B.I.O. BUS TRIBE's topics - tribe.net

Cops sieze eco bus, leave family stranded, shoeless!

2008-09-02T20:50:45Z

From Starhawk:

Hey friends, we need your help! Our Earth Activist Training Sustainable
Skills Bus has been seized without cause by the police. Below is an
account from the Wilsons, who have been travelling in the bus for the
last seven months doing trainings in permaculture and sustainability,
including ways you can help. My own accounts from the action can be
found on www.starhawk.org and I¹ll be posting daily as long as I can‹or
sign on to my own list
by emailing starhawk-subscribe@lists.riseup.net.
If you¹re on that list, my own account follows. Please support these
folks who have been doing such good work for us all. Thanks!

POLICE SEIZE PERMIBUS

Please Post Far and Wide including any Media Contacts You May Have

At approximately 6:25 pm on August 30, 2008 Minneapolis Police,
Minnesota State Troopers, Ramsey County Sheriffs, Saint Paul Police, and
University of Minnesota Police pulled over the Earth Activist Training
Permaculture Demonstration Bus (Permibus) by exit 237 on Interstate 94.
Initially the police told the people on the bus to exit. When the people
on the bus asked if they were being detained they were told that they
were but police were unable to provide justification. When asked why
they pulled the bus over they refused to answer. After repeated requests
to explain why the bus had been stopped Officer Honican of the
Minneapolis
Police explained that this was just a routine traffic stop
though he did not explain the reason for the traffic stop. The police
then told Stan Wilson, the driver and registered owner of the Permibus,
that they were going to impound the bus in case they wanted to execute a
search warrant later.

After more than an hour of being questioned by Stan and Delyla Wilson as
to the legalities of their detainment and the impoundment of the
Permibus, the police then informed Stan that the bus, which is legally
registered as a passenger vehicle in the state of Montana, was being
impounded for a commercial vehicle inspection.

Shortly afterward Sergeant Paul Davis, a commercial vehicle inspector
arrived on scene. Despite the polices insistence that the reason for
impoundment was for a commercial vehicle inspection the Permibus crew
were not allowed to remove anything from the bus including computers,
toiletries, and
17-year-old Megan Wilson's shoes. The police finally
allowed the animals to be removed from the Permibus before it was towed,
leaving the Permibus family standing beside their chickens and dogs,
homeless on the highway.

The Permibus was relocating from the Bedlam Theatre in Minneapolis,
where they had spent the day teaching Urban Permaculture, to a friend's
house in Saint Paul for a well deserved break. The Permibus has been in
the Minneapolis area since August 2nd when the crew appeared at the
Midtown Farmers Market for a morning of Permaculture education including
Permaculture 101, chicken care, seed ball making for kids, and the
Permi-puppet show.

During the past month the Permibus has parked at several local
businesses and, as a neighborly gesture of respect for local police,
Mr. Wilson contacted the appropriate precincts just to let them know the
Permibus was in the area and had permission from the
business owners to
be parked on their lot. Through this, as well as other casual
discussions with Minneapolis and Saint Paul police officers, the
Permibus crew found the local police to be interested and respectful.

However on August 30th all that changed when, for no apparent valid
reason the police pulled over and seized the Permibus. After the
incident Stan Wilson said, "If the combined law enforcement of
Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Ramsey County, and the State of
Minnesota can pull over and impound a vehicle and home used to teach
organic gardening and sustainability, one has to wonder what it is our
government really fears. After all, we seek to teach people that the
real meaning of homeland security is local food, fuel and energy
production. For that we have had our lives stolen by government men with
guns."

As of now, after repeated requests to be present at any vehicle
inspection, with an list of
what they are inspecting for, as well as
requests to be served any warrants for searches of the vehicles prior to
a search and to be present during the search the Permi-family has been
unable to ascertain the current status of the Permibus. On site Mr.
Wilson was told that Officer Palmerranky was the inspector in charge of
the case and would determine if the Permi-family' s rights protecting
them from unreasonable search and seizure would be respected. Neither
Officer Palmerranky nor his supervisor has yet to return Mr. Wilson's
calls.

The loss of her home and possessions is particularly difficult on
seventeen-year- old Megan Wilson. Megan, a shining example of what this
country asks of today's youth, has dedicated herself to making positive
changes in the world. She was the youth keynote speaker at the Local to
Global conference in Phoenix AZ, has taught conflict resolution at youth
shelters and is the
outreach coordinator for the Skills for a New
Millennium Tour, the family traveling educational project.

Megan believes that, "While I understand that the world we live in is
not as it should be I strive to live and teach in a way that shows the
world how life could be. What I don't understand is why I can't get
dressed for an evening out with friends in my own home without armed men
stealing my life out from under me." The Permi-family, along with their
dogs and Permaculture super-hero chickens are currently being housed by
folks in the Twin Cities.

The Skills for a New Millennium Tour is a family education project that
travels around the United States teaching homesteading, citizenship, and
life skills at farmers markets, community gardens, churches, intentional
communities, schools, and in people's living rooms. The Skills Tour is a
donation supported project dedicated to providing tools for
sustainable
living, including Permaculture, to anyone who is interested, regardless
of income. "We believe that any solution that is not accessible to the
poor and urban areas is not a real solution for the future," states
Delyla Wilson.

Permaculture is a design system with ethics and principles that can be
applied to food production, home design, and community building in order
to increase sustainability in food production, energy production, and
social systems. The Permibus is a rolling demonstration of small scale
sustainable living with three people, three dogs, three chickens, and a
box of worms as permanent residents. The chickens and worms are part of
a closed-loop food production composting system that supports the
Permibus's traveling garden.

For more information on the seizure of the Permibus, the Skills for the
New Millennium Tour, or Permaculture, the Wilsons can be reached at
406-721-8427
or through email at skillstour@gmail. com. You can also see
pictures and read stories about the last six months of their educational
adventures at permibus.livejournal.com.

To our supporters: First we ask that as many people as possible contact
precinct one in Minneapolis, MN at 612-673-5701 and Mayor Rybak at

Phone: (612) 673-2100 or

call 311 or call (612) 673-3000 outside Minneapolis.

Also call the Ramsey County Sheriff

Sheriff - Bob Fletcher 651-266-9300

[NOTE FROM MARY: This number doesn't answer. The
Mayor's office recommended 651-266-9333, but it
is a recording, and does not have any provision
for leaving comments]

and demand the immediate release of the Permibus.

We are also in desperate need of donations. Though we do not yet know
the full cost of getting the permibus returned we know that it will
include tow fee, impound fees, and legal fees. To donate
contact us
directly for a local address or...

Donate On-line:

Go to: www.earthactivisttraining.org/ donate.htm

Click on: Donate Now!

Under "Gift Information" write: Permibus

Under "Please send acknowledgment of this gift to" write:
skillstour@gmail. com

Donate by Mail:

Make check payable to: A.C.T.

On the "For" line write: Permibus

Send check to: A.C.T. 1405 Hillmount St. Austin, TX 78704

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

My soon to be solar bungalow posted in my album

2008-07-26T14:25:51Z

Hi Gang

I live out on the end of Long Island in N.Y. Most of my work is between 50 and 75 miles in travel one way. Gas is up to about $4.50 here so traveling is pretty costly. So what to do? Well, I decided to build a rolling bungalow so I can stay on the job for a week or two at a time. Here’s a few pics of the beginning. The welder finished the solar rack today. Im putting 9/51 watt panels on it. A Trace C40 charge controller and a 1000 watt xantrex inverter with remote. I’m just going to throw in 6 or 8/220 amph golf cart batteries for my power supply. I got a used rv stove/oven and a small 2 way fridg. It should be fine for short stays.

Peace along the way
Dennis the bus dweller N.Y.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Disorient presents: 8: THE OFFICIAL AFTERPARTY* OF NEW YEAR'S EVE

2007-12-20T02:27:27Z

(*) and french toast breakfast

Come start 2008 right with Disorient. On New Year's Day, January 1, 2008, our doors open at 4am, breakfast is served at 8am, and the New York underground tribes gather for an all-day extravaganza.

L I N E U P___
ARROW (Disorient)
FRIARTUCK (Disorient)
MANNY

French Toast breakfast by Disorient's Love Ministry

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 4am - late in the day

Venue: LIBATION - 137 Ludlow (stanton/rivington)

Limited pre-sale tickets: $14 (includes 8am french toast breakfast!) Door tickets: $40

http://wiki.disorient.info/index.php?title=Parties#Disorient_presents:_8:_THE_OFFICIAL_AFTERPARTY.2A_OF_NEW_YEAR.27S_EVE

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

SVO moving arts collective

2007-10-02T09:39:00Z

I'm currently in the process of converting my bus over to an SVO system. Once this is done I'm packing the bus with various artists. Our mission is to spread the word about the benefits of love, beauty, health, and awareness. Bus people should stick together, hence my posting. If you wanna travel around on waste grease and make art, your more than welcome. This should be up and running by next year's burn. The bus is almost done on the inside.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Hi Guys,

2007-09-11T18:18:02Z

Hi Guys,

I have added an Energy Efficiency section to my website- Comments/Suggestions would be great.

Link: http://www.worldofrenewables.com/EnergyEfficiency/index.html

Grant Rowe

World of Renewables
grantrowe@worldofrenewables.com

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

The Vegan Bus - your sister tribe!

2007-09-07T21:55:04Z

Hello all,

very psyched to find this tribe! We are starting a project in western MA to get a school bus, convert it to run on vegetable oil, trick it out with art relating to veganism (happy animals and fuzzy stuff), and drive it to burning man. after that we will be driving around north america doing education and outreach.

we hope some of you will check out our tribe too, and we can network together.

http://tribes.tribe.net/theveganbus
www.theveganbus.com

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 4 replies

Hi guys

2007-08-29T19:11:29Z

Hi,

I am looking for informed individuals with a passion for renewable energy
that wish to be part of a small team that runs World of Renewables.

Link: www.worldofrenewables.com

Its a free website so we rely on peoples passion.

We need individuals that are willing to contribute to the site in terms of news articles and
forum topics.
To be a moderator of the site to help members find information and generally promote
Renewable energy/Alternate energy/Susatinabillity.

If you are interested please drop me a line.

