The complex molecules that comprise organisms are based on carbon

CB Carbon cycle

Solar energy: incoming and outgoing

CO 2 and other greenhouse gases keep heat from radiating back into space

CB CO 2 levels in Hawaii and average global temp.

Recent increases in global temperature have reversed a slight cooling trend

Vikings in Greenland in the ’s

As the climate cooled, the Vikings were forced to abandon their outposts

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~500 m people ~300 m people ~2.5 b people Relative contributions to Global Warming

Effects of global warming are already visible oldren_wants_d.html#more Podcast_ mp3 html

Observed and projected ice cap melting

Global Change & Human Health (2001) V 2 # 1 pg 64

Precipitation changes 1900 to 2000

Global Change & Human Health (2001) V 2 # 1 pg 64 Change in risk of malaria by 2080

World Primary Energy Supply

U.S. Energy use in

Research money spent on alternative energy

Much of our Alternative Energy Research is in Biofuels

~28% of U.S. energy is used in transportation U.S. Department of Energy, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition

In 2005, there were almost 239 million vehicles (cars, buses, and trucks) in the United States. U.S. Department of Energy, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition

Automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, and buses drove nearly 3.0 trillion miles in That’s almost 1/12 th the distance to the nearest (non-sun) star. It’s like driving to the sun and back 13,440 times. Transportation fuel use ation.htmlhttp:// ation.html U.S. Department of Energy, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition

U.S. Department of Energy, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition Vehicle Energy Use

Ethanol vs Gasoline prices

Biofuel production

Fermentation: break down sugar to ethanol

_fuel_cycle2.jpg

Nature Biotechnology 20, (2002) Lignin removal is necessary for cellulose processing

CB 36.2 Water and minerals move up from the ground in xylem.

water transport limits plant growth

CB Most of wood is xylem

xylem Xylem is tough, and full of lignin- inhibits the ability to use plants to produce biofuels

Nature Biotechnology 20, (2002) Lignin removal is necessary for cellulose processing

xylem Research is ongoing to produce woody and non-woody plants with decreased lignin to improve the efficiency of biofuel production

Biofuel production

Much of our Alternative Energy Research is in Biofuels

Human resource production and use Worldwide Grain Production per Person

World Grain Stocks as Days of Consumption

~60 percent of the world grain harvest is consumed as food, ~36 percent as feed, and ~3 percent as fuel. While the use of grain for food and feed grows by roughly 1 percent per year, that used for fuel is growing by over 20 percent per year.

Wheat prices Corn prices late Dec 2007

Increasing oil prices drive up potential profit, and cost of food crops Cost of oil----Profitable cost of corn for ethanol $ $4/bushel $ $7/bushel $ $10/bushel Current corn price: ~$8/bushel

Whereas previous dramatic rises in world grain prices were weather-induced, this one is policy-induced and can be dealt with by policy adjustments. If the entire U.S. grain harvest were converted into ethanol, it would satisfy scarcely 18 percent of our automotive fuel needs.