One hectare of maize provides four times more oxygen than a hectare of forestland.  At the same time it absorbs four times more carbon gas, i.e. between 20 and 30 tonnes per hectare.  Even after the plant has “died” and decomposes after harvest, it still has a positive effect, keeping the carbon captive in the soil.  Maize is another green lung for our planet, and an invaluable ally in the fight against the greenhouse effect.  One final point in favour of maize:  when grown in Summer, the plant plays a role recycling effluents from animal farms, as liquid and solid manure provide sources of nitrogen for the plant.  The “country smell” is not pollution, but the sign that maize is having a beneficial effect on the environment!
 

Maize is an invaluable ingredient in what is now referred to as “green chemistry”, i.e. alternatives to petroleum products.

Biofuels
 
Ethanol was recently introduced as an ingredient to blend in “super” grade petrol;  it is a green fuel made by fermenting or distilling the starch in plants such as maize.  As ethanol contains oxygen, it can be used to reduce both carbon gas emissions and the incombustible elements in the fuel.  It raises the octane index of fuel and replaces the lead and can therefore be used to produce low-pollution petrol, i.e. more ecologically sound fuel.  Another key point to the credit of ethanol is that it is a renewable hydrocarbon and will never be depleted.  It can be used to replace petroleum and other non-renewable fossil raw materials which, one day, will be totally depleted.  Maize is not the only plant producing ethanol, but it has a record yield:  one tonne of maize produces 3.7 hectolitres of ethanol, as opposed to only 1 hectolitre for a tonne of potato or sugar beet.  Per hectare, maize even produces more ethanol than wheat.
 
While there have been ongoing delays and obstacles from governments and tax authorities, the question of encouraging ethanol production as a biofuel for the future is definitely becoming topical.  The European Commission recently made a statement along these lines and the tax regulations in France have been modified so that slightly more ethanol can be added to petrol.  But there is still a long way to go.

Maize is Everywhere
Biodegradable, renewable corn starch can be found in around one-quarter of ordinary, everyday products where it can replace chemicals;  for example, paper, cardboard, glue, pharmaceuticals, detergents, paint, building materials, cat litter and toys.

Maize farming fits into the framework of best environmentally-friendly practices:   limited and targeted plant treatments, restricted nitrogen input and rational water management.