Also, found this article regarding biodiesel, environment, ecology and it seems to be rational:
Quote:
Global warming and biodiesel: it depends
The global warming pollution created by biodiesel depends on how it is made and (especially) what it is made from.
Biodiesel made from waste materials or used cooking oil can cut global warming pollution by 80 to 90 percent relative to conventional diesel fuel.
Biodiesel made from unused cooking oil— soy, canola, or palm oil— is a less attractive option because it expands the global market for vegetable oil, a major driver of deforestation.
Unintended impacts of biodiesel
Production of biodiesel from sustainable low carbon sources like used cooking oil is an important and growing oil saving solution.
Unfortunately, policy-driven demand for biodiesel is exceeding the limited supply of low-carbon biodiesel sources, diverting vegetable oils from food markets and other uses.
Shifting these resources to biodiesel production creates a supply gap in food markets that’s then filled by palm oil—and that’s a problem. The production of palm oil destroys rainforests, causing severe social and environmental damage in Southeast Asia and the global climate.
The path forward: prioritize low-carbon biodiesel
Using biodiesel made from recovered waste streams is a smart way to help reduce our oil use. But increasing biodiesel production beyond the availability of these resources causes severe problems.
These problems can be avoided by federal and state policies that ensure biodiesel demand does not exceed the availability of low carbon biodiesel sources.
Otherwise we risk sourcing biodiesel from dirty sources, undermining the potential of biodiesel as an oil saving solution.
Biodiesel versus gasoline in cars and light trucks
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Biodiesel Basics | Union of Concerned Scientists