fast growing trees: power your car with biomass

	:	So here we are 1/10th of the way through the 21st Century. Today, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can get you to work leaving only a trail of water from the tailpipe. Plug-in electric cars take it a step further by eliminating exhaust all together. And yet, the feeling of
	:	One solution is Biomass. Specifically, harvesting fast growing trees for electricity production. While not all trees are suitable, fast maturing trees like Paulownias and Hybrid Poplars can be regrown every 7 years. Total lifetime carbon output is essentially zero, and new varieties can be grown without irrigation or chemicals. Paulownias can even grow from the stump once they are cut eliminating the need to re-plant. As an added benefit, such trees can be used to pull heavy medals, nitrates, and harmful chemicals out of the ground and away from our drinking water. Imagine passing several acres of Poplar trees like this one instead of a field of solar panels.
	:	As of 2008, 8% of sustainable clean energy produced in the US comes from Biomass compared with 70%from coal burning methods. As carbon dioxide and it's environmental effects become more evident, fast and cheap renewable energy will become higher in priority. The low startup costs of Biomass (dig a hole, plant a tree, and wait few years) makes it ideal for future energy production. California already exempts Biomass energy producers from Cap and Trade regulations. We can only hope the the rest of the world follows suit.