Environmentalists: shilling for Krispy Kreme?

Some typical environmental leader- possibly from the WWF- was on the radio the other day, warning that biofuels are problematic, and suggesting that we might actually all be better off freezing in the dark.

His chief complaint was that biofuels might increase the price of foodstuffs, thereby making life hard for the poor. This is an interesting proposition, one that invites closer analysis. For example, what foodstuffs would most likely be affected?

The obvious answer is that agricultural commodities used for fuel production would be subject to an increase in demand, resulting in an increase in price. If those commodities are commonly consumed by those with limited disposable income, then such people would be forced to switch their dietary habits, or go without.

So, what are the foods most likely to be used for fuel production? At present, the two main biofuels are ethanol and bio-diesel. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, while ethanol is mostly made from sugar, with some production coming from feed corn.

Thus, in a biofuel dependent economy, we would expect sugar and vegetable oil (nd to a lesser extent, red meat) to be more expensive, and poor people would have to cut back on these items.

Such an event would be a cultural disaster. The liberal worldview requires a repressed underclass which is forced to poison itself with junkfood by an uncaring economy. Imagine a beleaguered working class breadwinner eschewing his donuts for oatmeal. Imagine the hardship caused by drinking unsweetened tea instead of soda. People might actually start improving their lives instead of wallowing in victimization.

In the developed world today, obesity and diabetes are especially rampant among low income people. Increasing the price of the food items which cause these diseases would disrupt this demographic. It is even theoretically possible that it could reduce the incidence of these debilitating diseases, freeing the victims from a lifetime of suffering and dependence. And nothing threatens liberals more than the possibility of poor folks being less dependent.

So it is no wonder that the greenies are supporting the donut industry. Biofuels could make junk food too expensive for poor people to poison themselves with it. That would be a market triumph. Something that liberals must avoid at all costs.