The cost of grain-based staples–such as tortillas in Mexico,
beef noodles in western China, and bread in the United
States–has increased around the world. There are several reasons
why prices have jumped, but there’s one getting a lot of
attention: the global rush for bioenergy. Crops can be used as a
food or fuel; both are important [ecosystem services](node/9222)
that nature provides to people. But as countries set aside more
corn and other agricultural products for use as fuel, fewer
crops are available to produce food and world-wide prices
increase. Over the past few years, industrialized countries have
set increasingly higher mandates for the use of bioenergy, which
has been touted as a clean, sustainable alternative to fossil
fuels and a way to combat global climate change. Europe has
mandated that biofuels make up 10 percent of its transport power
by 2020. Similarly, in 2005, the United States federal
government passed legislation requiring that the corn-based
ethanol supply increase from 2.3 billion t