Not interested but have views? goto : www.worldofrenewables.com/register.php
And contribute to the forum- all feedback is welcome.

Regards

Grant Rowe
Editor
World of Renewables.com

grantrowe@worldofrenewables.com

my tribe: tribes.tribe.net/renewables (its new)

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Disorient presents: COMPRESSOR (NYC) - Fri. Jul. 27, 2007

2007-07-26T16:32:25Z

Come support the last fundraiser for the Disorient Express--before we drive its newest addition, the 60-foot long REX, across the country from Brooklyn to Black Rock City!

Disorient presents: COMPRESSOR
http://wiki.disorient.info/index.php?title=Image:Compressor_D7.png

Get ready for the Playa, Disorient style.

Club Exit
http://www.club-exit.com/

147 Greenpoint Ave. Brooklyn, NY 718-349-6969
http://www.google.com/maps?q=147+Greenpoint+Ave,+Brooklyn,+NY+11222,+USA&ie=UTF8&ll=40.730218,-73.953888&spn=0.010651,0.018346&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

Fri. Jul. 27, 2007 - 10:00PM until 6:00AM

featuring
Zev/Wolf (Wolf+Lamb)
Sub Swara
Devo+Bianca
Journeyman
FriarTuck
Reda Briki
and DJ Balls

Disorient Goggles for sale.

Live D7 T-shirt printing by Peripheral Media Projects
http://www.peripheralmediaprojects.com/

Installation by AKAirways
http://www.akairways.com/

$20 in GlamTech attire, $25 without.
$15 limited presale tickets available soon at www.disorient.com

Proceeds support Disorient camp at Burning Man

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Disorient presents GLAMTECH - June 30 (NYC)

2007-07-01T23:13:24Z

Well, since this is http://tribes.tribe.net/arrowchrome ...

Disorient presents: GLAMTECH
http://wiki.disorient.info/index.php?title=Image:Glamtech_flyer.jpg (flyer)

GLAMTECH is the style of Disorient.
GLAMTECH is pink and orange and goes blink in the night.
Take a deep breath of GLAMTECH. Feel your mind and your energy depart from your body and electrify the dance floor.
Experience the finest house, techno, and psytrance DJs of the new GLAMTECH era.

Rebel, 251 West 30th Street (bet. 7th & 8th Ave.) New York, NY
http://www.rebelnyc.com/

Sat. Jun. 30, 2007 - 10:00PM until 5:00AM

In the GLAM room (house): The Bass (Dis), Tim Fielding (Rotate), Reda Briki (Rotate), Ulrich Hagen (Rotate)
In the TECH room (techno/psytrance): Ulrich Hagen (Rotate), Arrow Chrome (Dis), 3L3tronic aka Bianca and Devo (Dis) and DJ Balls (Dis)

$15 in GLAMTECH attire, $20 without.
$15 presale tickets at http://www.disorient.com
Proceeds support Disorient camp at Burning Man

$5 Drink Specials all night.
Disorient Goggles and other GLAMTECH jewels for sale.
Get your own D7 T-shirt printed live by Peripheral Media Projects
http://www.peripheralmediaprojects.com/

In collaboration with Rotate System.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

NY parking for veggie bus

2007-06-29T03:59:06Z

Trying to figure out where my friend could park his veg schoolie not too far from NYC for a couple of weeks. Any ideas?

http://www.businmotion.com/
http://people.tribe.net/busnumber3

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

who around here has a bio-diesel bus?

2007-06-22T00:57:50Z

sorry for spammish-ness of this--y'all are a good resource...

false profit and downlow are looking for more buses to hire to transport attendees to our camp-out, the weekend of july 20-21-22. the event is being held in belden, which is on the feather river about 4 hours north (in a normal vehicle).

we're prioritizing emission reduction for our event, and thus are trying hard to find bio-fuel buses to take folks up to the camp-out. we've got two buses lined up already, but we want MORE buses for LESS emissions.

money from the riders on your bus would go directly to you. and we're willing to contract for minimum number of riders / minimum revenue guaranteed.

PM me or email orange@eccentric.org if you're interested.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Wanted: Bio Bus Operators for Black Rock City

2007-05-28T02:55:09Z

Are you headed to BRC in 2007 with your veggie bus, want to green the burn, and actually make some green to burn?

Burn Clean Project Seeks 2 Bio-Bus SpaceShuttle Teams
6 Trips, 7 Hours Per Day, Friday & Saturday Off
August 26th-September 4th
Approx. $1200 per team

Dear Bio-Bus Operators of Black Rock City:

The amount of fossil fuels burned and greenhouse gasses emitted to get burners out to the playa is THROUGH THE ROOF. OFF THE CHAIN. OVER THE TOP. As the Greening the Burn movement blazes forward, Burn Clean Project would like to commence the first Black Rock City Bio-Bus Space Shuttle Program. BCP seeks aid burners get to the playa without renting a gas guzzling car, SUV, HumV, or RV.

We are in need of both Pilots and Space Shuttles a.k.a. Operators and Biodiesel-fueled Busses to carry eco-conscious burners from Reno International Airport and Amtrak train station to Black Rock City. In addition to contributing to the overall Greening of our lovely celebration, you will be renumerated for your efforts. Burn Clean Project will set-up a prepayment system to keep greenbacks off the playa yet put money in your pocket before and after the event.

The Bio-Bus must be:

o Running on B99, B100, or WVO
o Fully Operational
o Completely Reliable
o Able to Seat 20-25 Burners on Actual Seats
o Able to Store 40-50 Large Suitcases Plus Playa Dust

The Shuttle Pilot and Crew must be:

o 100% Sober (On Workdays)
o Fully Operational
o Completely Reliable
o Organized
o Infinitely Patient
o Time Conscious
o Able to Haul and Strap-On Luggage
o Able to Perform On-the-Spot Engine Repairs
o Able to Handle Large Quantities of Pre and Post Playa Burners Plus Luggage

If this sounds like the right job for you, your team, and your machine, please contact connect@burncleanproject.com .

If this sounds like the right job for your friend or a veggie oil organization that you know, please forward it along.

We're more than happy to fill you in further...

1LUV
Sustainability Diva
www.burncleanproject.org

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

need VO for roadtrip (NY, PA, VA, NC, SC)

2007-04-19T12:47:10Z

hey all, I'm taking a roadtrip from the Boston, MA area to western South Carolina...my truck runs on veggie, but I can't seem to get enough for the trip before leaving...so, if anyone along the way (taking rtes.90 to 84 to 287 to 78 to 81...) can spare some decent, filtered veggie, I'd be forever appreciative...plus we'd work out a fair trade.

I'm actually leaving today (I know - I should have posted earlier!) but if anyone can help out, please email me either here on tribe or at joelhenderson AT hotmail DOT com (you can figure it out I'm sure, hehe)

thanks

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

conversions in portland

2007-02-06T22:47:06Z

anyone have info on what I shoudl do next? I bought the bus, now i need to register it and insure it. anyone do conversions?

holllerrr

Keenan

im in portland oregon

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Tri-State Biodiesel now hiring NYC representatives

2007-01-16T20:41:09Z

New York City’s first biodiesel company, Tri-State Biodiesel, is currently seeking intelligent, motivated communicators to represent the company in door-to-door sales operations. Tri-State Biodiesel is expanding its waste cooking oil collection service and seeks positive, professional representatives to visit NYC restaurants and talk to them about our FREE waste collection service.

The full time position is available immediately and will last at least 3-6 weeks, with potential for on-going employment at this dynamic rapidly growing company. Knowledge and passion about biodiesel and/or environmental issues is a plus, as is Spanish and Mandarin skills. Compensation is $8 per hour plus commission. (A good sales rep could earn $200 per day.) Please send resumes to jobs@tristatebiodiesel.com.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Art car needs power...HELP

2006-10-12T22:28:58Z

I am building a art car next year with a dj booth and alot of sound! You guys have any suggestions?

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Need land or space for dreammachine conversion

2006-10-01T22:38:32Z

puttin the word out...lookin for some land with a large building for ~4 months to convert my bus
will consider ANY location in the USA....even an urban warehouse space

ideally, i would like to find:

1. a rural setting
2. a large enough machine shed/barn to pull the whale into while I work
3. a dwelling to live in...don't care if this is a ratty mobile home or cabin or whatever

Am willing to pay a cheap rent...maybe exchange for work/upkeep on the land?

In my previous life, I was a day spa director...yes, i pay my bills...no, i wont have huge large parties and ruin someone's property

If you know of anyone with the resources i'm lookin for....please email me

LADYGNKC (at) YAHOO (dot) COM

peace n love y'all

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

space and help needed for NYC biodiesel efforts

2006-09-29T16:56:28Z

Hi all,

We have all the equipment necessary to make 50 gallon batches of biodiesel including rinse tanks and methanol and plenty of grease. (Its about 5k worth of tanks and what-not.)

What we don't have is an appropriate space to make the Bio in and a person or persons with some time to devote to the project.

I am involved with a company building a commecial scale facility in Brooklyn so don't really have the time to do the "back-yard" thing right now. (Investment opportunities available.)

Any one interested in helping to set up and operate small biodiesel processor or with space for same in the 5 boros please contact me at arrow (at) biotour (dot) com

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Body Temple This Saturday!

2006-09-15T02:52:07Z

It's the New York part of the Earthdance international dance for peace event...don't miss out...I think it might have a little after-burner vibe plus its a partial benefit for Biotour.org, so...lets do this people!!

http://www.bodytemple.info

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Do you want a HOT T-SHIRT with the Burn Clean Project logo on it?

