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Beyond Biodiesel

As scientists search for more efficient, cleaner-burning fuels, they are finding ways of improving the list of alternatives.

Take biodiesel, for example. This fuel can be made from canola, soy and palm oil and helps to offset greenhouse gas emissions because these crops naturally remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But it takes a lot of land to grow the crops, and converting them into fuel requires the use of toxic chemicals.

Now scientists have found a way to make biodiesel out of bacteria. The new form of fuel, which converts E.coli and two other bacteria species into a fuel called “microdiesel,” is made without toxic chemicals and uses plant waste instead of plant oils, reducing the need for cropland.

The raw materials for microdiesel are abundant and available at a much lower price. With the demand for alternative fuels growing, we will no doubt continue to see improvements in other energy sources as well.

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To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org