Crafting with Kids

We know that we are all creatures of habit and if we can opt to take the easy route, we do. This is not to say that we simply do not care about issues that we seem to have no control over, or that may affect other people out of our sight or even generations in the future, but we just don’t seem to have as much focus when we are not directly affected. This can lead to apathy and inaction, yet through education we can come to terms with the fact that we really should be proactive and make changes for the greater good.

What incentive is there for me to change over to biodiesel fuel? Today, there are numerous reasons for doing so and over the last few years these answers have gained additional credibility. We know that biodiesel has numerous ecological reasons to support its use, to say nothing of the economic benefits.

Principally, carbon emissions are now known to be very dangerous and unwanted. The “green” movement has become main-stream. We may see government action to force a reduction in the use of conventional fuels, adding a premium to gasoline, for example. Looking ahead, government regulators have also said that cars must maintain a much higher fuel economy and it looks like greenhouse gas emissions are now going to be adjudged hazardous pollutants. Biodiesel helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with traditional fuels, by a factor of almost 80%.

Nowadays, homemade biodiesel fuels can use waste products such as leftover cooking oils, helping to cut down on the issues associated with waste disposal. Biodiesel may also be derived from vegetable products, such as soy, which is readily available within our agricultural communities. Just think of the incredible changes that we could bring to those communities by using their crops to full advantage for our transportation needs.

Alternative fuels such as biodiesel should be considered for our vehicle transportation needs in much greater quantities, and if this occurs, we will not be so vulnerable to the ups and downs associated with oil production prices when manufactured in foreign lands. We now know what regular diesel here in the UK at £5.00 a gallon or $8.00 represents, but five or 10 years ago could not even imagine such a thing. Biodiesel can be made from domestically available sources and can help promote our energy security in no uncertain way.

The US automotive industry is changing significantly and we can expect to see an introduction of smaller and more economically viable cars there, similar to those seen in Europe for the last decade. In Europe, more than 50% of the vehicles run on diesel and as such are ready-made to accept biodiesel fuels. We can fully expect the trend within the United States to be toward this type of vehicle and as such will see a growing trend toward making biodiesel widely available. When the next decade ends, biodiesel fuel will be a staple part of all our economies.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!