Saturday, September 8, 2007

Food riots in Mexico

"This “tortilla tax” becomes a public relations challenge: How is it more socially and environmentally responsible to starve the poor to run your S.U.V? No doubt the corn industry will come up with some clever new and diverting way to spin this. They always do.

Meanwhile, copycats in the soybean industry are already plotting ways to get in on this cash-green bonanza in alternative fuels. This year, soybean prices are expected to hit their second highest mark ever, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, thanks to diversion of soybean oil to use as a biodiesel fuel. Two years ago, only two percent of the soybean crop went into bio-fuels; it is estimated that that figure could climb to as high as 12 percent this year." (thanks D.)

1 comment:

Leila Abu-Saba said...

Sharon at Casaubon's Book has been warning us for years to put up six months of food. She says that peak oil etc. will cause sudden massive price spikes.

I don't have six months worth but I am buying extra dry staples and storing them. Probably we won't starve first, we are too rich. But I'm planning to work with our local food bank this winter because if the neighbors are starving, we won't be safe.