World May Be Facing Highest Grain Prices in History Earth Policy Institute: Investment in fuel ethanol distilleries has soared since the late-2005 oil price hikes, but data collection in this fast-changing sector has fallen behind. Because of inadequate data collection on the number of new plants under construction, the quantity of grain that will be needed for fuel ethanol distilleries has been vastly understated. Farmers, feeders, food processors, ethanol investors, and grain-importing countries are basing decisions on incomplete data. The U.S. Department ... Link By EcologicalInternet.org (Dr. Glen Barry)
The two fundamental assumptions of cheap energy and cheap disposal costs. Cities reflect that inefficiency and waste. Our cities are dependent creatures. A city of 100,000 people imports 200 tons of food, 1,000 tons of fuel and 62,000 tons of water a day, and dumps 100,000 tons of garbage and 40,000 tons of human waste a year (click this link for a good read). Sorry for eyecandy (disclaimer)