bio fuel, bio diesel, alternative fuel, car accessories.
A former computer programmer has developed a process by which waste cooking oil can be converted into a fuel which can be used to run diesel-powered cars. The newly developed fuel has far lower levels of harmful emissions than traditional fuel and also cheaper.
According to the Scotsman, Alexander MacDonald, using a simple process, converts old cooking oil into bio-diesel that can go directly into the fuel tank of any diesel-powered car.
The newly developed fuel has far lower levels of harmful emissions than traditional fuel, and at 96 pence a liter, is also cheaper. For collecting the cooking oil that would otherwise be thrown away, MacDonald visits about 100 restaurants in Glasgow.
He uses it to make about 4,000 liters of bio-diesel a week, and has built up a dedicated band of about 200 customers, including taxi drivers, HGV drivers and regular motorists.
"You get two types of customer; people who are concerned about their carbon footprint and people concerned about their pocket," he added. MacDonald learned to convert cooking fat into bio-fuel in his kitchen while he was working as a computer programmer.
"My kitchen was my laboratory but my partner wasn't too happy about the smell, so I got kicked out to an industrial unit," he said. He saw the business potential, and since being made redundant 18 months ago he has never looked back.
But the first time that he put the bio-diesel in his van, he was terrified about what would happen. "My heart was in my mouth. I was expecting it to explode or to just stop, but it just went on and on and on," he said. MacDonald has now driven 30,000 miles in the van, all powered by bio diesel.
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A Greener Life. A Better Life
Trees are the longest living organisms on the planet and one of the earth's greatest natural resources.
- By cooling the air and ground around them, the shade from trees helps cool the Earth's temperature.
- Trees lower air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves.
- Trees are good noise barriers, making a city and neighborhood quieter.
- Trees help prevent city flooding by catching raindrops and offsetting runoff caused by buildings and parking lots.
- A tree-line buffer between fields and streams helps remove farming pollutants before they reach the water.
- Tree roots stabilise the soil and prevent erosion.
- Trees improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.
- Trees provide protection from downward fall of rain, sleet, and hail as well as reduce storm run-off and the possibility of flooding.
- Trees provide food and shelter for wildlife.
- Trees located along streets act as a glare and reflection control.
- Trees enhance the aesthetics of our environment. Their grandeur, tenacity, and beauty are probably the most enjoyable aspect of trees.
A Greener Earth. A Fresh Life- Trees renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.
- A single tree produces approximately 260 pounds of oxygen per year. That means two mature trees can supply enough oxygen annually to support a family of four!
- Trees help reduce the "greenhouse effect" by absorbing carbon dioxide.
- The amount of oxygen produced by an acre of trees per year equals the amount consumed by 18 people annually. One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year.
- One person causes about 10 tons of carbon dioxide to be emitted a year. One tree removes about 1 ton of carbon dioxide per year.
- One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces while driving 26,000 miles.
- An average tree absorbs 4.5 kg of air pollutants every year.
- Planting 30 trees per person will remove each that person's carbon debt for the year.
A Greener Earth. A Cost Efficient Way of Life: - In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen.
- The shade and wind buffering provided by trees reduces annual heating and cooling costs by 2.1 billion dollars.
- Each average-sized tree provides an estimated $7 savings in annual environmental benefits, including energy conservation and reduced pollution.
- Well placed trees help cut energy costs and consumption by decreasing air conditioning costs 10-50% & reducing heating costs as much as 4-22%.
- Shade trees can make buildings up to 20 degrees cooler in the summer.
- The energy saved from recycling one glass bottle is enough to power a light bulb for four hours.
- Recycling one plastic bottle can save the same amount of energy needed to power a 60-watt light bulb for six hours.
A former computer programmer has developed a process by which waste cooking oil can be converted into a fuel which can be used to run diesel-powered cars. The newly developed fuel has far lower levels of harmful emissions than traditional fuel and also cheaper.