The Good and the Greasy: The Sustainable Biodiesel Summit Aims to Raise the Bar
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.31.08
By now, most readers will be aware that biodiesel is not a magic bullet solution to climate change, and it does not come without its own problems and challenges. From unsustainable palm oil production, through fears of food vs. fuel, to vegans getting upset about putting chicken fat in their tanks, it seems the leading lights of the biodiesel industry certainly have more than enough to discuss as they convene for the Sustainable Biodiesel Summit this weekend. Held before the National Biodiesel Board’s annual conference, the summit certainly seems to have all the right intentions:
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"The summit focuses not biodiesel for its own sake, but biodiesel as a means to realize greater environmental stewardship, shared economic development (particularly through smaller, community-scale businesses), and a stable, secure, self-reliant energy future."
With the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance getting into full swing last year, we are delighted to see efforts from responsible biodiesel proponents to promote best practice and true sustainability, and to differentiate themselves from their ecologically dubious competitors. ::Sustainable Biodiesel Summit::with thanks to tipster Rachel from Piedmont Biofuels::
You know, the whole "vegans getting upset about putting chicken fat in their tanks" title is a bit harsh. It's not just vegans that would be upset about that approach to a solution. It's unsustainable and very much not green. I would think anyone who was aware of global green issues on that level would be miffed about this approach to biodiesel, so don't pass it off so lightly as a vegan thing.
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Author's Comment:
I certainly didn't mean to make light of people's concerns, and I apologise if it came off as flippant or offensive. It just happened to be the story I was linking to was regarding letters in the local press here in NC from vegans about that issue.
I agree, there are probably many non-vegans who feel that using chicken fat from the industrial farming complex is not justifiable, and many of their arguments are valid, just as there are others who see it as less-than-ideal, but still a useful way to deal with a waste resource, and a necessary compromise in the face of rising prices for other fuel stocks.
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