The future of transportation?

The momentum of alternative fuels continues to build as more & more people each day realize that there truly are options to gasoline-now selling at the extortionary rate of over $4 a gallon-because they also realize they have to feed, clothe & house their families too. Now, if only vitally important stories like this would be featured on network news so the mindless masses that are blindly contributing to skyrocketing oil prices can see that “alternative” doesn’t necessarily mean unnaturally tree hugging, just viable, sensible options that are a wiser & better choice in a rapidly changing world. If you’re not part or the solution-then you’re part of the problem, whether you realize it or not during these tumultuous times.

I applaud their efforts and this is certainly the kind of story that will help shift perceptions and perspectives. I just want to give a shout out to the urban planners and those that shape the built environment... with increased density, well-integrated mass transit options, we can get to our day jobs and errands with less stress and fewer units of any sort of energy used.

all you people sucking up the global warming lie sold to us by that gore guy who by the way invested in everything green before his lies were sold to us need to think. fuel prices are high not because of shortage but because the oil companys have been given license to steal. The recession is here because everyone went out and bought a japanese car(doesnt mater were it was put together), and shop at walmart. Think where you are are sending your money. I live in an oil rich part of canada and know that we haven't begun to access our largest oil reserves. Things are good here but I know that the U.S. and canadian economys are directly linked and our turn is next. By the way, the glaciers were receding long before the first guy left his model T running on the saskatchewan glacier. Think back to the last ice age. only comon sence the earth has been warming ever since. Wont help to turn of the lawn mower now.

Why go to the trouble of going through an engine transplant?

Doesn't it make more sense to buy an old diesel car; like a Mercedes or a Volvo and go through the conversion to biofuel. There are companies here in Eugene, OR that offer that service and there are the stations that offer the biofuels by grade and octane.

This would certainly be a lot less expensive then running out and buying a hybrid car.

George Foreman grills for the win!

ashabpatel -
it's probably a great way.
I say solar, passive and active.
Align your house properly, plant trees, create natural currents through your house.
And wind.
Use cisterns to collect rain water, that's all our grandparents down here used for drinking water forever.
Grow some of your own food and do composting for much healthier produce.
Dress appropriately - if it's cold, add a layer, if it's hot, remove a layer or two or all.
There's a hundred little things we can all do that eventually add up to a significant savings.
It takes a little extra work and effort, but after awhile, it becomes second nature.

peter-doerrie, you hit it right on the head.
All this corn fuel is causing a big problem and is going to get way worse.
Change your lifestyles people!!!!! It doesn't take a lot of altering to make a difference. Do it gradually. Grow a little of your own food. Every now and then, walk that few blocks instead of getting in the car.

Plusaf,
There probably isn't enough used cooking oil to do the whole show. But that's where variety should come into play. They can do relatively the same things with used motor oil, corn, sugarcane, the algae thing, etc. Probably just about any substance can be converted. Look what they do with gasses, like from huge compost or manure piles and especially natural gas. That is much cleaner than gasoline. The alternatives are just stimmied by the big money, making was too expensive for the normal person or even medium size business to become self sufficient.

Plusaf, you're exactly right about doing the math and paying attention in school. Not very many people are math inclined it seems. What a pity. You have to tally ALL the numbers - the premium you're paying for the car's abilities, how much you'll save in fuel per year, how many years will the car last and how much will it cost you along the way to maintain reliability and that good gas mileage, insurance costs, the hassle of keeping it charged along with the exact amount of electricity it's using, and how dedicated are you to environmental issues. You can't leave anything out or you don't get an accurate comparison.
It's just like when companies claim they're losing money when in fact they're just not making it as fast or as much as they had predicted. Mathematical facts can be so skewered to make most people's heads spin.

Plato ---
Riding bikes would be good. Walking is magnificent. You ever see European women's legs?!?!
But it's another story of money interferring.
Here we had a railroad once, but when it went out of business all through this area, a lot of people wanted to use the track bed to make a huge walking, biking path for miles, all the way to the next town. But the track went behind the property of some stupid rich people who "figured it would bring undesirables". Well they got their way and basically got the property adjacent to their homes. No path for public use. Some places are successful. You could make your way to such a path and go clear across town without the fear of constantly being in traffic. Too logical I guess. Actually, it wouldn't make any money for the money grubbers.
And as far as the cooking oil, I believe I used to read articles about that in The Mother Earth News about 20 or more years ago, back when gas was too cheap to go through the hassle.

