September Blog Entry: Using Fuel to Grow Biofuel

Summarizing the media report

This article was written based on the idea of growing biofuel to replace the fossil fuels today. This can be facilitated by sprinkling iron filings into the ocean. By adding iron fillings into the ocean, it will encourage algae growth which will then take in carbon dioxide and then sink to the bottom when they die. After a few decades, our atmosphere will return to pre-industrial concentrations. John Munford, who is an independent British researcher, suggests that rather than sinking the algae, it will be better to harvest it. Algae also produce biodiesel which attracts the attention from scientists and entrepreneurs who are looking for another kind of fuel to replace fossil fuels. A comparison is then made between growing algae in pond or in the sea.

http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=348924&story_id=9831182

Making Connections

Biofuel is a land resource which comes from the land. Therefore, we can relate this article to the topic of resources. Looking at the diminishing supply of fossil fuels today, we can safely assume that the fossil fuels, which took millions of years to formulate, will one day run out. We can now also relate this article to scarcity. Fossil Fuels are scarce and also cause harm to the environment. As mentioned in the article, because algae can produce oils which could replace mineral oils, scientists and entrepreneurs are looking for biofuels to replace fossil fuels. Lastly, we can also make a connection between opportunity cost and the decision of using either a pond or sea to nurture algae since they are looking at freshwater algae. Using the pond means it occupies land which can be used for other things and requires attention, while using the sea means that it is free and can contain itself. Therefore, many connections can be made from this article to the topics in the chapter.

Personal Reflection

Looking at the continuous change in the climate and atmosphere towards the more dismal side of things, I can say that bringing the idea of harvesting biofuel into the picture is a good idea. Harvesting algae not only helps improve the atmosphere, but also replaces fossil fuels which is lacking in today’s rapid usage of this land resource. Not only that, but I think that the rapid speed of the replenishing of such an important supply of potential energy –although in a different form –can really help the constantly decreasing amount of the source of energy which powers our cars and other fossil-fueled powered objects and will push away the fear that one day, our planet will totally run out of oil. If humans harvest our own biofuel, it gives humans more control over the amount which we can yield and can use. Having control over an environmental factor is always good in business.