Gesundheit!

SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA – Around the world, particularly here in Central America and other developing regions of the world, it’s become a common adage to say that when the United States sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. \nSo my question is this: When the United States contracts hepatitis, where does that leave everyone else?\nGlobally, food prices have been soaring to the point where they’ve drastically impacted the lives of the world’s poorest, who spend a large portion of their income on food, causing riots to erupt from the social unrest that has come to span national boundaries and continents. Although there’s much debate as to the primary causes of this crisis, many analysts and political leaders have pointed their fingers at the rural croplands of the United States, which, while they’re only causing minor headaches to citizens, are giving the rest of the world an excruciating migraine that no amount of ibuprofen can cure. \nAs harsh as the truth of the matter seems in our corn-laden state, one of the principal ailments affecting food prices is the conversion of the U.S. corn crop from food sources for people and animals to biofuels. Ironic, isn’t it? While some people are blaming rising oil prices for the ballooning cost of a basic food source, biofuels, which are often seen as a solution to global dependence on petroleum, are causing a good deal of trouble. In 2006, the U.S. converted 20 percent of its corn crop into biofuels, crowding out available land and resources needed to produce food. The same effect is being seen in other countries, where crops are being raised to be used as biofuels, which is often more profitable than the agricultural market. \nNow, driven by the brute force of economics, nearly 60 percent of the world’s population that is, according to the World Health Organization, malnourished, is feeling more of a pinch than ever. Whoops. \nOnce again, the unwieldy irony of life has kicked us in the backside. So should we just give up our search for a solution to the global energy crisis? \nIn a word, no. At the moment, the only major type of industrially produced biofuel in the U.S. comes from corn, but as much as we Hoosiers love our corn, there are alternatives. \nFor instance, seeds from jatropha, a poisonous shrub native to Central America, can be crushed to extract oil that can be refined into biodiesel. While these plants are not native to the States, nothing is stopping us from investing in jatropha cultivation in other, more appropriate countries, such as Brazil, which, according to one British jatropha producer, currently has 90 million hectares of unused land. Better quality land will, of course, produce a higher quality and quantity of jatropha, but the plant is relatively hardy and can be grown on poor soils.\nIt’ll just take openness to new ideas to keep the alternative energy industry forging ahead with minimal adverse effects. So climb outside the box for a better view and get yourself a Kleenex while we all sort this out.