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January 25, 2013
A weekly look at sustainable bioenergy, farm, and forest policy issues
High Crop Prices Are Driving Land Use Change in the U.S. at an Increasing Environmental Cost
The USDA estimates that farmers in the U.S. will plant nine million more acres in corn in 2013 than they did in 2011, an increase of almost 10 percent. Over the same period, the USDA reports that four million acres have been taken out of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a decline of almost 13 percent. These trends do not bode well for water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and other critical environmental concerns. There are far more environmentally sustainable ways to meet growing demand for food, feed and renewable fuels than this. Will the next Farm Bill show the way?
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EESI Supports the Wood Stove Decathlon
EESI has joined in support of the Wood Stove Decathlon, sponsored by the Alliance for Green Heat. This wood stove design competition seeks to advance the state-of-the-art, promoting design innovation, emissions reduction, energy efficiency, affordability, and consumer friendliness. Increasing the use of cleaner, more efficient, and more affordable wood stoves can be a win-win for helping households struggling with high winter heating bills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and advancing local energy and economic security.
Writer: Ned Stowe