LAST WINTER I had to replace the car- buretor and a couple of other parts in my chain saw.

Why?

The ethanol in the gas I was using was the culprit, I was told. It was gumming up the carburetor and eating away at the metal.

That's how it is. That which we deem necessary to save often destroys us--or our hard-earned dollars.

The DDT that was supposed to kill insects that ruined our crops wound up almost destroying the bird population.

The multiflora roses that were to be America's fencerows of the future became nothing more than thorny pests we can't eradicate.

Stinkbugs that were supposed to control ladybugs are now more of a pest than the ladybugs.

Now the ethanol in gasoline, which was mandated by Congress, is damaging internal combustion engines--as with my chain saw.

Right now most gasoline contains 10 percent corn ethanol but in the near future that percentage will rise to 15.

Will that increase damage engines? Well, all but three automobile manufacturers have made it known that they will not honor warranties on some engine parts for vehicles older than 2013 that use gasoline with 15 per- cent ethanol.

And the American Automobile Association is recommending that drivers not use gas with 15 percent ethanol.

Further, according to a New York Times story, some environmental groups are protesting even 10 percent ethanol gasoline, saying it burns no cleaner than untreated gasoline.

According to stories I have read, adding ethanol also lowers the octane of gasoline and reduces a vehicle's mileage. That, of course, means that you must burn more gas to get from place to place which, in effect, puts as many pollutants back into the atmosphere as the ethanol is designed to eliminate.

The use of corn to produce ethanol is also driving up food prices since that grain (or its byproducts) is used in thousands of items.

Right now, about the only industry benefiting from the use of ethanol is the small-engine repair business. The additive is sending chain saws, lawn mowers and other engines to the shop on a regular basis.

Some people are trying to do something about this. I ran into a guy at a farm supply store a few weeks ago who was buying a specialized filter.

"What are you going to use that for?" I inquired.