170,304 Km^2) and Louisiana (134,382 Km^2) = 333,997Km^2
b) Brazil: Sao Paulo State (area 248,209 Km^2), Parana (281,748 Km^2), Mato Grosso do Sul (357,124) = 887,081Km^2
Attention: I'm not counting Brazilian North-East states: Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhao, Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraiba, Bahia. Those states had being cultivating sugar cane in the last 4 centuries, that alone will add up even more for the numbers.
And yes, you guys can extract biofuel from whatever source you wish! But pay attention that:
a) It will cost your citizens much more (money and human lifes)
b) In a really free market, the better and less expensive should be given priority
c) It will take at least 10 years, with political (Middle east nations), human (Iraq war anyone?) and environmental impacts (pay attention that USA is the number 1 source of pollution and CO2/greenhouse emission in the whole world).
Another poster had written that Australia had contributed for our biofuel program. I'm not completely sure if in the beginning of Pro-alcool (1975) we had exchanged information with them... but what I can say *for sure*, is that the currently cultivated sugar-cane varieties in the last 20 years were developed here.
Best regards
Savago
