My hubbie and I have been researching Biodiesel a lot. Basically use diesel engines but run them off of vegetable-based oil rather than petroleum based oil. Any of yall' heard about this? We would be happy to provide resources for those interested!
It's alright. Better than oil, but not a solution. We can't power all our vehicles with biodiesel, because there isn't enough land to grow the crops needed to make it while still feeding the 6+ billion people (and growing) mouths on this planet. The bare facts are that we need to stop driving so much, that must change. We can't keep going around finding new fuels, because they aren't enough. We will be forced to restructure our way of life away from the automobile. A few townships near me are making their mainstreet communities horse friendly. Amazingly enough, this is forward thinking; this is how the 21st century is going to look. As the arabs say, "my grandfather rode a camel, my father drove a car, and I ride an airplane, and my son will ride a camel"
I think we will have to rethink HOW we use fuel burning transport. I doubt we would willingly en masse return to carts! Trippin, what about all the fast food gease? I know that is one way to do this, although the pipeline/processing point problem will resurface. As IGoth says in another topic, it's about the pipeline. and he's right. BUT, BioD can be made on board of a bus (see Josh Tickell's pages and book) or in a garage. I definitely think various options will need to be available as well asa dramatic change in how we develop communities in large nations: US, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia etc. New Urbanism (make it look like Amsterdam) could be a nice piece of the puzzle.
I didn't mean to say it shouldn't be utilized and that it isn't a good resource. But it's not a problem solver. It comes down to the fact that we depend on the automobile far too much in daily life. Half of all car trips are under 3 miles. A bike (or your feet) could easily handle most of them (unless you're hauling stuff). What I don't understand is the fact that this would save people money (we in the US use so much gas, and if half is for such short distances that we could easily bike or walk, that saves a lot of gas money, oil changes, and miscelaneous maintenance (a car driven less lasts longer and has fewer problems), as well as pollution costs in environmental clean-up and health issues). I agree that New Urbanism ideas should be utilized. Our layout for our living spaces is all wrong, too spread out and car-dependant. This is not a useful long term strategy. Now, what's this about the pipeline? And making bioD on a bus?
I dunno about that, biodiesel can be produced from recycled grease from McDonalds, but I suppose it could become in short supply if it were used by everyone. What you need is a diesel vehicle to run on it, I've got a VW TDI, and I've filled up on biodiesel, it runs well, and smells like french fries (better than conventional diesel). Another good website is: www.biodieselamerica.org Lots of good info and products for making your own on there, I'm currently reading about it from a book I purchased through the website, for I too would like to do my part in avoiding fossil fuels. Anyone know if you can heat your home off the stuff?
I would be interested in reading more about biodiesel. I just read in our newspaper yesterday that a new biodiesel plant is set to begin construction in our county. Amazing, considering the way our area has been stagnant for so long.
read something interesting the other day on raven23's bio diesel site that argued we shouldnt be using cars at all. their responsible for more death than war and i think even cancer and some other stuff, and yet no one protests it at all?
^ i agree. not sure about that kind of death rate (never looked into it) but it surely causing a lot of pollution. Further, it has made us more mobile and thus disconnected. I can see it being connected to soaring divorce rates and other family problems, as well as fragmenting our society as a whole, which leads to a whole stew of other problems...
