Conscious Choice: Your Car Can Go Vegetarian

May 2007 | Green Scene

Your Car Can Go Vegetarian

Talking About the Northwest Biodiesel Forum with Dr. Dan

By Paul Constant

Henry Ford planned for his Model T to run on alcohol fuel, but he was convinced by Standard Oil to switch to gasoline, which up to that point was an unfortunate by-product of kerosene production. Rudolph Diesel invented his namesake engine to run on vegetable oil, but again market forces intervened, creating what we call diesel fuel, which is, in fact, a by-product of gasoline production. This all happened a century ago, but Dr. Dan Freeman, a biodiesel fuel dealer from Ballard, still gets hot under the collar about it: “If gasoline were invented today, there would be no stinkin’ way it would be used for fuel. It’s too toxic, too hazardous, and too inefficient.”

The Fifth Annual Northwest Biodiesel Forum takes place on Sunday, May 6, at Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion. Dr. Dan is a founding member of the Northwest Biodiesel Network, the group that puts on the forum, and if you were to ask him why you should attend, you’d most likely walk away wondering why you ever considered not attending. The first and most important attribute of biodiesel, besides the fact that it releases no carbon emissions whatsoever, is that it requires no conversion: Biodiesel fuel runs in any diesel vehicle.

Regular diesel fuel costs anywhere from $2.85 to $3.10 a gallon, barring an oil crisis. Biodiesel stays fairly steady at $3.15 to $3.25 a gallon. Dr. Dan is pretty fervent that the extra cost is actually a tremendous savings: Diesel vehicles get 20-30 percent better mileage than gas-run vehicles.

Dr. Dan makes the point that the savings on gas not only cut down on fuel costs, but also help drivers pay for their biodiesel vehicle.

“And [they’re] not contributing to global warming, foreign oil, or to the war,” he adds. “I don’t see a downside. There are things worth paying for. It’s like taking care of yourself—is it worth eating your vegetables? Is it worth getting enough sleep? You can make the simple choice and make the right decision, too.”

The forum features panels that provide the basics of biodiesel, interactive booths and kids’ activities. It’s a perfect way to answer any questions you might have about this alternative-to-the-alternative energy, and you might come away understanding why Washington has the highest concentration of biodiesel users in the nation.

For more information,
visit www.nwbiodiesel.org.

—By Paul Constant

Kelly B — Bringing Sexy Back

As a little girl, San Francisco-based eco fashion designer Kelly Barry was immaculately dressed… right down to the matching bow that her mother placed in her hair. That is until she got her hands on the family sewing machine and started deconstructing mom’s 70’s clothing, wearing her outrageous creations to high school.

Barry tucked her love for design into her back pocket when she went off to college to study her other passion: environmental science. But, she says, “instead of doing my organic chemistry homework, I would sew.” Lucky for us, Barry decided to marry her two passions, creating the sexy and sustainable fashion label Kelly B Couture,

The line hit the runway at San Francisco Fashion week with an eye-catching spring collection that is urban, sassy, and most definitely wearable. The collection features an en vogue high-rise organic cotton and linen pencil skirt, a floor sweeping bamboo gown, and a glamorous one-piece bathing suit.

Fashionistas are pretty surprised that Barry’s line is sustainable. “Organic doesn’t ring very fashion forward,” she explains. Part of the challenge of taking green mainstream is that there still aren’t many sustainable textiles to choose from. “I do everything I can to make it sustainable while still staying fresh.” For Barry, that means taking the available sustainable fabrics and adding a little life, in the form of ruffles, bold colors, and trim.

Why does Barry help mother earth through sustainable fashion rather than organic chem? “Clothing is a form of art that everyone can relate too. Everybody wears it. It’s a platform to get everything that is important to me out there.” And for the gals who buy Kelly B Couture just because it looks fabulous, Barry says, “people are going to pick up the hangtag and learn something.”
— Summer Bowen

Plug it In, Plug it In
Your guide to the current electric car craze

Lately it seems like you can’t go a day without hearing a story about some revolutionary electric vehicle (EV) technology that will change the way you drive. But is all this focus on the world of the future just fantasy? “We know it’s possible,” says Chelsea Sexton, a key participant in the Oscar nominated documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? “We go to auto shows every year and see these awesome concept cars that we know will never be in our showrooms.” So what kind of car can the EV-curious Jane or Joe actually find on the market today?

