University of Georgia researchers say biofuel production could lead to environmental decay

In Georgia, modern sustainability practices often encourage resource and energy efficiencies across separate sectors, such as food production or biofuels, but this siloed approach could actually lead to ongoing environmental decay, according to a recent commentary by researchers in the University of Georgia College of Engineering.

Using new technology to improve efficiency, in particular, may accelerate this environmental decay by creating more products at cheaper prices. The materials and energy “saved” are not actually preserved but diverted to other uses, the authors wrote in a paper published recently in Nature Sustainability.