How can something be “sustainable” if it requires fossil fuel for shipping and energy, and uses corn as animal feed and ethanol production?
This facility will improve greatly on existing methods of supplying Americans with the steaks and cheeseburgers they love, by dramatically lowering the environmental footprint of conventional agriculture – both small-scale and large-scale- in which most pollution and livestock waste currently escapes untreated. As much as possible, corn for the Oswego facility will be sourced from upstate New York farmers, supporting the local economy. It is realistic to expect, however, that the vast majority of corn will be shipped in by boat from the Midwest, offering greater efficiency and lowering our carbon footprint compared to other shipping modes. The environmentally certified beef and ethanol that the facility will produce will be consumed in relatively close by markets around the Northeast rather than having to be shipped from the Midwest, a further energy savings. Cellulose in the waste stream will be separated out and used as fuel to offset the traditional use of fossil fuels in distilling
