Last meeting we touched on some interesting issues. This month we hope to continue, with some more facts to chew on.

Should acreage be dedicated to producing fuel for transportation? How many acres would be needed? How clean and sustainable would the process be? Does the Brazilian model provide guidance?

How much acreage would be needed to feed the population of Maui in a sustainable manner? Or, what population can the acreage of Maui be expected to feed in a sustainable manner? How much acreage should be dedicated to food? What protein sources work best, and can be sustainably used? As petroleum prices rise, what impact on nitrogen fertilizers? How will this effect productivity, and the acreage needed for food or fuel production?

We often hear about the use of ethanol as a substitute for gasoline as a fuel. But to get ethanol, there are certain costs. One question is whether the costs outweigh the result, or is there a overall gain or loss to the available energy when we make such fuels.

Here is an article about one such effort in Iowa, where the value of the return on such efforts may be questionable. As the price for natural gas rises, coal is being used to fuel the process, with some worrisome results. So how renewable is ethanol as a fuel? [Thanks to the Ames, Iowa group for posting this link first]: http://

If gas prices rose to $4.00 per gallon, what changes would occur on Maui? $5.00? $6.00?

If gas shortages occurred, and you were not sure you would be able to purchase gas for a few days, how would your life change?

What 5 steps could you take in the next week to significantly reduce your overall energy consumption? What 5 steps could our community take in the next 6 months to cut its overall energy use by 10%? By 30%?