2006-07-31T14:32:59Z

Do you want a HOT T-SHIRT with the Burn Clean Project logo on it?
Well then send us one!!! The BCP T-Shirt Drive is collecting cool blank t-shirts, sorting them, and then sending them off to Eugene, Oregon. There, the INCREDIBLE Gabe Shaughnessy has donated his extremely valuable time to hand screenprint 50 shirts and 50-100 patches with the Burn Clean Project logo. This message emblazoned across our chests, sleeves, or bums perhaps, will call attention to one fabulous aspect of the great shift in sustainability consciousness in Black Rock 2006. Not only will you belong to the best club for green fuels on the playa, but everybody else will know it! ^__^
Notes:
I must receive the shirts NO LATER than July 26th. This probably means sending them out by the 20th or 21st.
Please make sure the T-shirts are clean, wearable, and a color other than black (like the mountain) or grass green (like the letters in the logo.) They can also be a shirt other than a T, as long as it is cotton and printable.
Please safety pin a name tag to any items that you would like to have set aside specifically for you and we will have them for you at the BCP Pod in the Evolutionary Center Camp on Monday.
For every one item you'd like set aside for you or a loved one, please send one or more as a donation to the T-Shirt drive. You are welcome to send as many extra T-shirts that you have-we’d love it!
BCP will be paying out of pocket for the shipping, so feel free to slip a couple bucks in there if you want to contribute to that.
Please RSVP and let us know how many T's you sent and when they will arrive so we can gauge how many more we have left to collect.
If you know of anyone who has extra canvas, please send that along as well.
Lastly, if you would like to to print the logo yourself on anything you own, that would be even better and way more DIY-ey! Just email me and I will send you the file.

Make a difference in playa fashion...become a part of the Burn Clean T-Shirt Drive!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox,

Onelove
1luv@burncleanproject.org

Burn Clean Project
636 11th Street Apt 3
Brooklyn, NY 11215

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

fellow veggie-bussers premiere tv show and have party!

2006-06-23T02:12:26Z

I'm happy to let all of you know about the show my crew have been working on called Edible Adventure. It premieres on the travel channel on Monday night at 7 and 11 pacific time. We will be in NYC for the premiere with our Veggie bus and we are having a party at Pianos www.pianosnyc.com its at Ludlow and stanton in the east village. If you have friends in NY area that you think would be interested please send them to meet us. The show is filmed in Costa Rica and is about where your food comes from, from the field to the plate!! Check it out: here is the Tv commercial: www.youtube.com/watch and an article that just came out in a mimai paper: www.miaminewtimes.com/Issues/...tro.html
Also read this press release: www.csrwire.com/PressRelease.php
One love and I hope you can watch the show. Forward this to your peeps in NYC and whoever might be interested!
Stephen

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Im on ABCNews.com (talking about my WVO car project)

2006-06-21T23:19:49Z

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=1994572&page=1

" Environment Loves It

The last thing Taylor Cahill wants is a new car. He's still waiting for his parents to get his graduation gift and hopes they get him an old diesel Mercedes 300D to drive through the cobblestone streets of Boston.

Cahill wants to work on making that old diesel run off waste vegetable oil. He says he got the idea from a buddy. "One of my friends has a waste veggie oil-powered bus. He inspired me a lot to get my own environmentally friendly automobile."

Cahill wants a clunker so he can do his own high-quality repairs. That's another added incentive — he'll be saving money. With gas and diesel prices hovering around $3 a gallon, Cahill can say goodbye to high-priced pumps when he says hello to veggie oil.

"I want a classy ride that's environmentally friendly and independent of big energy companies. And I'd like to have a mural painted on it, essentially turning it into an art car," said Cahill.

The hybrid route is not the answer to Cahill's eccentric requirements for transportation. He, like many of his college-aged friends, wants to forge his own path and show off his own identity, all while staying environmentally savvy."

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

(solar)electric or propane?

2006-05-26T02:23:41Z

id like to run my oven and range in my bus off of electric (solar) but it just doesn't seem to be doable so am thinkin of propane it is compatable to any gas stove right? if any yall got an alturnitve idea to cookin inside and with out fire wood also:please help

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Burn Clean Project: May '06 Update

2006-05-23T19:35:36Z

Burn Clean Project: May ’06 Update

• Biodiesel Generators: Burning Man organization is looking to place biodiesel-fueled generators from Kohler Power Supply at the Greeter’s Station, the Café, the Staff Commissary, and the Man itself. All of these locations are highly visible to the participants and staff. Yay!!! We are still waiting for the final decision and contracts to be signed, but things are looking good.
• Burncleanproject.org : Yes, that’s right, our own Ryan Wartena took the initiative, secured the site, and jumpstarted the design of our website. The website is a work in progress which currently contains a lot of useful links for green energy use on the way to and while at Burning Man. Biofuel, wind, solar, etc. Katrina Kachina has asked us to have the BCP site also act the temporary home to all the content for Greening the Burn, which will eventually have its own domain. Under the Greening the Burn heading, folks will be able to find information about all the aspects of sustainability for BM beyond energy, such as: recycling, water management, Sustainability Tours, etc, etc, etc. If you would like to contribute information and/or links for the site please submit it at connect@burncleanproject.org . If it is right for the site, we will put it on.
• BCP Artcar: the amazing Nate aka Gustavo found us through Tribe and has volunteered his new creation, the Bio-Bedouin RV, to be sponsored by Burn Clean Project. This mobile Bedouin tent will be hung with BCP banners. Nate has also volunteered himself to do on-playa education for other artcar participants on biodiesel how-to from engine conversions to making your own fuel. He has suggested handing out biofuel recipe cards and also mixing biofuel on site to demonstrate how easy it is: Nate says “If you can mix a cocktail, then you can make biodiesel.” Amen.
• Biodiesel Pedal Truck: Arrow, part of the Burn Clean Volunteer Collective, is researching the feasibility of leasing a pedal truck (a fuel tanker that has a meter to pump from, i.e. portable gas station) to put on site at the Gerlach Texaco station. Onelove is researching how open the gas station owner is to selling allowing us to be on site for a small cut of each gallon sold. We will see.
• BCP Logo: We should have our logo up on the website by next week. BCVC member and award winning graphic designer Christian Calabro (growingstudio.com) is collaborating with rising contemporary artist Oliver Vernon (oliververnon.com) to create an accessible vibrant logo for Burn Clean. Let the branding begin!!! ^_^
• Biobus and Green Car Transportation: The next goal to tackle for BCP will be getting more burners to Black Rock leaving the smallest environmental footprint possible. This will be a combination of green car rideshare, bio-bus trip coordination, and education on the best possible modes of transport to the burn.

Questions for you, yes you who are reading this update (if you have answers, please send them to connect@burncleanproject.org):

1. Do you know the contact info and base locations for any and all biofueled bus owner/operators?

2. Do you know anyone is taking a green-fueled (ethanol, biodiesel, solar, hydrogen, hybrid, etc) personal vehicle to BM’06 and would be interested in being coordinated with riders?

3. Do you know anyone who runs an environmentally friendly printing company (for banners)?

4. Do you know anyone who is cool with Cecil Courtney, the Gerlach Texaco’s owner, or any other gas station owners in the surrounding area (Empire, etc.)?

5. Would you like to volunteer to accomplish a specific goal for Burn Clean Project? Build a BCP Wind or Solar Powered art piece, coordinate bioriders and drivers, do fuel research, write internet blogs encouraging burners to go green in ’06 and how-to, silkscreen T-shirts, etc. If you got the time and determination, we got the To-Do list that’ll make ya feel so good!!!

Much love to all of you. Write us, volunteer, tell your friends, DIY, make it happen, Burn Clean, Burn Green for our beautiful planet and for all of us!!!

Onelove
Burn Clean Project Coordinator
1luv@burncleanproject.org

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

JULIAN CALENDAR PARTY : DISORIENT FUNDRAISER - MAY 19TH. (your favorite Arrow headlining the freaks..)

2006-05-15T22:59:20Z

The Julian Calendar :
---------------------
Julian Day (d) = 24h=1440 m=86400 s
Julian Year (JY) = 365.25 d= 31,557,600 s
Julian Century = 100 Julian year = 36525 d
Julien Birthday = May 19th of every Julian year. Not too many per century (only 6 in this one, so far).
-------------------------------

I have been blessed with a few mathematical birthdays lately. My last factorial birthday (24=4!) 4 years ago, a square birthday at 25=5^2 the following year, even a rare cubic birthday (27=3^3) last year. Yet 2006 remains profoundly unmathematical. 28=2*2*7. Very Bland.

Perhaps this is a just compensation for the excessive amounts of mathematical, computational, meterological and paleoclimatological pains I am going through these days, which I will not dwell on here.

Suffice it to say : it is my birthday, hurray ! The 28th of the kind. The 2nd, only, since I've been reborn under the skin of a Burner. Therefore what a better way to celebrate it than to throw a party with and for the benefit of my Burning Man family, Disorient ? (http://www.disorient.com)

Those of you are part of it hardly need any other reason... and only very few of you can afford not to have been extensively briefed about it, if you have known me for more than 2 (Julian) days .

As we prepare for our annual trip to the Nevada desert, there is a lot of brain-rattling, a lot of head-scratching, a lof of closet-searching, a lot of bus-revamping (last year at least), and a lot of wallet-clearing going on... Yes, distributing musical joy in the middle of the Nevada desert ain't a free endeavor, and we need all the resources we can get to set up a great camp with ground-breaking light sculptures, elegant shade structures, floor-shaking soundsystem and fantastic DJs.

Therefore, I invite you all to get a taste of that joy :

WHEN : Friday May 19th, 11pm-4am.

WHAT : Groovy, kick-ass house music by :

- DJ Magic Cookie (Deep, Velvety House), [Disorient]
- LIVE SET by Sarah Tancer (soulful vocal grooves) [Daysleeper, daysleepermusic.com]
- DJ Arrow Chrome (Funky House) [Disorient, Blackkat.org]
- DJ The Bass (Underground,Tech House) [Disorient] (disorient.com)

Creative designs by Anakin Koenig. Lights by Disorient collective, magical raw foods by Chef Lacey. No Brainer drink specials at the bar.
A chill room with puffy couches up the stairs, and wonderful people all around.
Costumes are welcome, not mandatory. Blinkies and blacklight will abound.

WHERE : Pussycat Lounge, 96 Greenwich St @ Rector.
( 2 blocks South of World Trade Center/GroundZero)
1/9 to Rector St. 4/5 to Wall Street. N/R to Rector St

the space is quite fun... but don't get lost : downstairs is no less shady than a strip club ! The party will be upstairs. At the door, mention my name, or Disorient's , otherwise you might be mistakenly repelled as a strip-club goer trying to ogle (or worse !) at our hot girls dancing.

