Would switching from gasoline to ethanol to run our cars help slow down global warming?
In the Feb. 29 2008 edition of Science, researchers estimated that corn-based ethanol production will nearly double greenhouse emissions over 30 years because it will mean the conversion of grasslands and forests into cropland. That is because these habitats sequester tremendous amounts of carbon in their root systems. When the land conversion effects are taken into account, burning corn and soy-based ethanol actually contribute about twice the greenhouse gas emissions of gasoline. What is a cap-and-trade system and what is a carbon tax, and which would be more effective at reducing CO2 emissions? ANSWER: A cap and trade system, also known as emissions trading, is an approach used to control greenhouse gas emissions by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of such gases. A central authority, usually a government or international body, sets a limit or cap on the amount of a pollutant that can be emitted. Companies or other groups are issued emission per
