NATIONAL SECURITY
Because biodiesel is made in America from renewable resources such as soybeans, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy.
As New York Times columnist Tom Friedman says, “We need to end our dependence on this part of the world for energy, because it is debilitating for us and for them. It is terrible for us, because addicts never tell the truth to their pushers. We are the oil addicts and they are the oil pushers. The only way we can be brutally honest with them is if we undertake the necessary conservation measures, investments in renewable fuels and a gasoline tax hike that could make us energy independent.”
Indeed, if the true cost of using foreign oil were imposed on the price of imported fuel, renewable fuels, such as biodiesel, probably would be the most viable option. For instance, in 1996, it was estimated that the military costs of securing foreign oil was $57 billion annually. Foreign tax credits accounted for another estimated $4 billion annually and environmental costs were estimated at $45 per barrel. In addition, for every billion dollars spent on foreign oil, America lost 10,000–25,000 jobs. Things have not improved over the last decade, but a Bay State biodiesel industry could begin to reverse this trend.
© 2007 Berkshire Biodiesel, A NorthWinds Company.