There is no simple answer to the question ?are materials from bio-based feedstocks environmentally, and socially, preferable??

Bioenergy as an alternative energy source might be effective in reducing fossil fuel use, slowing global warming effects, and providing increased revenue for the farming community, but its production may contribute to other aspects, such as degraded soil and water quality and land use changes.

This brings into question how we define and measure ?sustainability.? The benefits of bioenergy have come under increasing...