WHO: There will be dancers, thinkers, talkers, smokers and breathers. Bankers, composers, visionaries, yoginis, doers, slackers, noise-makers, image-tweakers, venture-capitalists, red communists, green environmentalists, polluters, lawyers, outlaws, people defying categorization, people categorized by their need to defy. There might even be some scientists, but they won't be more scary that I am . And of course there will be you, and anyone you may want to bring there.
That means anybody you think might enjoy the event - civilized, respectful, wild souls - friends you would feel fine catching as they fall, or people you would trust to catch you if you ever felt like falling.

HOW MUCH : There will be a 7$ cover and blinky sales at the door. Eh, it's a fundraiser ! And without that I could never organize a big enough party to see all of you.

You are welcome to RSVP so that I get an idea of whether or not I will see your lovely face.
If, really, you must insist on making a birthday gift, please buy a blinky at the door. It will make me very happy to see you blink, and all benefits will go to the camp.

Blink 28 times and come party.

Julien aka El Niño

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Interesting article in Popular Mechanics

2006-05-15T22:58:21Z

Just thought I'd share it with the group...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/auto_technology/2690341.html

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Need help with Biobus info...

2006-05-15T22:54:49Z

hello beautifuls...I am wondering if people are already working on coordinating biobuses and operators with potential riders for Burning Man '06. from LA, SF, Reno, NYC? if not Burn Clean Project would like to get that party started. If it's already going let me know how I can help....Also, are there any other biobus tribes or websites you all can refer me to. thanks.

onelove
burn clean project

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 3 replies

practicaly followed the yellow brick road(on a biobus)here...

2006-04-23T21:08:50Z

seemz a purrrrfect place to lay this intention seed~
i am trying to find dedicated peep's to help facilitate a grand scheme uv epic p'portionz~
herez tha jist~
a troop uv biodiesel buses...therez gotta be a list uv all the crewz/collectives (like the o2 collective fer ex.) on the west coast...i haven't found one yet...or a person to head this up...it could basicly set the standard for what should be going on at outdoor festivals/big events like these. i wanna basically offer rides on these buses leaving from every major city on the west coast...from LA to vancouver~~~all meeting up in ashland, OR for Emerge'N'See '06...june 16-18th...we're going ta have a page on the website that will direct anyone interested in purchasing a "bus ride" to the corresponding bus buddies~there'z a gagillion ways we can do it...many ideas...point is...i want to work it so thatchya can get discounted tix for the actual event if you come in on one uv tha buses~or in yer own alt. fueled vehicle??? anyway, i'm open to as many ideas to help this party model the change we wanna see...be..and dream up in dis reali*tea~
~also...we're gonna do the whole fill yer own jug with water for 50 cents...(what do yuz guys think @ that?)fresh spring water from the mountain we'll be raging on~~~drinkin it in~~~
~also...we are requirin all vendors use super mega ultra green products..biodeg. plates and such...i even had the idea uv calling all the thrift stores in the area, having them donate plates, cups, and cutlery~we'd set up a dishwashing station...maybe peep's leave a dollar deposit for the ware..get it back when returned washed...???? i'm so all about that idea...what else???

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

New west Coast Ecotopia Tour 2006

2006-04-14T18:24:46Z

We are establishing a network of communities,
who are dedicated to sharing the cultural platform
of creating the global songlines between intentional communities, (Sunshine Coast canada to Costa Rica 2006) ,
and the urban youth centers through
the touring of performative troupes and political visionaries,
We are seeking your participation in visioning and touring...
I would like to call you into our vision, and ask for your song in the harmony...
-paradox pyxsmyth pollack

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 6 replies

See Arrow On TV!

2006-04-12T21:46:58Z

I'm gonna be on the news Hour with Jim Leher Tomorrow April 20th which airs at 7pm on channel 13 here in the Nyc area.

Its about my company Tri-State Biodiesel as part of a larger piece on corporate responses to global warming. It may not be shown till friday.

:arrow:

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

ECO:HAaP(PY)

2006-04-10T23:16:57Z

A new west coast tribe doing a similar thing. We love you.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

new open land speed record attempt, on biodiesel

2006-04-06T01:36:45Z

Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 14:02:38 -0700
From: "jim mason"
Subject: [Shipyard Announce]: new open land speed record attempt, on biodiesel

some upstart americans are trying to break the British Thrust SSC
763mph land speed record. they have built a car starting with an
F-104 fuselage and chutzpah. they seem enthusiastic, capable and
stupid. black rock awaits, quietly, as usual . . .

here's the info on the car:
http://www.landspeed.com/projectoverview.asp

and now they seem to want to run the jet on biodiesel. here's news on
a test they just ran.
http://www.sbd.55bell.com/ excellent news. one more step in wresting
this fabulous fuel from the greasy hippie hands in which it is so
often soiled.

not to over share, but i admit i started crying watching the thrust
ssc car break the sound barrier on black rock. it was an awesome
sight and sound. so much ability and effort focused on, well, nothing
in particular. but the concentrated release of physical and human
energy was simply overwhelming. yes, even more than an srl show. but
no, not quite a rocket launch.

j

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Podcasts from the State of the Planet 2006 conference

2006-04-04T20:51:12Z

Hi Greenies,
just thought I would share some really awesome resources if you are interested :

http://www.earth.columbia.edu/sop2006/videoaudio.html

listen to Joseph Romm's podcast on "climate, coal and the car of the future".
The one by Peter Singer is remarkable (and entertaining).
And of course Jeffrey Sachs is always worth listening to.

Let me know what you think...

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Burn Clean Project: Where we're at now...

2006-04-01T23:58:44Z

In the past few months, Burn Clean Project has connected closely with the Burning Man organization, specifically Blue of Recycle Camp fame, who is spearheading the sustainability leadership over there, along with Camera Girl who is the webmaster for BM. Burn Clean has found a generator company who has worked with biodiesel in the past (they did Earth Day 2000 in D.C. run completely on biodiesel) and is more than happy to work with us out in Black Rock. We have researched many biofuel producers in and around Nevada that will be supplying us when the time comes. There are others bringing wind and solar to the BRC center camp this year. All the new sustainability groups in our community combined with the already established pillars of green living in BRC are going to make 2006 the greenest and cleanest burn so far!!!
The next steps for Burn Clean are creating easy accessibility to biofuel powered transport to Black Rock, researching the possibility of a green fuel station in Gerlach, and creating a Burn Clean Project website resource (we just got our domain nam!!!) for people who want to create sustainably fueled experiences, on the way to and within, Black Rock City.
The Burn Clean Project tribe needs people like you. Wanna join?
There are also oppurtunities to volunteer if you email Onelove on Tribe or at burncleanproject@mail.com .

Onelove
Burn Clean Project Coordinator

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

Redeem the Soul of America

2006-03-15T00:13:18Z

Members of FUNK SHUI and MANY others will be performing in Carl's Corner in The CandleOpera... a Sacred Vigil to redeem the Soul of America.

Please contact me DIRECTLY (not through tribe.net) if you are interested in being a part of this beautiful event or know someone who might be!

Here is the Peace activism program
info as far as I have it for the March to redeem the Soul of America . www.marchtoreedem.org
Carl's Corner is a Biodiesel Truckstop created by Willie Nelson. www.wnbiodiesel.com/location...rner.html It has a 1,000 seat auditorium in the rear about 2 hrs North of Austin Towards Waco.

peace,
michael elam
512-294-5677

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Arrow's B-day Party

2006-02-22T05:04:51Z

Please Note Change of Address from Original Venue!!
Go Arrow its ya birthday—were gonna party like its your birthday/….
That’s right freekers!! Arrow Chrome is one year older this Friday the 24th and would like to invite you to rock out with him in celebration!!
Friday February 24th
10 to 4 am
990 Bedford Avenue @ Dekalb
G-Train to Bedford/Nostrand

With:
DJs
HAJ of Freek Factory
JASON BK of Blackkat
and more TBA….

Plus….
Projectionists
Hula Hoops
Cake
Freek madness
Pornj
And Sexyness….

Please come and celebrate my birthday and I’ll celebrate all of you…..

Love You All,
=--arrow‡

PS. Wanna do something! Give me a shout! Kinkyness and Costumes Encouraged!! Also, feel free to bring friends…I want this to be packed and rockin!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

resources for living off the grid....

2006-02-05T20:39:56Z

Here is a forum for living off the grid... here's a couple... post what you know!

real goods:
www.realgoods.com

Giam:
http://www.gaiam.com/retail/gai_content/learn/gai_learnCategory.asp?category%5Fid=17

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

BIO exhibitor @ the Javitz Center!

2006-01-27T22:02:56Z

Come & visit Arrow's BIO exhibition table at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show on March 5th - 7th!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

Diesel

2005-12-23T09:13:43Z

Hey kids [and old farts] I wanted to drop in and do a little shameless advertising for my new tribe.

Its called Diesel and/or Diesel Power and its going to deal with all the new advancement in diesel technologies and alternative diesel fuels expanding on both renewable and non-renewable fuel sources.

Since the rise of the price of a barrell of oil and the well muffled general panic that is coming primarily from Suadi Arabia we are looking at a energy shortage. Nobody knows exactly when, but the oil companies themselves are starting to look for alternatives, considering it was the oil companies themselves who had stiffled any other alternatives this is a good sign.

Unfortunatly some of the solutions in the pipeline for the future, arent necessarily the cleanest most environmentally friendly options available and some others take waste products and turn them into clean burning alternatives. They do however address the need for cheap energy and if they can be scaled more easily than cleaner alternatives we could find ourselves on the same pickle in a different barrell.

The purpose of the tribe is to be informative, so that we all become better informed on what is out there as these other not so clean alternatives pop up. I have some really interesting {or at least I think its interesting} stuff posted already as well as have some contributions coming in.

I think we all know that bio-diesel will not be able to sustain our demands for fuel. But would you believe you could make diesel from waste woodchips and mix in a little bio-d for lubricity and whammo, you have a clean fuel and you help reduce the waste stream.

Anyways I hope that you will join, there are many very interesting topics to discuss and information to share.

http://tribes.tribe.net/dieselpower

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 4 replies

Bio vehicle on Discovery Channel

2005-12-22T22:28:17Z

Was watching Discovery channel last night. After Mythbusters was a show called "Dirty Jobs" where a guy goes and finds the worst/most disgusting jobs people have and does 'em for a day. Dont know where the bio-car/bus/truck fits in to the show's theme, but in a clip for an upcoming segment they showed a guy talking about his great alterna-fuel car that gave people a craving for fries that drove with or near him. Sadly, I fell asleep waiting for it to come on. Sorry!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

a Breath of fresher air

2005-12-13T18:09:06Z

I woke up this morning to my alarm clock playing sweet jazz music of 88.3...

... and then the morning npr broadcast talking about actual politicians with power and lobbiests in their offices, and who knows what other corruption, in our lil ole oil driven country, well theyre starting to talk in congress about why arent we eliminating our foreign oil depenancy, and why arent we using alternative energy sources....

...and right here in NJ, in Atlantic City, babylon USA, is going to be the site of the first coastal wind farm in the country!

And that for the first time maybe in my life made me really proud to be a jersey girl!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

BIO Bus film screening and holiday party this Friday.

2005-12-11T23:49:41Z

Hey There,

Tri-State Biodeisel and Biotour.org cordially invites you to an informal holiday party this Friday night (Dec 16th) at 7Pm.

The party will be part of a short-film screening by a group called Shifting Focus. One of the short films is about Biotour.org and the BIO Bus.

Please feel welcome!!

-------------------------------------------

You are invited to the 6th ANNUAL Shifting Focus screening and
celebration! This is the end-of-semester event for the Gallatin
Community Learning Initiative class, Shifting Focus, where student
crews collaborate with community organizers to produce advocacy video
pieces that are then used to support and further the mission(s) of the
organizations. This year Shifting Focus has been working with The
Lower East Side People's Federal Credit Union, More Gardens!
Coalition, and Biotour/Tri-State Biodiesel.

WHAT: A free screening and celebration for the Shifting Focus
students, collaborating organizations, friends, family and former
students. Refreshments will be served.

WHERE: The Sixth Street Community Center, located at 638 E. 6th
Street, between Avenues B and C, in the East Village.

WHEN: Friday, December 16th. Doors will open at 7pm, screening will
begin within a reasonable time thereafter, followed by music and
mingling.

BRING A FRIEND!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

DREAMTIME WALK FOR PURIFICATION

2005-12-11T23:26:14Z

beginning September 2006
a tribe of walkers shall Unite

we will begin in BC Canada and we will WALK to MeXicO!!!

we will walk...camp...sing...dance....evolve.......grow & HEAL.
yes this is a dream and Yes this is real.

Lets honour our connection with this Earth together...and lets make it a celebration of PRI-found CHANGE.

Amylia

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Bio bus article in "The Villager" this week

2005-12-11T23:19:58Z

Hey all,
There's a pretty good article about me and the bus in the Downtown newspaper "the Villager" this week. You can pick it up at news stands or on some corners downtown.

Heres the text below......

Volume 75, Number 29 | December 7 - 13, 2005

With magic bus, former punk plies fuel frontier

By Daniel Wallace

Imagine sunlight turned into music. Imagine motion powered by plants. Imagine all the people, living in harmony. O.K., scratch that last line, and instead of a poetic future vision you’ll have the realistic portrait of a modern machine.

Since 2003 a 35-foot school bus that runs on vegetable oil and solar power has been cruising the country in a nationwide environmental campaign to raise public awareness of alternative forms of energy.

The bus, owned and operated by B.I.O. Tour, a nonprofit organization based in New York City, represents the convergence of normally opposing forces, in which an automobile produced by oil-driven industry has been adopted by environmental activists; and an environmental activist who formerly described himself as an anarchist has learned, through the bus, to embrace big business.

Brent Baker, also known as D.J. Arrow Chrome (his middle name is Arrow), the 35-year-old director of B.I.O. Tour, first came to New York at 19 when he was “a punk rock kid with a purple mohawk.” Since then he’s gone from street squatter, to hitchhiker, to anarchist political activist, to radio D.J., to party D.J., to director of a nonprofit organization and, finally, to C.E.O. of a corporation.

Baker became D.J. Arrow Chrome in 1995 when he started the Lower East Side pirate radio station, Steal This Radio, 88.7 FM, which broadcast nightly programs of news, politics and music. And, around this time, he formed an organization called Blackkat that promoted and organized underground warehouse parties.

He also became a fire-eater.

It was, in fact, during a tour as a fire-eater with a politically-oriented traveling circus, that Baker first heard the call of alternative energy.

“The circus was spending a lot of money on fuel,” Baker said. “It was frustrating, because a large portion of the funds raised at these underground political events was going to big oil.”

While the circus was in San Francisco in the summer of 1995, Baker met a group of women traveling cross-country in a biodiesel van, about whom a documentary, “The Fat of the Land,” was made. The idea of biodiesel so excited Baker that he xeroxed the group’s literature, and began promoting it.

Although Baker wanted to use biodiesel for his own tour, a few things prevented him. Biodiesel is basically vegetable oil that has been chemically altered with methanol in order to change its viscosity, so that it can be used in standard diesel engines, like normal fuel. But methanol, according to Baker, is a major component of fertilizer bombs.

“We didn’t want to do anything that would allow us to be framed as bomb makers,” Baker said. “I mean, we were handing out anarchist propaganda; it’d be an easy sell.”

Moreover, methanol is highly flammable and explosive, the dangers of which Baker learned through the experience of a friend, who welded a metal platform to the back of a bus, secured a 55-gallon steel drum filled with methanol to the platform, and began a biodiesel trip that soon ended when the platform gave way, scraping along the concrete with “sparks flying up, methanol splashing down, and people yelling pull over.”

“For me, that became a sort of parable,” Baker said, “whose message was, don’t travel with methanol.”

But Baker wasn’t ready to give up. He promoted the formation of biodiesel collectives in different cities across the country: a network of backyard stations where biodiesel would be produced locally, thus eliminating the need to travel with methanol. Such a network exists today. And, in 2000, Baker learned about a bus in Australia that runs on waste vegetable oil, unaltered.

“I said, O.K., this is what we have to do,” Baker said.

He started throwing Blackkat fundraising parties in order to finance the purchase of a similar bus. But the money came slowly, and Baker felt inspired by 9/11 to raise the level of his activism. So he started the nonprofit organization B.I.O. Tour (then called Sustainable Energy Now), saved money, quit work and began writing grants.

By the winter of 2002, Greenpeace had donated a bus, and Baker had raised enough money for a national tour. Since then, the B.I.O. bus has logged over 25,000 miles. Baker said the tour travels cross-country in the summer and regionally in the spring and fall. During the winter the bus is stored in Brooklyn.

The bus, whose diesel engine remains unaltered, is painted green and silver with large black phrases on its sides. Its roof is layered with seven solar panels. The panels charge six deep-cell batteries that, through an inverter, power inboard electricity and a 4,000-watt sound system used for parties and presentations. The bus has two fuel tanks and an additional set of coolant lines.

The main fuel tank contains waste oil from restaurants, which store discarded deep-frying grease in barrels out back. A small hose that extends from the side of the bus can be dipped into the oil to pump it through a series of filters and into the main tank.

But vegetable oil at room temperature is too thick to run in a diesel engine. So the second fuel tank, filled with petroleum diesel or biodiesel, is used to start the engine and to heat the main tank. After about 20 minutes on the road, the driver can flip a switch and the main tank will kick in.

“But you know, the reality is, people don’t want to have to change their fuel systems, or to dig around the back of restaurants,” Baker said. “They’ve got other things to do.”

For this reason Baker believes biodiesel is the most practical source of alternative fuel. It can run at cold temperatures in standard diesel engines. It has a host of environmental benefits — including more than 48 percent less carbon-dioxide emissions than petroleum diesel. And, according to Baker, it smells a little like popcorn.

But Baker recognizes that, in order to be used on a large scale, biodiesel must be produced efficiently. In other words, affordably.

“And that’s where industry kicks in,” Baker said. “It’s funny, because I come from a background of radical-left politics, and now I’ve discovered the importance of business and industry in our society.”

According to the National Biodiesel Board, the production of biodiesel in the United States has gone from 2 million gallons in 2000 to almost 25 million gallons in 2004. This exponential growth is largely the result of an increased number of manufacturing plants — there are now 45 in the U.S., according to the N.B.B. — and the efforts of farmers, especially soybean farmers, whose soybean oil is not a premium oil. Soybean oil’s use in biodiesel has increased its value.

In August President Bush signed an energy bill that included the extension of federal biodiesel tax credits and incentives.

“It’s amazing,” Baker said. “When I first started promoting biodiesel, no one had heard of it. Now it’s caught on like wildfire.”

In fact, when Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine at the turn of the last century, he intended it to run on peanut oil, though the engine has since been modified to run on petroleum diesel, which is cheaper to produce on a large scale.

Baker, in order to fan the flame, started Tri-State Biodiesel in 2004, a corporation that collects waste oil from restaurants and will build a biodiesel refinery in Red Hook, Brooklyn, which is slated to begin production in 2006. On a recent afternoon Baker sat at a plywood desk in his East Village office, signing letters to over 500 restaurants in the city that have signed up for Tri-State’s waste-collection service.

“That’s over a million gallons worth of biodiesel,” he said.

On the opposite desk, on a stack of papers, lay an illustrated story that Baker’s 10-year-old daughter, Felix, wrote for school.

“Look at this,” he said, flipping through the story. “My daughter, she’s brilliant. There’s a girl named Esperanza who, in 2057, discovered that the world ran out of oil.”

Baker turned the pages and explained how, in the story, Esperanza brought the evidence to a New York Times reporter, who muttered, “More crackpots,” but then realized it was true.

“Here’s the last paragraph,” he said. “Esperanza was looking out the big window, and instead of seeing the old Shell station, she saw a biodiesel-processing plant.”

Baker blinked and looked down.

“Brings tears to my eyes every time,” he said.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Long, but you should know this!

2005-12-10T18:58:27Z

Fuels of the future
Diesel Alternatives
By Edward A. Sanchez

“The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But, such oils may become in course of time as important as petroleum products of the present time.” That quote may seem like it came out of a recent environmentalist summit at some prestigious research university, in the wake of rising oil prices and unrest in t the Middle East. Ironically, Dr Rudolf Diesel himself, who ran his prototype engine at the 1912 Paris World Exhibition on peanut oil, spoke those words more than 90 years ago.

Likewise, the concerns about America’s dependence on imported oil were voiced as early as 1948, showing that many of the energy related issues staring us in the face today have been looming for 50 years or more. These issues that have been swept under the rug for so long have now become too big to ignore, and once obscure and forgotten research into alternative fuels has come to the forefront.

It’s no secret that modern turbodiesels are the natural choice for fullsize truck enthusiast that want to get some serious power and performance out of their rigs. But, could they also be the choice for fullsize truck enthusiast that want to get some serious power and performance out of their rigs. But, could they also be the choice of those wanting to make an environmental statement? Although the image of custom diesel truck owners wearing tie-dye T-shirsts and Birkenstocks may seem strange, in many ways this passionate group of enthusiast may share some common ground with environmentalist.

Although the basic design of the diesel engine has been around for more than 100 years, it has only been recently established itself as a high-tech, high efficiency engine option. Though diesel engines are a popular option with heavy-duty pickups in the U.S., the overall market penetration still stands in the single digits, around 3to4% among U.S. auto sales, compared to 30 to 40 percent or more in Europe.

The reasons the diesel hasn’t been more widely accepted in the U.S. are threefold. In the early to mid-80s, just in the wake of the fuel crisis, diesel emissions were unregulated, resulting in smoky, smelly exhaust, and little if any, incentive to improve cleanliness of the engines. At the same time, the diesel engines hastily rushed to market in the early ‘80s by some manufacturers quickly became notorious for their poor reliability, turning tens of thousands of Americans off to the notion of owning a diesel ever again. Thirdly, and most pertinent for today, the regulatory environment for diesels in the United States has been constantly evolving landscape, with the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ever tightening standards and refusal to compromise on particulate or NOx standards, long the Achilles heel of diesels.

But, all hope is not lost for diesels in the U.S. Thanks to recent attention being paid as much to the fuel going into the engines as the emissions coming out, diesels have the potential to become a more practical and economical solution in the next several years than even hybrids or fuel cells.

Here, we’ll look at several alternative diesel fuel technologies on the horizon. Some of which you can pull up to a pump and fill your tank with today, and others that you may be seeing within the next few years.

SUNDIESEL, FROM TRASH TO TREASURE
When many people think of alternative diesel fuels, the most common example is soy-based biodiesel, thanks to a powerful agricultural lobby, and a rapidly developing, though still small, production and distribution infrastructure for the vegetable-based fuel product.

But, traditional biodiesel is not the only source for plant-based diesel fuel, in a joint venture between DiamlerChrysler and Volkswagen with Choren industries, a German energy company, a fuel production and distillation process has been develop, known as BTL (biomass-to-liquid) synthesis, to produce diesel fuel. This process allows fuel to be distilled from forest waste, using wood that would otherwise be too defective or diseased to be used for lumber or other forest products, and would otherwise be unusable waste. Though this may seem cutting edge, the basic chemical process, known as the Fischer-Tropsch process, has been around for nearly 80 years.

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. During World War II, the Germans had the foresight to realize that continued dependence on oil-based energy would be a precarious situation as the war continued. Germany had abundant coal but little petroleum. Research into the Fischer-Tropsch process was given top billing. The process allowed for the production of fuel from any carbon-based feedstock, including plant or coal sources. Though more expensive to process than traditional petroleum-based fuels with technology at the time, it gave them some measure of reassurance with their energy strategy. The Allies ultimately prevailed, but interest in synthetic fuels by the Allies continued, although at a small scale level.

Little known legislation introduced by Wyoming Senator Joseph O’Mahoney in 1944 called for the construction of plants for research and development of synthetic fuels. As early as 1948, concerns arose that the U.S. was becoming increasingly dependent on imported oil.

Loren Beard, Senior Manager of Environmental and Energy Planning at DaimlerChrysler gives a glimpse into the environmental potential the Fischer-Tropsch method holds. “If you use forest waste or some sort of crop, the process becomes carbon-dioxide neutral. All the carbon dioxide that you produce when you burn the fuel goes back into growing the plants that you got it from, that you would otherwise have to take to a landfill to dispose of elsewhere,” he explained.

And, unlike traditional biodiesel, which requires harvesting of virgin crop for processing, Fischer-Tropsch doesn’t distinguish between virgin or waste sources, opening up a variety of environmentally beneficial opportunities. “There’s a disease that’s killing a lot of trees in the Pacific Northwest. They are a huge fire hazard and are really a nuisance right now. The government is looking at billions of dollars to dispose of them. A concept we’ve been looking at would be to build plants close to where the trees are. Allowing the trees to be cut down and processed into diesel fuel right there,” Beard said.

Although much attention has been paid to biodiesel lately, there are some issues in integrating it into the existing fuel infrastructure. According to Beard, BTL diesel is much more adaptable into the conventional diesel infrastructure than high-concentration biodiesel. “Biodiesel takes vegetable oil and processes it to a monoester of triglyceride oil, which doesn’t look like conventional diesel, chemically, whereas BTL diesel is very similar to petro-diesel chemically but embodies the very best properties of it,” he said. “Its sulfur free and very low in aromatics which is a precursor to soot or particulates.”

There are some minor issues with BTL diesel in terms of flow and lubricity, but Beard said these are easily overcome with additional processing. An ongoing issue with biodiesel has been its susceptibility to algae growth, which doesn’t affect BTL diesel, but like biodiesel, the cold flow properties of pure BTL diesel aren’t ideal. “BTL, as it comes out of the plant, doesn’t have any problem with algae growth, but it does have pretty poor cold-flow characteristics. But, this can be fixed with additives or a refining process called isomerization.”

The convergence of BTL and biodiesel into a blended fuel is also a likely possibility, according to Beard. “If you add two percent biodiesel to BTL, it brings up the lubricity to a point comparable to conventional diesel. We’re starting to see 2 to 5 percent biodiesel blends right now, and I imagine this is going to be the trend moving forward,” he said.

BIOWILLIE, STAR POWER FOR YOUR TRUCK
It was an unlikely meeting of two biodiesel enthusiasts that led to the marketing genius behind BioWillie biodiesel. As his tour bus was driving through Dallas, Willie Nelson contacted Peter Bell, CEO of Distribution Drive, a biodiesel producer and distributor in North Texas. As a native of South Africa, Bell didn’t immediately realize the significance of the call. However, his native Texan associates certainly did, and shortly after refueling his tour bus, the two started negotiations on a possible business venture.

“That’s when the light bulb went on for me that Willie Nelson would be an fantastic figurehead for biodiesel, and transition it from being primarily a niche fuel for fleets, government and the military, and move it more into the mainstream.” Bell said. ”We got together initially in January and completed a deal in May, and we’ve been marketing the heck out of it.”

Although Bell’s company produces a variety of vegetable oil-based products, including straight vegetable oil (SVO) diesel, and Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) diesel, using these products in the existing diesel fuel distribution and storage infrastructure could present some difficulties, as pure vegetable diesel has a higher gel point, and is more susceptible to algae infestation. For the time being, Bell believes B20 is the most practical blend for current diesel users and retailers. B20 is a fuel that has been tested a great deal and is in extensive use in many applications,” he said. “The beauty of B20 is because it’s not in such a concentrated form as B100, it doesn’t react with any of the rubber hoses in the fuel pump or in the vehicles fuel system. For a retailer to switch over, its really just a matter of changing the stickers on the pump.

Though distribution of the fuel originated in Texas, it is starting to become available at selected outlets around the country. “We just recently opened in South Carolina, and we will be opening in other states as we slowly roll out the program,” Bell said.

However, the most significant expansion in the distribution of BioWillie may be just around the corner. DistributionDrive recently approached Love’s Truck Stops about distributing the fuel, and Bell said that the venture’s future looks bright. “We’re very close with Love’s. If Love’s comes out with this offering, it will bring biodiesel into the mainstream for the first time. They are one of the major players in the truck-stop industry.”

THE SEEDS OF CHANGE: BLUE SUN BIODIESEL SHOWS THE VIRTUES OF CANOLA BIODIESEL
Many of us have heard of Canola oil. If you haven’t heard of it specifically, you’ve more than likely hear of Crisco, the well-known cooking oil and shortening brand of the J.M. Smucker Company, made most famous by its Smucker’s fruit preserves. Though very versatile as a cooking oil, it may prove to be just as valuable as a key feedstock crop for biodiesel.

And lest you think Canola is just an obscure greenie fuel being used by eccentric graying hippies driving 25-year-old Peugeot and Rabbit diesels plastered with environmental-activist bumper stickers, consider that the worlds quickest diesel down quarter-mile, running 7.98 seconds 167.43 mph, runs on straight Canola-based B100 biodiesel, supplied by Blue Sun Biodiesel.

According to Jeff Probst, CEO of Blue Sun, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, canola has several advantages over soy-based biodiesel. “Based on our research and testing, Canola will produce a better fuel in terms of cetane, cold flow, oxidative stability, and lubricity than conventional soy biodiesel, “he said. Blue Sun currently uses soy biodiesel as part of its blend, but is moving toward making Canola the primary and ultimately exclusive source of its biodiesel.

Although Blue Sun is available primarily in Colorado and surrounding states at the moment, the distribution of the fuel is growing steadily. “We are in Utah, Idaho, and New Mexico right now. The next states coming on stream include Wyoming, Nebraska and Arizona,” Probst said. As production and infrastructure develop to facilitate, Probst said he would eventually like to go nationwide with the Blue Sun brand.

Although there are many advantages to using biodiesel, according to Probst, he said the enthusiast can feel good not only about contributing to a cleaner environment, but also supporting the American farmer. “Enthusiast fuel dollars are kept in the local communities and with our farmers, instead of foreign countries,” he said.

Sources:
BioWillie
www.wnbiodiesel.com

DaimlerChrysler
www.dcx.com

DistributionDrive
www.distributiondrive.com

U.S. Dept of Energy
www.fe.doe.gov/aboutus/history/syntheticfuels_history.html

Blue Sun Biodiesel
Jeff Probst
(970) 221-0500

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Biodiesel Project in India

2005-11-23T14:54:15Z

Check out this link (scroll down to get to the article) about a project started in India to help rural communities be more self sustaining by using the Pongamia Pinnata tree as a biofuel. There is alink for the video as well. This is an ongoing and strong project at the himalayan institute.

http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/YogaInternational/YIFeature3.aspx

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

BURN CLEAN PROJECT--For a sustainable Burning Man!!

2005-11-21T19:26:06Z

The Burn Clean Project
Sustainable Fuels for Black Rock City

Mission
The mission of the Burn Clean Project is to organize and energize Black Rock City's evolution from petroleum dependency to the ubiquitous and affordable application of renewable energy sources. Burn Clean seeks to evaluate the energy requirements of our city and aid our community in applying a variety of sustainable power solutions. The ultimate goal of the Burn Clean Project is to see Black Rock City 95% free of fossil fuels before the close of this decade.

Impetus
The time for Black Rock City's independence from petroleum has arrived. There has never been a more opportune moment for this evolution towards sustainability in our community. The cost of petroleum, the true cost, outweighs the benefits of its energy production. Here are some facts about the state of oil consumption in the United States:

• With just five percent of the world's population, the US consumes twenty-five percent of the world's oil and produces about twenty percent of the world’s greenhouse gasses.
• Greenhouse gasses are driving a severe climate change on the planet, warming the Earth’s surface approximately 1°F since 1900 and further increasing it by as much as 10°F over the next 100 years. The three warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998.
• The effects of global warming include rising sea levels, dying coral reefs, spreading of infectious diseases, and extreme weather conditions, including droughts, rare forest fires, historic floods, and severe storms.
• Climate change over the next 50 years is expected to drive a quarter of land animals and plants into what is coming to be known as the “Sixth Mass Extinction.” More than 1 in 10 of all plants and animals will be lost due to greenhouse gasses already discharged into the atmosphere. Scientists have stated that action to curb greenhouse gasses now could save many more from the same fate. ac
• In the U.S, more people die from air pollution than from car accidents. They die specifically from asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, lung and heart diseases, and other respiratory allergies. The EPA estimates that a proposed set of changes in diesel fuel technology could result in 12,000 fewer premature mortalities, 15,000 fewer heart attacks, 6,000 fewer emergency room visits by children with asthma, and 8,900 fewer respiratory-related hospital admissions each year in the US.

Unfortunately this is just a short list of why the burning of fossil fuels in Black Rock City does not make sense any longer. The bright side of this situation is that our city has a phenomenally huge resource: human ingenuity. We are an inspired community, one that has proven its ability to create realities from dreams that others may deem impossible.
Countless citizens of Black Rock City are enthusiastic about the possibility of sustainable energy for our city. Through encouragement of the artists, inhabitants, and authorities of Black Rock we can have a community completely run with green energy sources: wind, solar, biodiesel, and people power, as well as energy sources still to be innovated by burners in the future. We need to aid in the co-creation of this possibility by providing education, green fuel sources, infrastructure innovations, and incentives for using renewable resources to power our transitory city.

Initiatives for 2006

1) Sustainably Powered Center Camp
2) Sustainable Energy Education for Artcar Registrants and Creative Increase of Incentives for Sustainably Powered Artcars
3) Discount Program for Biodiesel Bus Riders and Sustainably Powered Vehicle Users Arriving to Burning Man
4) On-site Biodiesel Fueling Station
5) Mother Nature or Energy-Related Theme for 2006

Burn Clean has assembled the Burn Clean Volunteer Collective (BCVC), a group of skilled and talented individuals willing and able to manifest the goals of the Burn Clean Project. They will design and engineer new energy systems for Center Camp/Inner Circle in collaboration with the DPW, create renewable energy educational material for artcar registrants, collaborate with Burning Man Project to create a discount program for green-powered transport to Burning Man 2006 as well as ways to fund it, and negotiate affordable biodiesel rates for the fueling station and Center Camp.

Action Requested of Burning Man Project

1) Approval and endorsement of the Burn Clean Project
2) Connecting BCP with necessary contacts within Burning Man Project to coordinate: Center Camp energy system design, negotiation of biodiesel fuel rates, on-site fueling station, and the discount program for Burners
3) Create greater incentives to artcars utilizing renewable energy and direct artcar registrants to web-based renewable energy education
4) Sponsor a theme such as Mother Nature, Energy, Gaia, etc. that could encompass and encourage projects of environmental stewardship (these themes are also open enough to be inclusive of many other non-environmental interpretations

Vision of a Clean Burn
Burning Man is a community, an event, a festival, a mental space, an evolutionary harbinger, and a home to many. We are able to manifest dreams in an instant and be transformed completely between sunsets. With the unified efforts of our artists, administrators, activists, and community members we can accomplish a sustainably powered Black Rock City before the close of this decade.

We make this pilgrimage to the pristine desert of Nevada to perform our yearly ritual…to burn the man, to renew, to celebrate, to discover, and to express our true selves unabashed. Let us build our sculptures, play our music, and dance in that beautiful desert without depleting her, without leaving a trace… of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, or any other toxic residues. Let us do our part as a community to initiate positive change, especially when it is vital to our survival and the survival of literally thousands of species on Earth. Our massive effort will be rewarded each time we return to Black Rock and enjoy the popcorn-like smell of biodiesel instead of the chemical scent of gasoline and watch the amazing wind powered artcars sail by on the playa. Let's manifest what we want in this world by working together. Burn Clean, Burn Green.

“As home to Burning Man, the Desert has a profound impact on the Burning Man community. In return, and to ensure that the Burning Man festival will continue for future years, we must reduce and remove impacts to the desert…” Earth Guardians

Burn Clean Volunteer Collective

• Jenn Breckenridge (Onelove): Coordinator, Burn Clean Project
Director, Urban Vaudeville
• Kachina Katrina Zavalney: Coordinator of Sustainability Movement for Burning Man
Coordinator, National City Repair www.cityrepair.org
• Brent Arrow Baker: Director, Biotour, non-profit environmental education organization utilizing vegetable oil-run bus www.biotour.org CEO, Tri-State Biodiesel, specializing in recycled cooking oil-based fuel
• Reverend Billy: Guerilla theater actor, activist, and organizer
Founder, Stop Shopping Gospel Choir www.revbilly.com
• Beatrice Durga: Editor, Environmental Public Policy
• Cris Wagner: Designer, SoLA at Burning Man 2005 www.growingarchitecture.org/SoLA.html Engineer, Hardware/Software/Materials Director, Boston Burning Truck project www.burningtruck.chaoshacker.org
• Ryan Wartena, Ph.D: Designer, SoLA at Burning Man 2005 Postdoctorate at MIT, Department of Material Science and Engineering, developing small and distributed energy systems and applications for social autonomy; concentration in electrochemical devices (batteries, fuel cells, etc.) and energy systems for nanotechnology.
Postdoctorate at Naval Research Laboratory (DC), Researching small and distributed energy systems and new energy devices and molecular assembly of electrochemical devices
Ph.D. from Georgia Tech, Dissertation on electrochemical recycle processes in high-temperature molten salts; minor in International business and IT management
Bachelor of Science from UC San Diego, Chemical Engineering
• Jeremy Faludi: Master of Engineering at Stanford University, Product design
Bachelor of Physics at Reed College
Freelance Designer, Rocky Mountain Institute and Chorus Motors;
Writer, www.Worldchanging.com.
Energy Efficiency Technology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Speaker, Biomimicry for green design (Washington, D.C., Paris, Delhi, Delft, Seattle)
• Tim Corrigan (Random): Information Technology Project Manager
Electrical Engineering, City College of New York
Electrician, Windmill builder, Solar Designer
• John Payne: Burning Man Steam Bath Designer
Eagle Scout
• Laurel Sutherlin: Project Director, Oxygen Collective, www.o2collective.org
Board of Directors, Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, www.kswild.org
Trained Naturalist
• Angelina Schneider: Founder, Harambe Performing Arts and Cultural Education (NM)
Manager, Investors Management Trust Real Estate (LA)
Dance Outreach Facilitator, YMCA, Girl Scouts, City of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation
• Christian Calabro: Grammy-nominated Graphic Designer
• Julie Covello (DJ Shakey): Music Editor, Sweet Action magazine
Director, Nightowl Record Fair, Warper Party, Thrift On! Party
Award-winning independent filmmaker
• Taylor Pattinson: Manager, Boulder Cooperative Market
Art of Living Teacher-In-Training
• Nikki Borodi: Fundraiser and Performer

“Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.”
-10 Principles

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 8 replies

Documentary film maker needed in New Orleans

2005-11-17T17:24:31Z

I was asked to share this... let's find the resources to make it happen!!
-kk*

Documentary Film Maker is desperately needed in
> New Orleans.
> I am a resident of New Orleans and there are
> atrocities happening in my city that need to be
> documented.
> Please find a way to help save my city. Interest
> needs to be sparked to bring attention to this
> crisis.
> Please visit the daily forums at nola dot com-
> you will read the cries for help from the
> locals.
> Some of us have been without electricity for
> over a month now with no honest answers from
> Entergy or city officials. Basic quality of life
> issues are being tested here. The cold front
> that has moved in will mean no heat, no hot
> water, no way to cook or even refrigerate food
> for a lot of us who are here to bring the city
> back to its feet. Businesses have taken top
> priority over residents. Reports of Police
> Harrassment- and recently, we have on record,
> our first post-Katrina Murder. City officials
> feet are dragging and issues such as Parking
> Permits are taking precidents over basic human
> needs.
> This is a huge issue for the rest of the country
> and it is the rest of the country that needs to
> know what is going on down here. What can you do
> help??
>
> To view this listing, click here:
> toronto.tribe.net/listing/documentary-
> film-maker-needed-in-New-
> Orleans/toronto/e6706bf4-31e1-4da9-a306-
> cbb511e964b5

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

ECO-METROPOLIS 2005

2005-11-08T16:33:39Z

ECO-METROPOLIS 2005:
Toward a Green, Just, Sustainable Greater NYC

At the CUNY Graduate Center (365 5th Ave, at 34th St.),
Friday and Saturday, November 11/12

Don't miss the most dynamic and diverse grassroots eco gathering in NY, as activists and experts working on a wide range of issues (environmental justice, water, food, air, transportation, education, energy, design, architecture and "green" technologies , parks/open space, biodiversity, urban planning, community empowerment, art, media, etc, etc) from all over the city and the metro area gather to share their work, inspire us and each other, and celebrate the too often unheralded, extraordinary creativity to be found in NYC's eco-activist landscape.

