Crop Residues May Produce Energy - But Is This Really The Path We Want To Take?

One of the last ways we can still naturally protect and create soil is through agricultural residue.  Existing soil is protected and nutrients are recharged by using this age old practice.  Even this meager resource is now at risk.  Don't get me wrong, its not that I can't appreciate the idea of utilizing all your resources and not being wasteful.  But in a system that is already so extractive to begin with, do we really want to take the last bit of organic matter out of the system?  I suppose that the land is probably so damaged at this point that it doesn't really matter.  Its nothing but a sponge for chemicals.  But it definitely highlights the fact that we are STILL moving in the wrong direction.

I would certainly rather they do this than to open new crop lands for ethanol.  But, bio fuel is a trojan horse plain and simple.  It is just not a viable solution to our energy issues.  There is no way that we can produce enough bio fuel to make a real difference without opening vast new tracks of farmland and/or increasing food prices dramatically.  It still emits CO2 and its simply a way to perpetuate the combustion economy while appearing to be 'green'.  The fact is that bio fuel can be MORE harmful than oil.  It takes more energy to make than it produces and would further stretch our dwindling resources.  Even if they don't open new farmland to this process, the crop residue they are using will just need to be replaced with MORE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS BYPRODUCTS!

So how is this helping anything?  We need to stop thinking in an extractive way and start thinking in a more regenerative way.  We need to think about extending the energy we do have and using less of it.  That is the technology that is going to make a difference.  We need to invest in sources of energy that keep on giving.  We must change the way we use energy by capturing the energy that is all around us.  We must reorganize our economy and distribution to use the least amount of energy possible.  Lastly, we must take responsibility for our OWN food and energy needs.  This is more than possible and it is the only way to get away from this mega-centralized, Soviet-style energy and agriculture system we are addicted to.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130131121022.htm

Picture citation: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2004_0609_Italian_ryegrass_cover_crop