Okay, we’re pulling our car up to the pump to refuel. How many look to see what type of fuel we are putting in to our vehicle? Does it have the blue and green tag with the corn on it above the pump?

Those of you who are not buying this type of gas, shame on you! Ethanol is a great resource that we can produce here in our great state. Obviously, being known as the corn state makes one realize that ethanol is a major part of our state’s economy.

After consulting the Iowa State Web site, I found that ethanol is a colorless liquid, derived completely from plants to be used as a fuel. It is produced in a milling process where the corn or plant of your choice is ground up into a powder and then mixed with water and alpha-amylase. The mixture then becomes a starch, which is heated until it is liquefied. The mixture is then cooled and converted from a starch to a sugar.

At this point yeast is added and fermentation begins; after the fermentation process, the mixture is distilled and enters the “beer” stage. We all know that you can drink ethanol, but ethanol can also be used in automobile engines, blended with gasoline.

In the final stage the water is removed from the alcohol-water mix. Bang, you have ethanol, a completely plant-derived fuel.

Ethanol is an important part of our society. First of all, you know where my concerns lay, which is with the farmers. This is a great way to generate revenue for our farmers. Secondly, it cuts down on pollution because it is low in reactivity and high in oxygen content. So why wouldn’t we use it?

Many have concerns about how their cars will run on ethanol and how it will affect their cars in the future, but motorists have driven more than one trillion miles with no proven difficulties due to ethanol.

Economically, ethanol is a major bonus to those who use it. The government gives partial tax exemption to ethanol marketers, which in turn saves us money at the pump. Over the next five years, the U.S. ethanol industry will create a gain of almost $4 billion. For those who are not buying ethanol, I want one good reason why.

Why wouldn’t you support a domestically grown, domestically processed fuel that can cut down on the amount of fossil fuels we import? Not to mention that fossil fuels are basically irreplaceable and cause serious pollution.

Ethanol is creating a needed market for our farmers as well as providing needed revenues for our economy. I don’t see what is so hard about choosing ethanol. It could be attributed to a few different things: stupidity, plain old-fashioned disregard for how we spend our money, or fear of what it will do to our vehicle.

The United States Department of Agriculture has completely switched to the use of ethanol and biodiesel in all of their cars, trucks, tractors, and even chainsaws. They have found this as a way to support the local economy in each of the areas their research farms are located in, all over the nation.

The newest form of fuel already mentioned, biodiesel, is derived from soybeans. Tests are still being administered, but the USDA is finding this to be a superb form of fuel for diesel engines. The fuel is still in the process of tweaking and is relatively expensive at this point in time. However, researchers believe it will burn better than conventional diesel and will make for better start-up of engines in the winter.

By choosing to purchase ethanol every time you drive up to the pump to put gas in your vehicle, you are not only putting money in to the farmers’ pockets, you are putting it into yours as well. You are also supporting research that will one day lead to the burning of plant fuels only. This will pilot the way to less pollution and a reduction in the greenhouse effect.

Danelle Zellmer is a sophomore in public service and administration in agriculture from Atlantic.