BREAD CULTURE 4^ F pni Liceo “G.Ulivi” Parma LLP

Speaking of bread, these last two years, has meant for us to get information about cereal crops, which it derives from. We have discovered in this way that nowadays there’s a great contradiction: on one hand it is essential for human nutrition, on the other it is decreasing because it’s used to increase mobility. Why don’t we “think” together about it? Let’s start!

The political context -Europe- The U.E. asks to increase the quote of renewable energy sources from 5.4% of 1997 to 12% of Directive 2001/77/EC : on the promotion of the electricity produced from renewable energy source, which should increase from 14% of 1997 to 21% of 2010 for the U.E. 25 (22.1% for U.E. 15) Directive 2003/30/CE: substitution of 5.7% diesel and gas emissions by 2010 It’s known that a quote between 4% and 13 % of the agricultural territory is dedicated to the production of biofuels. Besides new technologies must be developed to use (and obtain) new raw materials and new processes that are competitive and sustainable.

Bio-fuel production in the world In 2004, all over the world, 33 millions of biofuels have been produced (and 1.2 billions of gas) Brazil for 25 years world’s leader: E95 azeotropic ethanol and E25 (25%ethanol,75%gas) The USA has been first world’s producer since 2005: from 4 millions in 1996 to 16 millions in The world’s production of bio-diesel is of 2 millions (90%into UE) The biofuels market in EU 25 of 2004 amounts to 0,7% of the market. Million litres USA16130 Brazil15990 China3800 India1700 European Union2900 Others5480 Bio-fuel Production in 2005

The biodiesel The bio-diesel is a natural product that can be used as fuel for car-traction and as a gas for heating. In chemical terms it is a mixture of acid methyl ester of grease acids. It’s named FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters). It is obtained from vegetal oils by squeezing oily seeds of different cultivations: soya, rape, sunflowers, etc.

Technologies for biofuel Bio-diesel Maize, rape, soya, sunflowers, palm… Oily seeds Biodiesel Methanol Glycerine Typical render 1000 KG of oil (triglycerides) KG of Methanol 950KG of Biodiesel (methyl ester) + 90 KG of Glycerine Chimical Process

From biological maize… to biodiesel!

Technologies for biofuel Bio-ethanol Biological process Sugary plants Ethanol Wheat, sugarcane, maize, barley, beet… Typical render: 1 kg maize 0.31 kg (0.4 L) ethanol ( kg cattle feed)

From biological wheat…to bio-ethanol..!

“The price of wheat” The price trend of wheat confirms the prediction of the main economic analysts, for example those of W.E.F. (World Economic Found) in Davos. It was in fact told here that the reduction of food availability together with the oil crisis, the USA recession and the globalisation of the risks are among the threats for the world economy in ten years from now.

There are so many reasons: 1) Lack of water and population growth, 2) degradation of the fertile soil, 3) price increase of fertilizers and fuel, 4) change of lifestyle and … 5) Soil use to produce biofuel…!!!

«It's a crime against humanity to convert agricultural productive soil into soil which will be burned into biofuel » (Jean Ziegler,ONLUS lecture about the right of the feeding, October 2007) (Jean Ziegler, rapporteur on right to food)

“The red men’s land” of Marco Bechis This film, shown in Italy in September during the Venice film festival, is about the dramatic impact of the biofuels cultivations and the customs and traditions of the Guaranì-Kaiowà population of the Mato Grosso do Sul. We invite you to see it!

Good luck to everybody! The 11 th grade students at “G.Ulivi” High School (Parma – Italy) and their teachers