Several kernels of truth
Re “Corn is king -- and therefore a growing problem,” March 2
This article illustrates that we need to learn from other countries that are successfully getting energy from sugar-cane-based ethanol. It seems that energy companies here are totally ignoring this cheap, efficient, abundant source of energy. Instead of making us fat, sugar could make us energy independent and help many of the poorer countries in the Western Hemisphere out of poverty with increased sugar prices. At the very least, we need to diversify our sources of energy.
David Richland
Portland, Ore.
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Food costs are rising quickly and will continue to do so. Historically, nations that can’t keep food prices low have experienced some degree of civil unrest. This has certainly been the case in the U.S., which experienced food riots during the Civil War. During that time, some American cities turned to a simple but effective solution that reduced consumer vulnerability to price spikes, increased food security and fed hungry citizens: community gardening programs. In this era of climatic change and high oil prices, shortening the food mile by producing and consuming more of what we eat locally makes sense.
Rose Hayden-Smith
Ventura
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The current and future chaos in the oil, ethanol and grain markets was as close to predictable as anything in the economic world can be. Peak oil production in the U.S. occurred in about 1970, as had been predicted by geologist M. King Hubbert years previously. President Carter tried to instill an awareness of the need for conservation but was ridiculed by the right wing. When President Reagan was elected, it was, despite his rosy outlook, not “morning in America” but much closer to early evening. Attempts by Congress and the Department of Energy to develop cars with extreme fuel efficiency were killed in the 1990s. What we got instead were SUVs. Now, even if the Democrats gain power, we are in for some very hard times.
Thomas Alden
Morro Bay
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You forgot one aspect of our nation’s dependence on corn: its contribution to the obesity epidemic. Starchy, sugary corn is the basis of almost all fast food, packaged food and soda, which are consumed in ridiculous quantities in this country. American cattle are fed the stuff to create a fattier beef product (cows are grass eaters by nature). The government makes corn production so attractive to the struggling American farmer that, if the trend continues, Americans may have to start importing food staples because they will no longer be grown on U.S. soil. The U.S. is putting all its eggs in one basket, and it’s going to bite us in our ever-widening collective rear end.
Colleen Nelson
Santa Ana