Exotic EVs currently available, like the $100K Tesla Roadster, the $540K Venturi Fetish, and the $108K prototype Tango, will not make much of a dent in the average consumer market, but will make a substantially large dent in your wallet. To have a real environmental impact, however, electric vehicles must be more reasonably priced.

EVs available can be broken down into three categories: performance, standard and neighborhood (NEV). Standard EVs generally function like an average car, but selections in this category are currently few. Phoenix Motors has developed an electric SUV that costs $45K and charges in ten minutes on an industrial charger. Another option is the Smart EV, also $45K and a conversion of the cute European Smart ForTwo.

You can convert most conventional cars yourself with the aid of companies like Left Coast Electric in Los Angeles or MC Electric Vehicles in Seattle. Chicago’s Fox Valley Electric Auto Assoc., San Francisco’s Electric Vehicle Assoc. and Washington’s Green Car Company are also great starting places when looking for resources. But doing a conversion isn’t cheap. Expect to pay between $10K-30K, in addition to the cost of the car. Also, keep in mind while almost any car can be custom-converted, currently smaller and lighter models work best. Many of the heavier models will have to wait for the lighter battery technology, coming out later this year. On the bright side, Zap! — Zero Air Pollution — a company that distributes advanced technology vehicles, has plans to sell several different standard EVs in the near future; the perky Obvio 828E from Brazil and the ZAP-X designed by Lotus will be welcome additions to the current American EV lineup.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV) are small cars with a limited speed (usually 25-35mph), with a limited range depending on the battery used (typically 30-50 miles per charge). There are many more options in this category: cars like the 3-wheeled Zap! Xebra, the golf cart-esque GEM e2, the Dynasty IT, which looks like a toy version of a Volkswagon Bug, and the ZENN, the NEV that most resembles a regular compact car. These cars are priced from $9K to $17K.

But why so pokey? NEVs typically do not have many safety standards, so most states limit their speed to 25mph. However, some states are looking to lighten up these restrictions — and surprisingly, it’s not alt-energy concerned California leading the charge. Washington State is considering a first-of-its-kind bill to raise the NEV speed limit to 35mph. “80 percent of daily trips people take are only within 10 miles of their home, but most city speed limits are 30-35 mph,” says Greg Rock of Kirkland, Washington’s Green Car Company. “This new law will raise speed limits to acceptable city standards, and we are certainly expecting to see an increase in interest for city electric vehicles.”

“It is not that you want to go faster,” adds Steve Mayeda of MC Electric Vehicles in Seattle, a proponent behind the new NEV bill. “It is just that you want to keep up with everyone. We think the 10 mph increase will have a huge impact on the NEV market. You’ll feel safe, and you are not polluting.” (Visit www.HouseBill1820.com for more info.)

—Damien Somerset

Vino Green-o

This Earth Day, raise your glass to French rabbit — a vintage wine that comes in a high-tech container. Organic, biodynamic, and sustainably harvested, French rabbit’s 100 percent recyclable, lightweight “Tetra-Prisma” package makes it the perfect choice for the grape drinking greenie on the go. The TetraPak (made from paperboard, aluminum foil and plastic) holds two more glasses of wine while toting lighter and in less space than your average wine bottle. And although we can’t confirm or deny the results of their number crunchers, the FR folks claim this newfangled system reduces packaging by 90 percent, cutting down on the environmental costs of shipping and distribution. To seal the deal, French rabbit has partnered with nonprofit American Forests, pledging to plant a tree for every four containers sold.

Grapes in French rabbit’s catalog — which includes pinot noir, chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and their family reserve — are harvested in the Languedoc Roussillion region along France’s southern coast. Before tightening the cap, keep the wine fresh by raising the rabbit ears (found on either side of the TetraPak) and squeezing out any extra air. But just a tip: be careful trying this at home, especially after consuming a few glasses and with a brand new rug under your kitchen table. Oh la vache!
— Jenny Rough

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