Discussion on:

Beef-based diesel: Amtrak goes to the cows

... this is so utterly stupid, more stupid than burning corn, we'll feed it to cows and burn them. Mellissa, you're not helping.

Being a vegetarian is the best thing you can do for yourself and the planet. This is a big step in the WRONG direction

Is this really a savings? How much oil is needed to grow, fertilize, harvest, and transport the corn that's fed to the cows. How much energy is used to transport the cattle, slaughter, then process fat and get the processed ex-animal to the tank of the train? Certainly there's a more efficient system.

Everyone, Dont Be So STUPID. They are not going to Raise cows just to kill them for fuel. Damn Idiots. Its people like you that make it very dificult for the people like us. We need to work twice as hard to stableize things. Anyway- beef tallow has been used to make fuel for a long time. Melt and convert. Very easy.. I would rather give my money to hard working americans to make fuel from somthing that was going to be made into bird food or pretty little soap bars that will just sit on your sink. Not to mention cleaner air and the terorists tont get my money. Biodiesel,( no war required) Idiots. Support America.

I agree completely with Screwball01. How can we continue to be so STUPID. Make more fuel from the byproducts of Beef production, and just a few less bars of soap. How can you think that this is the same process as fuel from Corn?
Nobody dies from this, it is safe and environmentally responsible.

Thank you. Our farmers will greatly appreciate the oportunity to work again. Everyone should remember diesel engines were first made to run on waste peanut oil. Others seen a bigger money oportunity in ARAB oil. Were did that get us. No sons or daughters died to run my truck today. No war- No Oil field explosion, America needs to stop being so ignorant and put America first the rest of the world second.

All forms of Biofuels should be used to collectively wean us (U.S) off the oil teat.

Screwball101, in many ways I agree but in one I don't (it's political). I'm not an American, I'm an Aussie. We see the world through more open eyes than many Americans can or do for some reason. The rest of the world sees you as already putting yourselves first in almost every way and we see that as the reason for many wars and strife. Your government heavily censors information so it's not your fault. So you don't see what is happening or why and that is one reason why we say you already take care of only yourselves. The USA (the government and/or companies) has created wars around the world so it can grab resources like oil. It has destabalised many good governments in order to keep labor costs low or get free or cheap access to resources like oil by corrupting governments.

You can disagree but remember the censorship that prevents you from hearing about what happens outside of the USA? How many of you know where any other country is, what those countries are like, what the people say and think, what their cultures and histories are like. You are one of the most isolated countries because of the general lack of knowledge and understanding. Not all Americans are like that and I have met some very aware and intelligent Americans and I like them a lot. But as a country there is a big problem of understanding.

I'm not picking on you but ask you to see what is actually happening. Then we can ALL work out solutions rather than slamming doors shut on each other. It's a thought. Cheers.

Good Morning bsit, very well put I agree totally. Americans are mostly very good people and are very helpful and Innocent people, I have had the pleasure of talking to Americans from all over America, New York to Califonia, Texas to Wisconsin. Everyone of them has been obliging and friendly but there is a insular feel about their knowledge of anywhere outside of the States, to the point quite a few don't even know where massive parts of the planet are located or even have passports.

Still this does not change the fact that most Americans are good people, what a shame about their Companies and Government.

Take care all.

P.S. Good luck with Health care reforms, 60% (minimum) cannot afford or even gain access to health care, yet USA Government will make how much money this year?

Horus418,
Where are you getting your numbers about healthcare in the US? Noway it is 60% and the US government is over a TRILLION dollars in debt.

There are a few reasons for our isolated mindset. 1. We are large and spread out. 2. We are pretty geographically isolated. It is difficult to travel to actually see other culturs. In Europe, a few hours on a train and you can be in another country with a different language and culture, possibly passing through a 3rd on your way. In US, we can drive for 3 hours and not leave the state. I agree with you on the education (or lack thereof) and indoctrination of the American public at large. I could go on and on about that.

As far as the article, functional and economic feasibility has to be the overall goal. Utilising waste and lowering pollution (which are great ideals) have to be taken with the overall costs in mind.

sorry, This was an american story, I meant America first on BioFuels, Pollution, Feeding the poor, Health. Didnt mean anything else. I just see lots of wasted money on War and other things when just as many people here are dying or cant take care of themselfs. Not anyones fault but ours.(mostly government) Biofuels have been excepted in euopean countries more than here.(solar also) I think they are way ahead. Most americans, if you mention BioDiesel they say "Its Junk,It will Wreck My Truck" Miss information by a couple farmers who made bad fuel, and the government who has there hands in the pockets of big oil companies. Solar "two expensive, It takes 30 years to pay for it self, then you still need batteries" Thats more of the GOV. for not getting us more informed. Give us our jobs back, Government funded bio fuels, solar-- Will give jobs, lower prices, and let the rest of the world know we are trying. Maby they will follow.

Wholeheartedly agree Screwball. As a former hi tech gypsy and current cattle rancher who has been fortunate and lived in Asia, Europe and all over the states, i ponder the 'klowns in DC.' Perhaps Oui the people have the gov we deserve. There are bright spots and maybe more will come. Feed the children, house homeless, and stop trying to bomb into the stone ages folks who live there. It just won't work and fosters more generations of rabid haters.

If people continue to eat meat, and I think realistically they will, then there should be humane standards enforced for the industry, and using leftover tallow for fuel seems like a good idea.

