Professor of Biosystems Engineering, Auburn University
Professor of Biosystems Engineering at Auburn University and Director of its Alternative Energy Committee
PROFILE
Steven Taylor
Guest
FROM Steven Taylor
To the Point
Energy Independence and Ethanol One day after his State of the Union address, President Bush was on the road pushing energy independence by way of alternative fuels. Ethanol production, which is already a booming industry, would be increased five times on the way to reducing consumption of gasoline by twenty percent in the next ten years. Dozens of new, corn-based ethanol plans are coming on line in the farm states, and Wall Street sees a new gold rush. American voters also expect there's ethanol in their future, but there are plenty of not-so-hidden costs. Will corn-based ethanol deplete the food supply? What about greenhouse gases from ethanol and other "alternatives" like oil shale and coal? Is conservation a better solution? We're joined by pollsters, and energy experts and producers.
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To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.