Bio Fuels here we come!

Since I was a wee  one, I've had an interest in sources of energy. My highschool had me touring a nuclear plant....yes, a real one. It was most compelling and educational.
Now, I take it upon myself to learn about the new forms of sustainable energy that are being created at a heightened speed.
I just recently learned about Jatropha oil. It is a large plant that will grow easily in even poor soil, and it produces very large seeds that contain up to 40% oil! That large oil percentage is what can be readily turned into bio-diesel and mixed half and half with regular diesel can be utilized  easily in a high perfomance diesel engine.
Then, there is the interesting new technique of taking discarded fallen coconuts from the ground of a tropical zone  and expelling oil from the coconut's to produce environmentally friendly coconut oil. It is a beautiful sight to see. I recommend an introductory entry level documentary entitled
 "Green MATTERS, what in the world is going on? BIO FUELS" created  by www.filmideas.com

Then there are the modern mavericks who rig up an old bus that has a diesel engine and travel across North America using only recycled restaurant grease to power their bus. They mastered the technique of purifying
a variety of  "used" cooking oils such as Soy, fish oil, and palm oil and simply pour the filtered oils into their bus's diesel tank.

How wonderful. Wouldn't it be great if some day we will drive up to our local fueling center, and similar to a drive-thru, be able to choose our "favorite" fuel flavor for the day as easily as choosing our favorite ice cream cone?

Then there is the idea of hydrogen fuel cells that have zero emissions and can create fuel out of simply air and water. Biomass is also a compelling idea, with the availability of using almost any waste product as a fuel source with which to produce electricity for the masses.

It is truly an awesome time and season to be alive. Inventors and scientists, I salute you, and encourage you.... we are soooo close to a radical paradigm shift in the society of modern man.
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Indoor Food Gardens using Repurposed and Compostable Items

This photo is of my first successful indoor food experiment and contains healthy young green beans hanging from the plant.

 Dryer lint is an untapped recyclable material available in plenty in many households. Add one layer of lint
to the bottom of your planter/seed nursery before you add soil on top.
Cardboard egg cartons are a great tool for starting seedlings. Cardboard can easily
assimilate into the garden soil if/when you choose to replant your plants outdoors. Cardboard is easily cut with scissors and soaks up the water well while helping to keep the seedlings hydrated.

 The re-purposed soil has been added on top of the dryer lint and seeds planted
into each pocket of soil. Water added after planting seeds.

Collect lint
every time you use your clothes dryer and save it in a coffee can or zipper bag

It has become an interest of mine to see what kind of food plants will grow successfully indoors. And so, I tried to grow some green beans indoors this winter and have had some success. I also made of point of using compostable and re-purposed items to set up these plant nurseries. Growing things needn't be costly other than the time and tlc required to nurture them to health and full bloom.

The items I have used in creating these planters is lint (yes the stuff from your clothes dryer) as the
first layer which will help retain moisture and provide a cushy bottom for the seedlings to grow in.
Secondly I used cardboard egg cartons as planters and place them into my own glass and plastic shallow containers so that they would not leak water.
On top of the lint I placed soil that I repurposed from wilted Pointsettia plants given to us at Christmas time.
Whenever you receive a flowering potted plant as a gift, if you find that the flowers have wilted and you are tempted to throw the whole pot, plant and soil into your garbage....think first. The soil is recyclable and you can either add it to your planters and indoor or outdoor gardens. ( be careful not to reuse soils that you suspect has contained a sick or diseased plant, as you don't want to spread the plant disease through the soil)

Enjoy this thrify "Green" experiment. Children also love to see things grow and will watch enthusiastically as
their indoor garden matures.

Peace.


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