Fueling With Ethanol: Groundbreaking or a Corny Joke

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorMcWilliams, James
dc.contributor.authorMarwitz, Tyson R.
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-04T14:31:07Z
dc.date.available2021-06-04T14:31:07Z
dc.date.issued2021-05
dc.description.abstractThis thesis investigates implications relative to the production and use of corn ethanol as a fuel source in the United States. In simple terms, such implications encompass both, impacts on the environment, and economic consequences on the national scale. Discourse in this thesis challenges an understanding of renewability regarding corn ethanol by illustrating a negative energy balance in the production of the fuel source. To add, analysis on carbon dioxide demonstrates that using ethanol leads to more greenhouse gas emissions being emitted into the atmosphere than gasoline when one takes into consideration all sources of energy used in the production of corn ethanol. The paper further analyzes corn ethanol in context of the water network. Such context includes irrigation rates, water pollution, and how pollution impacts both, human health and U.S. citizens’ financial means. Such financial implications are predicated on federal subsidies, taxes and how the destruction of underwater ecosystems wreak havoc on fishing communities and the hospitality business. The paper will note that political motives for implementation of corn ethanol include a goal to achieve renewable energy and lower U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil. However, research illustrates that broad incorporation of corn ethanol as a fuel source leads to a conflict of goals outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency by facilitating water contamination. Ultimately, this paper will conclude that the renewable elements of corn ethanol are limited, and in some cases the use of ethanol has deleterious effects on ecosystems and economic construct in the United States.
dc.description.departmentHonors College
dc.formatText
dc.format.extent61 pages
dc.format.medium1 file (.pdf)
dc.identifier.citationMarwitz, T. R. (2021). Fueling with ethanol: Groundbreaking or a corny joke (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/13751
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectethanol
dc.subjectcorn ethanol
dc.subjectrenewable fuel standard
dc.subjectenergy balance
dc.subjectharmful algal blooms
dc.subjectred tides
dc.subjectoil spills
dc.subjectfertilizer
dc.subjectgreenhouse gas emissions
dc.subjectcarbon dioxide
dc.subjectbiofuels
dc.subjectnitrate contamination
dc.subjecterosion
dc.subjectsoil health
dc.subjectecological footprint
dc.subjectnegative energy balance
dc.subjectirrigation
dc.subjectSafe Drinking Water Act
dc.subjectfishing
dc.subjecthospitality
dc.subjectrecreation
dc.subjectfederal subsidies
dc.subjectcorn belt
dc.subjectfarm belt
dc.subjectemissions
dc.subjectHonors College
dc.titleFueling With Ethanol: Groundbreaking or a Corny Joke
thesis.degree.departmentHonors College
thesis.degree.disciplineHistory
thesis.degree.grantorTexas State University
txstate.documenttypeHonors Thesis

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
MARWITZ-HONORSTHESIS-2021.pdf
Size:
406.56 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
LICENSE.txt
Size:
2.71 KB
Format:
Plain Text
Description:
Download

Collections

Honors College Capstones