WHAT ARE BIO FUELS AND HOW DO THEY BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT AND US? HOW CAN THEY BE USED SUSTAINABLY?

The earth's vegetation and its products are referred to as biomass.
Biomass contains energy that can be harvested. Fuels that are used for
transport can be made from biomass through thermo chemicals. Examples of
these fuels are: ethanol, methanol, bio diesel, bio crude and methane.
These bio fuels recycle Carbon dioxide. This Carbon dioxide is released
by the combustion of these bio fuels and recycled. This in turn reduces
the build-up of greenhouse gases. If we use bio fuels, the fossil fuels
that are still in reserve can be preserved and the Carbon dioxide from
these fossil fuels will be displaced. Because plants undergo
photosynthesis, they use up Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This
carbon that is absorbed is a major component of biomass. If we produce
and use fuels from renewable domestic resources, our dependence on
foreign fuel imports will decrease significantly and therefore also
reducing our vulnerability to severe energy disruptions.

(http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&q=are+biofuels+sustainable&meta=)

Nicole Prinsloo
Zoology Department
University of the Western Cape
Email : 2449162@uwc.ac.za