America is not becoming vegetarian any time soon, so I don't think opinions shared of the author's omnivore lifestyle are fair. Since cows will inevitably be slaughtered for meat, it makes sense to use everything we can, rather than be wasteful. In fact it seems more respectful.

So what do you propose we do with cows, keep them as pets? Some vegetarians ( not all mind you) are some of the same green people that complain that cows release methane gas into the air. If they are people raising cows and they are not eating and overpopulate the earth wouldn't that be a lot of methane gas being released? Also are the ranch and farm raised cattle are let to just run wild they could overpopulate the earth and die out, and then they would be endangered species. What a conundrum for vegetarian/enviromentalists. Ha ha ha ha!

I am doing more for the enviroment as a carnivore, but I can only eat so much beef.

I repect if people want to be vegetarians, but this column shows how ridiculous some of this vegetartian/enviromentalism run amok thinking is getting.

Furthermore, if only certain areas of the areas are "Obama approved" (ie states with Democratic governors) for oil drilling, then what are we suppose to do for fuel, continue getting it from people that hate us like Venezuala and The Middle East and pay inflated gas prices?

You people keep wanting alternate fuels and they is corn and now the potential to use cow fat and you still aren't happy, what will make you all happy if everyone is riding bikes and waking or riding in horses and buggys?

Anyone following the exploded oil rig. They cant stop the oil from going into the ocean. Billions of gallons will flood the ocean! Hear is somthing for the environmentalist/vegitarians/people who keep slamming renewable energy to think about. They are now going to burn all that oil so it has less impact on the ocean. HMMMM! What about the air. Billions of gallons of black smoke.You sure dont see exploding seed presses dumping billions of gallons of veg oil into the ocean, or a billon free range cows get lost and drown in the ocean. All witch would have a far better outcome than crude oil. If our ocean if screwd so are we. This little accident could have a far greater impact on our environment than anyone thinks. More reasons renewable energy is a must have for now and our future. oil and gas are to convinyent. We all need to make a stand and let the gov know we had enough. Just wait till oil hits 2-3-400 bucks a barrel. How convenyent will it be then. Im not a vegan,environmentalist,tree hugger or whatever i just like the option to go out in nature and breath fresh air , fish with my kids and see deer, squirles and cute little mice running free. I see nothing like that in the future.

Everyone also needs to remember we had it wright once.
The Diesel engine was made to run on peanut oil, and the first model A Fords were to run on Ethanol. Everyone said veg oil and ethanol were the fuel of the future. They were all hoping then not Now. We were all on the wright track, then forced into a bridge by our GOV. But they are for the people!

"Officials had estimated about 42,000 gallons of oil a day was leaking into the Gulf from the blown-out well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. That would be closer to 210,000 gallons a day with the new estimates. Eleven workers are missing and presumed dead and more than 100 escaped the blast, the cause of which has not been determined."

"The cost of the disaster continues to rise and could easily top $1 billion" Just who do you think is going to pay for all this. Not the oil company. We are! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_louisiana_oil_rig_explosion

there is no such thing as a byproduct of beef. All the parts of the cow that are not converted into human food (the muscle), DIRECTLY contribute to the wealth and worth of the animal for the farmer. It would be impossible for the farmer to make enough money on selling the muscle alone: he relies directly on the market for the skin (to be made into leather clothing), the bones, cartilage, and fat to be made into other food products, pet foods, soaps, candles. If we continue to prop-up the value of the cow, we will never be able to raise less of them. It takes 2,646 gallons of water to produce one POUND of beef. Think about that. The more we need the byproduct, the more we will continue to raise cattle, the more damage to the environment from water use, sewage run-off, fertilizer contamination, antibiotic use (and development of human resistance to), not to mention all of the human diseases linked to eating animals: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, colon, prostate and breast cancer... The list goes on. Educate yourself instead of relying on the government (who is inextricably tied to the beef and dairy industry) for your information. There is NOTHING GREEN about this new use of cow and cattle fat.
Watch "Food, Inc.", "Fast Food Nation", "Earthlings". Read "Diet for a new America", "The omnivore's Dilemma", or the 2006 report by the United Nations on the destruction of animal agriculture to our environment :
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772&CR1=warning

Don't take my word for it, but take personal responsibility and research the topic yourself. It will shock you. You will see for yourself what is being hidden from your eyes. Education=power. Take advantage of your free access to this information just below the surface of the mainstream media.

Thanks for reading. Peace.
Charlotte
New York

you are abviously a vegitarian. In order to eat plants how do you sapose they are grown. They need lots of toxic fertilizer that costs our environment to. They can not grow plants fast or big enuf without it. Lots of trucks producing co2 to haul your vegi delight. however free range cows take less water and no fertilizer for there vegi meal. Like i said before we are not going to breed super fat cows or more cows just to power trains. This experiment is about lowering emmisions witch biodiesel does. Oh yah, and if you are still worried about your pretty soap bar that cant be used because its decoration the byproduct of biodiesel is Glycerin witch is made into soap, Fertilizer, dust suppressent on dirt roads, lube, and countless other things. Making ethanol from plants is a waist, making fuel from arab oil is costing our ozone, cancer, asthma, now americas cost line-------- Making fuel from new veg oil, waiste veg oil, animal fat is redusing emmissions, being not so reliant on terrorist, and putting the jobs and money back to hard working americans. Instead of being down on meat eaters why dont you ask yourself what you are doing for the environment.