EnviroCitizen.org’s simple answer to this question is “yes”. Yes, you can fuel your car from things found in a landfill. However, whether you should is an entirely different question. Biofuels are made from many things that are typically put in landfills such organic waste—dead trees, branches, yard clippings, crops, wood chips, sawdust, banana peels, manure, etc. While objects that will later become biofuel, such as grasses, plants, fruits, etc., are alive they take in biofuels in any existing vehicle with a diesel engine! Most diesel-powered vehicles can use up to a fifteen-percent blend of biodiesel, so you don’t need to buy a new car in order to take advantage of biofuels.

Those who oppose biofuels point out several problems with biofuel, such as the ‘food vs. fuel’ debate. They argue that it doesn’t make sense to grow crops only to use them as a source of energy when millions of people are starving every day. The other major issue is that when a crop becomes an energy commodity, like for example corn, it drives up the price of edible corn. Other debated problems include carbon emissions, deforestation, soil erosion and decreased water quality. There are many opinions on both sides of the biofuel debate. EnviroCitizen.org believes that everyone should form their own educated decision regarding whether or not we should begin turning primarily to biofuels.

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