Click here for a picture quality image of the maze

Pictures are from August 15th, 2007 - of course by our amateur photographer - Eric!

This year’s picture is a ‘tic-tac-toe’ board filled with some of the most important things being considered for alternative fuels.  Above the board is a giant plant earth with your carbon footprint in the middle of the ocean.

1.   Corn – Ethanol production has jumped dramatically in the US since early 2006.

2.   Grass – The bottom of the maze (entrance and exit) - Cellulose ethanol is the future.  The difference? Corn ethanol uses only the grain from the corn plant.  Cellulose ethanol is a different process where the entire plant is used. It is the most efficient way we know of producing energy.  For example, electricity and gasoline are net fossil fuel losers.  It takes more fossil energy to create them than the energy the deliver to end users. Corn ethanol delivers 40% more energy to the customer than the fossil energy used to produce it.  Cellulose ethanol delivers 430% more energy than is used to produce it.  (from Michigan State University )

3.   Recycle Symbol – The average American produces 1,500 pounds of trash.  Thirty five percent of landfill waste is paper and 25-30% of our trash is plant material that we can recycle! These are two simple things we can change to significantly reduce our impact on the environment.

4.   Cow’s Head – Cow manure is a valuable resource! Not only does it contain nutrients and organic matter to improve our soils – but the methane produced from manure can be captured and used to generate electricity.

5.   Soybeans – Soy Biodiesel is already being produced in the US and is fueling many tractors and school buses in the Mid-Ohio Valley . Soy Biodiesel, made from soybeans, a renewable resource grown in Ohio , is Ohio 's leading alternative fuel. Soy biodiesel can be used in any diesel engine with no modifications. It burns cleaner and provides better engine lubricity.  Soybeans are also used to make the ink on your newspaper.

6.   The Earth & Your Carbon Footprint – We only have one earth – and we need to do all we can to protect it for we are borrowing this earth from our children.