Pubdate: Thu, 31 May 2007
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2007 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hemp.htm (Hemp)

STUDY POTENTIAL OF HEMP USED IN FUELS

What can be done about the price of gas? It's simple -- alternative 
fuels will replace carbon-based fuels in the future. What about now?

In "Popular Science Monthly", dated March 1941, Ford displays a car 
that runs on ethanol distilled from hemp, and the car itself contains 
hemp composites. What happened? Certain individuals stood to lose 
fortunes in industries they dominated such as carbon fuels, paper 
products and chemicals if hemp was cultivated.

Hemp is more cost effective than corn for ethanol, can grow almost 
anywhere, does not need insecticides or fertilizer and has little to 
no end waste product. It is the money tree.

What can be done about the price of gas? Nothing. Citizens do not 
have the pull nor the money to buy the votes needed to wrestle 
control of the government from the corporate giants.

It's odd that something done in 1941 is outlawed today. Why is gas 
expensive? Because we are sheep waiting to be clipped.

- -- Carl Pawlik, Madison
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom