Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Reflections on WVO

The irony of wistfully writing about thoughts on used fryer oil is not escaping me.... but anyway.

Conversations lately inevitably begin with "Howz the car running?" My answer is typically "amazingly well" and I continue to talk, watching for the eye glazing to temper my answer. But here's the rub... it really does amaze me that after about 40,000 miles so far on WVO, I've not had a single issue related to using WVO as a fuel. In short, it works.

I continue to scan for driver reactions to my well-marked car and by and large I am met with indifference. There just doesn't seem to be many Fry-Geeks out there. Most interesting to me is the indifference met by Toyota Prius drivers. They just don't seem to notice another type of hybrid on the road which makes me ponder who they are and why they bought a hybrid.

There is one driver demographic that seems to be tuned to alternate fuels. Contrasting with the well-healed indifference of the Prius drivers, the Enthuse-O-Meter waves and thumbs up affirmations invariably come from the elements of society largely given to individualism. Those drivers of skanky, rusted out cars with the blanket tail falling out of the rust hole in their trunk seem to be a kindred spirit. I don't know if it is because they see a car powered by garbage as beating The Man, The System, or The Pocketbook but these kind folk ARE enthusiastic. The future of our energy independence rests with all of us changing our ideas on consumption and conservation. If my informal roadside survey is any indication, those having less to begin with have a jump start on all of us.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The meek shall inherit the earth...or something :)

Anonymous said...

You are not alone. My company supplies WVO and also markets emblems (not bumper stickers) so converts can be proud of their contribution to a cleaner environment. We badge one vehicle at a time and the movement grows. Robert@thirdplanetenergy.com

Anonymous said...

Freakonomics had an interesting examination of why people buy Priuses and the "conspicuous conservation" effect.

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/04/21/conspicuous-conservation-and-the-prius-effect/