Another reason alternative fuels are not enough? Go hybrid!

"Our whole farming system really contributes a lot to global warming, and it could be made to be much more sustainable," claims Francis Thicke, an organic dairy farmer from Fairfield, Iowa, who has a Ph.D. in soil fertility.

Thick also believes subsidies for farmers to grow corn and soybeans should end because of their global warming contribution. (more)

On the other hand, synergistic technologies, such as lithium batteries, fuel cells, and hybrid vehicles will soon create autos that might need very little fuel, regardless of whether it is oil, ethanol or hydrogen. By the end of the decade, new hybrid technology combined with next generation lithium batteries might easily achieve more than 70 mpg. Plug-in technology could be added to these hybrid vehicles and most urban drivers might rarely, if ever, need any fuel other than a little electricity. Additionally, adding small fuel cells might make such hybrids even more efficient, requiring even less fuel or electricity.

Sure it would be nice to fill these next generation hybrids with ethanol instead of gasoline, but the focus should be on as little fuel as possible. In fact, whether ethanol is every viable in America shouldn't even be a primary concern for Detroit's automakers. Making the most efficient vehicles possible, should be their only concern.

Go hybrid, Detroit, go hybrid.