If I remember correctly, the amount of vegetable protein required to
produce a pound of animal protein is about 8-1. I know this doesn't
proves anything, just, er, food for thought. Theoretically, a purely
fish/seafood/vegetarian diet would allow a lot of acreage to be put
into oil production, but it wouldn't be 8-1 because of the increased
amount of vegetable protein we humans would consume to offset the loss
of animal protein.

Jim

On May 12, 2004, at 6:40 PM, Donald Baxter / Iowa City, Iowa wrote:

> Hmmm... Just what we need more food diverted to something other than
> feeding
> people.  I have to preface this by saying I'm no pure vegetarian here
> so I'm
> just as much a part of the problem as anyone else, but we're diverting
> enough protein for the production of livestock--then we divert more of
> it to
> biodiesel and I think we're further and further away from a sustainable
> fuel.
>
> And NOX and particulate matter, from what I've read, are not addressed
> by
> switching from mineral diesel fuels to vegetable diesels.  The new
> TDIs are
> amazing engineering feats to be sure--and I think they have catalytic
> converters just like the old VW EcoDiesels, but if the USA ever adopts
> these
> things on the scale that Europe has, we'll be cleaning soot off our
> windowsills just like the Parisians do.
>
> If any can send me something to read that can convince me otherwise
> send it
> on!
>
> Donald Baxter
> '85 Vanagon GL (that I'm sure is just as filthy as it can be but Iowa
> isn't
> testing emissions yet)
> Iowa City
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "P. Stanhope" <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 10:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Diesels on NPR this morning
>
>
>> WORD!  yes Bio-diesel burns alot cleaner than
>> synthetic diesel. If we could convince all our
>> shipping companys to use bio-diesel, there would be
>> alot less soot everywhere and alot more truck drivers
>> living to the age of 60.
>> With all the surplus corn and peanuts we produce, we
>> should be able to power ALL diesels off of
>> bio-diesel...and simultaniously taking the profit$
>> away from the Saudis....talk about patriotism!
>>
>> Phil
>