Sugarcane processing leaves behind large amounts of bagasse Burning the bagasse releases some carbon dioxide However the amount is equal to the carbon dioxide that was absorbed by the plants as they grew This makes using bagasse for energy carbon neutral The process does not add additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere the way burning coal or oil does MORE USES FOR BAGASSE Bagasse can also be made into products such as plates and toilet paper These products can replace items usually made from plastics or foams such as Styrofoam Bagasse products can be produced with less energy than these other materials require They biodegrade in approximately 90 days breaking down harmlessly 6 Some studies have shown that using materials such as bagasse for paper products is better for the environment than 11
using wood pulp Making bagasse products saves trees water landfill space and electricity while producing less air pollution Sugar in Brazil Approximately 70,000 farmers produce sugarcane in Brazil The sugarcane industry there is estimated to provide 1 34 million jobs It contributes 50 billion to the economy each year and provides 16 percent of the country’s energy supply 8 Brazil produces more sugarcane than any other country and the nation represents nearly 25 percent of world sugar production 9 In Brazil several companies are using packaging that contains some bagasse This packaging is made from approximately 30 percent sugarcane bagasse combined with recycled plastic 7 Consumers can buy Coca-Cola and sunscreen in these environmentally friendly bottles A few companies are also bringing this technology to the United States In 2015 Coca-Cola announced a new PlantBottle to be made of 100 percent sugarcane plastic The company says it plans to use PlantBottles for all its plastic bottles by 2020 Heinz ketchup bottles and plastic cups at SeaWorld are also using bagasse plastic Critics complain plastics made from plants are not as environmentally friendly as the companies might claim Using anything a single time and then throwing it away is not ideal Still the companies maintain that these products will help protect the environment 12
Sugar is often taken for granted People stir it into coffee or tea to balance out bitterness Cooks use sugar to make baked goods tasty Ingredient labels show sugar in many other products from breakfast cereal to yogurt But sugar also shows up in some surprising places from car fuel to dishes Millions of tons of sugar are produced and consumed every year It is a multibillion dollar industry for a product that affects nearly everyone’s life sometimes in unexpected ways Ethanol Ups and Downs Ethanol has been used for more than a century Brazil began testing ethanol in the early 1900s and required some ethanol in all gasoline after 1931 In the 1970s Brazil attempted to reduce its dependence on imported oil Ethanol from sugarcane was a major part of that plan People used more ethanol when oil prices were high and sugar prices were low When the reverse was true Brazilian ethanol use fell Starting in 2003 Brazilians could buy flexible-fuel cars These vehicles can use different mixes of gasoline and ethanol This helps protect consumers when the prices of gasoline and ethanol change They can use either fuel depending on what is cheaper 13
