Comments on: Watermelon: Picnic Treat & Source of Renewable Energy

By: Lisette Root

Lisette Root — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:08:20 +0000

How about some sort of decorative covering , wrapper, or sleeve which could hide purely cosmetic blemishes, so the food can be consumed rather than wasted. It seems like a huge waste of resources to do anything other than consuming perfectly good food, and watermelons are a huge water consuming fruit, so the waste seems excessive.

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:22:48 +0000

For a great deal of time I have enjoyed the idea of bacterial fermentaion for ethanol; both from easily obtainable sugars and from cellulosic sources once the appropriate enzymes are used. However, one troubling fact remains is that we’re still burning something- and the combustion of ethanol will produce CO2. In addition, if ethanol is used in autos the mileage is ~20% less and that means we will be burning more ethanol to go the same distance with gasoline. I am very excited about not using fossil fuels, but it seems that driving with ethanol is not the best option until we can find a way to capture the CO2.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:26:37 +0000

What I want to know is will the tailpipe spit out seeds as you drive down the road?

By: robot makes music

robot makes music — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:00:21 +0000

This is like the only good idea for biofuels I’ve ever heard.

By: BaldGeek

BaldGeek — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:42:04 +0000

Too bad Mirza and others miss the real point: Disgarded and rejected produce and other ‘trash’ can be turned into fuel or something else equally valuable. Keep up the good work! A whole business could be created processing rejected produce, what about Cantalopes or Pumpkins?! How many billion pumpkins are grown only to be used as decorations then disgarded? How about processing the billions of tons of grass clippings discarded by home owners and producing celluosic ethanol?

By: Mirza

Mirza — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:48:46 +0000

Great. Now vast tracts of land will be devoted to growing watermelons instead of rice or corn, and world food prices will go up again. Give up bio-diesel already.

By: NewEnglandBob

NewEnglandBob — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:58:17 +0000

But does it smell like watermelon as you drive down the road?

By: Art

Art — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:38:46 +0000

neato!