Deadline: 11 May 2007
Should governments mandate biofuels?
In his 2007 State of the Uni0n Address, President Bush called for a several-fold expansion of the Renewable Fuel Standard,
a government program that mandates the use of "renewable" biofuels such
as ethanol and biodiesel. Last year, the program required US fuel
makers to use four billion gallons of renewables. The new plan would
increase that requirement to 35 billion gallons by 2017. Combined with
the raft of subsidies, tariffs, and tax breaks already in place to
support US biofuel producers, the plan`s approval would very likely
spark a rapid expansion of ethanol and biodiesel production in the US
over the next decade.
In an essay of 600 to 2,500 words, address both of the following:
1. Explore the potential unintended consequences
of government-driven adoption of biofuels. What roles have governments
played in the move to biofuels? What ecological and economic "ripple
effects" has the move to biofuels created so far? What further
consequences might a mass shift to biofuels entail?
2. Based on your research, argue for or
against the proposition that government should decide which fuels to
develop and commercialize.
The prizes for the essay contest:
1st prize: $2000
2nd prize: $1250
3rd prize: $750
Honorable mention (four prizes): $250
Authors of the top 30 essays to each contest will receive a free book.
Submission Deadline: 11:59 P.M. EST on Friday, May 11, 2007!
For further details, requirements, and guidelines, be sure to read the Essay Contest FAQ.
To help jump-start your research, we offer this collection of links
to articles and studies that explore potential unintended consequences
surrounding biofuels:
[Website]
