Drawbacks

As with any relatively new movement, there are drawbacks. Of major consideration is the fact that the vast majority of privately-owned vehicles have engines that are designed only for use of petroleum fuels. Further research regarding the adaptation of these engines to allow for the use of blended fuels is required. In addition, and probably more importantly, is the requirement of education to the public regarding the advantages of using biofuels. Promoting the use of public transportation fueled by biodiesel would certainly help reduce greenhouse emissions. However, most car drivers are not ready to give up the comforts and flexibility associated with the use of their cars so that governments would need to actively provide interesting incentives for them to do so.

Consider the possibility that societies and governing bodies actively embrace the use of biodiesel fuels, there would then soon likely be a problem of supply and demand. Resources would need to gear up in order to effectively divert currently discarded waste products from our landfills and to produce raw materials from our farm lands and forests. On one hand, a direction towards utilizing our renewable resources may in turn create new industries and reduce our disposal costs. On the other hand, expertise and foresight would be required to keep the system in balance. Farmers and the lands they tend to are obviously essential to the production of our foodstuffs for our consumption. Diverting these resources for the production of biodiesel raw materials would be unsound and could drive up the cost of food. (Gristmill, 2007). Our forests and natural landscapes need to be preserved as well so that mass forestry projects would require strict regulation. Altogether, environmental, economic and sociological factors would require an overall coordinated and balanced approach.