Biodiesel is where it's at, dude.

At least for the people who are tired of paying such high prices for the foreign stuff.

using food to power your vehicle while a good part of the worlds population is going to bed hugry is just as selfish as burning oil and causing global warming!

Why are people always trying to stay on their choosen path as long as possible? Instead of thinking the whole time about how you can keep driving your cars everywhere anytiime how about thinking if this current idea of "mobility" we have may not be the best?

Here in south FL, due to the mega amount of restaurants, the bio-deisel route is very popular...the intuitives are changing their engines over with a kit and the used cooking oil is disappearing into thin air...

I don't believe that the restaurants' used oil can supply the demand as it increases, so other alternatives will still, more than likely, be more viable...for the greater demand...for the greater good...

The fuel crunch cup seems to be overflowing with speculation these days...that's good...

The ''riding bikes' idea is even better...more killer legs...

This movie is awesome, what these guys have done is remarkable and it should open a lot of eyes, or at least raise many eyebrows.

I am itching to get on board with a diesel engine powered with biofuel vehicle. There is a new chain of biofuel stations that opened up in our state called "Sequential Biofuels" that has been doing really well. They often have lines of people waiting to make purchases.

The only other place I see long lines to buy gas is at Costco. That is because they are usually $.25 (a quarter) less per gallon than everybody else in town. You know membership pays...

That's heavy. That's what it takes, some real risk takers on a good mission, with some facts on their side, along with a band of guardian angels. Hooray for them.
I haven't always followed the "right" life, but I have incorporated many aspects of it into my life, in a quite way. A lot of people don't like hearing about it, probably cause it looks like it might take work.
I became a charter subscriber to The Mother Earth News from issue 1 and only haven't subscribed during a few brief intervals a few years back.

At least people are thinking about alternative fuels. Here in Nebraska they tout the ethanol big time. Trouble is, it's less efficient than regular processing for gas. :-( We continue to persevere.

this docu looks really interesting! can't wait to see it

Seriously, internal combustion engines have got to go! Bio-fuels can be such an excellent tool for transitioning, as long as it doesn't go the way of industrial ethanol. The used cooking oil is great though! Just remember, it's not a long term solution, only a way to wean ourselves off the "juice"!

I like it 1 percent...

I was just joking about MornRail's comment, because of the way it read "I'm with you 1percent" instead of "I'm with you 100%"...
hahaha

Yeah, 1Percent is not much.

But are you prepared for the time when the minority will become the majority?

Will you be two steps ahead or behind?

The choice is yours.
Choose wisely.

1 percent isn't very much...

I'm with you 1percent, it's time to hop on the bike. Even I, in 100 degree weather of Texas have taken up the cause.

Although I do think it's cool that we're looking at other ways to get around. I was born with wanderlust and love roadtrips and it's unfortunate that this summer I'll have to indulge in the local sweets. Once things get rolling however, I'm ready to go cross-country. Great trailer. I hope I get to see this film. I'll have to add this to my wishlist.

Yeah! However that still polluting the environment somehow! We should go straight to the solution and lose the "band aid" of energy!

I bought it-

This is the future. Great work guys.

So my question is, if they can do it, why can't someone
step up with funding for this to go national ?

Way to go guys !

this is awesome, the trailer in their website is great.
Im thinking about buying the DVD, ill check my library first.
- very inspirational, hope that these types of cars get anti-honk-at bikers honking devices. thatd be super utopian.
I think yesterday I got honked at about 7 times, guess people are very frustrated for their 4.25 a gallon and my killer legs....

We're in the 21st century.

It's time to look beyond the internal combustion engine.

Grease is a good "alternative" until the diets of the people change or there is a crop blight. Then like petrol based fuels there will be shortages and demand crunches. Same Old Story...

Ride a bike!

Good luck everyone.

This is a great Idea, I wish at least one of my vehicles was a diesel, but they both run on gas, I suppose i could switch out the motor's though...might be cheaper then buying a high priced hybrid.