Energy Crisis Solutions

Time now to read my thoughts on the gas prices situation in this great nation of ours.

As you all know, gasoline prices have been high for well over a month. The reason for this is because gasoline prices always spike up at the end of March and last until mid to late May, and the reason for that is because in March the petroleum and other such producers shift from heating oil to regular oil. This slows down the production process somewhat, thus shortening supply, and we all know the rules of supply and demand.

But the solution to our energy crisis is as simple as the restaurants we eat at and the grass in our prairies. Confused? Allow me to explain: Individuals in the state of Oregon have already begun to collect used (that's right, used) frying oil from restaurants, take it home, put it through a machine they bought for $2000, mix it with regular diesel, and voila, you have biodiesel. This is not a new concept. The inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolf Diesel, designed the first ever diesel engine to run on pure PEANUT OIL. In fact, actress Darryl Hannah has a car that runs on pure recycled restaurant grease. Henry Ford designed the Model T to run on ethanol. And that was a century ago almost. Many people have started talking up the hype regarding ethanol made from corn cobs, but the fact is researchers and scientists have discovered how to derive ethanol from the stock and the stover of the corn. Researchers have also found that a certain type of grass called switch grass has a natural ethanol component in it, and more efficiently yields ethanol than corn cobs. In Sweden they already use a form of ethanol derived from wood chips. A major university in Virginia last year built green houses to grow genetically modified switch grass which has a higher ethanol yield than even naturally occurring switch grass. Brazil has been mixing ethanol and gasoline together for the past 30 years. Every gallon of gasoline at the pump in Brazil is 20% ethanol, derived from sugar cane.

Not every part of the United States is behind the curve. In Minnesota the state government as well as the governor have had in place E10 laws, meaning that all gasoline sold in the state must be 10% ethanol, no more, no less.

There's no reason that my Governor Rick Perry cannot do the same thing in the Texas legislature.

So there you have it -- two cheap inexpensive fuels that would provide protection to our economy from rising crude oil prices, and would create jobs because of the increase in refineries built. Why can't we do it?