One of the biggest mantras of the "corporation friendly" environmental movement is that profits from consumption and business development will not go away. That the key to cutting carbon emission is in creating alternative fuel sources, not changing and decreasing patterns of consumption.

Well, it looks like there is no escaping the reality of consumption:

Studies deemed biofuels a greenhouse threat.

The benefits of biofuels have come under increasing attack in recent months, as scientists took a closer look at the global environmental cost of their production. These latest studies, published in the prestigious journal Science, are likely to add to the controversy.

These studies for the first time take a detailed, comprehensive look at the emissions effects of the huge amount of natural land that is being converted to cropland globally to support biofuels development.

The destruction of natural ecosystems -- whether rain forest in the tropics or grasslands in South America -- not only releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when they are burned and plowed, but also deprives the planet of natural sponges to absorb carbon emissions. Cropland also absorbs far less carbon than the rain forests or even scrubland that it replaces.

Together the two studies offer sweeping conclusions: It does not matter if it is rain forest or scrubland that is cleared, the greenhouse gas contribution is significant. More important, they discovered that, taken globally, the production of almost all biofuels resulted, directly or indirectly, intentionally or not, in new lands being cleared, either for food or fuel.

Alternative fuels are going to be an interesting battleground, especially in the US. Too many policymakers have memories of Three Mile Island. There is also the issue of whether it is politically feasible to give countries, more access to nuclear power.

What do you think about this? Are you willing to consume less if it means that it will save the planet? What are you willing to give up? Your car? Your central air conditioning? Cheap airfares?

Discuss.