A cartoon in the Sunday, April 20, 2008 edition of the Washington Post really brings things into perspective. It shows a little boy from a third world nation sitting in front of a barrel labeled “Biofuel”, while standing in front of him is a large gentleman dressed in a suit labeled, “Agribusiness” - the caption reads: "Eat your dinner - children in America are running out of gas."

Growing crops needed for human consumption in order to provide energy sources is archaic. Faced with droughts and food shortages that will drive up costs in a world already filled with poverty and hunger, the outcome is almost too frightening to comprehend. We are already seeing rioting in poorer nations.*

It’s time for the United States to serve as a world leader for EFFICIENCY in total - not only in terms of conserving electric energy and fuel, but through modes of mass transit for passengers & freight, and sound land use policy.

*Footnote - For more on this topic, read our post from the April 27, 2008 edition of The Washington Post: "The New Economics of Hunger."