The ideas, initiatives and energy to make our city and region greener, cleaner, saner, fairer, freer and more joyous are here now. Come help make it happen.

Note: One special focus this year will be on activist students and youth and helping to nurture tomorrow's eco leaders (admission will be free for youth under 21 and students at all levels).

For more information and a full program schedule, see: www.ecometropolis.org

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

JASON WEST, the very young "green" Mayor of New Paltz who became a national celebrity will give a keynote talk on Friday night the 11th in an evening featuring music, poetry, eco-fashion and much more in a great culmination of a day celebrating every facet of youth eco activism and environmental education.

Saturday morning, November 12th's plenary sessions will feature four extraordinary figures:
-PEGGY SHEPARD one of NYC's legendary environmental justice advocates, founder of West Harlem Environmental Action (WEACT)
-ALEX MATTHIESSEN, Executive Director of Riverkeeper
-JOHN TODD, a legendary, world renowned figure in "green biology" and eco-design, co-founder in 1969 of the groundbreaking New Alchemy Institute and co-author of classics such as From Eco-Cities to Living Machines in a rare NYC visit
-MICHAEL ABLEMAN, one of North America's most inspiring experts on urban agriculture and gardening and urban food security and justice

For more information and a full program schedule, see: www.ecometropolis.org

Eco-Metropolis is co-produced by the Continuing Education & Public Programs at The Graduate Center at CUNY, the New York Open Center and the Bioneers Conference...(and special thanks to THE NATION magazine)

You can register through either:
-CUNY Graduate Center's Public Programs: 212 817-8215 website: web.gc.cuny.edu/cepp
-or the New York Open Center at 212 219 2527, ext 2 website: www.opencenter.org

Admission will be FREE TO ANYONE under 21 and ALL STUDENTS WITH SCHOOL ID AT ALL LEVELS INCLUDING GRADUATE SCHOOL. We are trying to keep the price of admission as affordable as possible for all but to do that we really depend upon those of you who can afford it to help us by paying at the higher "ally/supporter" rate, or, for the truly generous and/or prosperous, at the "benefactor" level. Thank you.

ADMISSION:
Full Conference: standard $40; ally/supporter level: $50; benefactor: $75
One day: $25; ally/supporter level: $30; benefactor:$45
Friday night only: $10

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

No Blood for Oil!

2005-11-08T00:47:01Z

Amen to that, anyways just wanted to check in and saw hello to the folks I met at PDF.

It was good to sit down and have a chat with you folks at several occcasions. I go by dr who online, but I was the firefighter who was on call during the event.

Anyways just wanted to stop by and say me no blood for oil magnet is on me car proudly. Unfortunatly I havent found the perfect diesel for my needs yet, but you can bet your underoos as soon as I do where that magnet will shift to!

Keep on trucking and spreading the truth!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

Burn Clean Project--For a sustainable Burning Man!!

2005-10-31T04:02:39Z

I would like to present you with a project proposal for a movement that was concieved this year at Burning Man called the Burn Clean Project.
Burn Clean will lay out an affordable set of initiatives to phase out BRC's dependency on oil and our unintentional pollution of Black Rock City. The plan will phase in the use of biodiesel, wind energy, solar power, and people power to produce a clean-running city and an inspiring example of sustainability.

With the ultimate goal of running Black Rock City entirely on Green Power before the close of this decade, here are the goals for Burning Man 2006.

1) Sustainable Energy Education for Artcar Registrants:
*an excellent first step working towards letting go of petroleum as an energy source in BRC

2) Sustainable Energy Powered Center Camp
*it's looking like biodiesel generators in conjunction with windmill power may be the way to go for 2006

3) Discount Program for Biodiesel Bus Riders and Sustainably Powered Personal Vehicle Users
* a program needs to be developed with funding options and cocreated with BMorg

4) On-site Biodiesel and Ethanol Fueling Station (in conjunction with the already existent petroleum fueling station in BRC)
* this would also be a venue to educate users on various forms of sustainable fuel

5) Mother Nature/Energy/Ecosystem theme for 2006

With these major goals, we can involve the artists, the Black Rock authority, and the mass populus of burners.

To move forward with a concrete project proposal, we need some concrete information from the organization that makes Burning Man happen each year.

1) Fuel requirements for Center Camp and the Inner Circle for 2001-2005 and also, projected fuel requirements for 2006.

2) Any feedback, questions, concerns on the proposed initiatives from you, the Regional Directors as well as the SF branch of the Burning Man organization. Larry has been contacted (via email from myself and Reverend Billy) several times regarding this project and has not responded.

Some Background:

I attended the Sunday afternoon community discussion with Larry Harvey and John Barlow at the Otter Oasis. I spoke both in front of the community and with Larry personally about the possibility of working towards a petroleum-free burn, through partnering with biodiesel distributors and creating affordable rates for BRC, as well as utilizing other forms of sustainable energy. After delivering me with a healthy dose of skepticism, Larry was eventually enthusiastic and agreed that this was a worthwhile project. He has not returned any correspondence regarding this project so far. I understand he is an extemely busy human, so I hope that by contacting my regional directors that I will be able to gain some insight, information, and an agreement from BMorg to support Burn Clean Project through providing the appropriate contacts within the organization, statistics for analysis and for obtaining fuel quotes form biodiesel providers, and any other administrative or financial mojo that the organizers are willing to provide this project. Burn Clean will benefit all of our Black Rock community and, through press and outreach work, could potentially inspire communities throughout the US to release from an unhealthy dependency on petroleum and learn to use sustainable, clean energy for our evergrowing energy needs.

Since returning from Burning Man I have assembled an incredible group of skilled and talented volunteers (Burn Clean Volunteer Collective) willing and able to design and engineer new energy systems for Center Camp/Inner Circle, co-create educational material for artcar registrants, negotiate afffordable biodiesel rates for the fueling station and Center Camp, and collaborate with BMorg to create a discount program for Green-powered transport to Burning Man 2006. We need BMorg to rubber stamp and collaborate with our project for these goals to ultimately manifest. Can you ladies help make this vision a reality for our community?

Thank you so much for your attention and hopefully, a quick response.

Onelove, Co-ordinator for the Burn Clean Project

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

Gasoline vs Diesel vs Biodiesel

2005-10-28T21:00:12Z

So as we are moving forward with the Clean Burn campaign, for bringing sustainable fuels and energy to the Burning Man Festival, someone was asking about how diesel and biodiesel emissions compare to gasoline. I wanted to share my response.....

The thing about comparing diesel emissions to gasoline is complicated because the emissions depend so much on the quality of the engine and the quality of the fuel. and of course you can't test an engine with diesel and test the same engine with gas because the done run in the same engine. additionally there is the fact that diesel gets better milage per gallon and that diesel engines last longer so you have to build two or three gas engines to get the life of one diesel engine, so that manufacturing of additional engines and vehicles is a factor too. It is generally true that a new clean gas engine is slightly cleaner that a new diesel engine, but if you factor in that the diesel gets more power and milage out of a gallon of fuel than diesel actually produces less carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide that a gas engine. but there are many different kinds of emissions that can be tested for such as nitrous oxide, sulfur, particulate matter, aromatics, and soot. to make things more complicated there are several different grades of both diesel fuel and of gas. each with its own emissions profile. the bottom line is that it is extreamly difficult to apply exact science to two totally different engine types with so many factors.

I am a committed environmentalist with 10 years of being involved with promoting, making, using and researching biodiesel and vegetable oil as a fuels. for the last 3 years i have fun a vegetable oil powered bus as part of my non-profit environmental activism and for the last year and a half I have been developing a biodiesel company, so I do have a bit of knowledge on the subject. My understanding, based on many years of reading and conversations with people involved in all aspects of emissions reductions, is that a comparison of similur diesel and gas vehicles that the overall carbon emissions (greenhouse gasses) would be better with the diesel but that the sox(sulfer) and particulate matter (health problem causing gasses) would be better with gasoline. My understanding is that a vehicle using a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petro-diesel would be cleaner on both carbon and particulate matter. And, of course the higher the biodiesel blend the better reduction you would get. The main reason to blend biodiesel with petro is because biodiesel doesn't flow as well as petro in cold weather (32 degrees f and under) conditions. At black rock city in the summer we wouldn't have temperatures low enough (even in the early morning) to require blending of diesel fuel at all, so we could potentially run every thing on 100% biodiesel, which would definately give a much, much greater emissions reduction in all catagories than a gasoline engine. (100% percent biodiesel has huge emissions reductions as compared to petro-diesel in all catagories with the exception of nitrous oxide--about 75% percent reduction over all according the the US EPA. According to the American lung association biodiesel is about 90% less toxic than petro-diesel. Biodiesel is readily biodegradable as well.) For more info on biodiesel vs diesel emissions data (this can be done as the two fuels can be tested in the same engine) please see www.biodiesel.org or my websites www.biotour.org and www.tristatebiodiesel.com.

Part of the traditional problem with diesel in the past is that the us government (as opposed to the Europeans) have been slow to regulate diesel fuel, and as a result the refineries would dump a lot of the impurities form the crude oil into the diesel rather than into the more heavily regulated gasoline. This is now changing rapidly and the government now allows much lower levels of sulfer and other impurities in the diesel fuel. This means diesel fuel is becoming cleaner and more expensive.

In closing I would respectfully suggest that you do a little more research before disparaging what is probably the best emissions reducing fuel available on the market today. If you do have data or studies to back up your claims I would love to see them, as I am deeply concerned with these subjects.

Here are a few articles on diesel vs gas that I found with a basic google search.

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/04-12/diesel-vs-gasoline-article.htm
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/specialreports/articles/93338/article.html
http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4022630&src=LP%20Passenger
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/factsheets/calemissions.pdf

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

BIOBUS joins Julia Butterfly Hill and the "We the Planet" tour

2005-10-26T06:54:40Z

Breaking News…

BIOTOUR.ORG has offered our BIOBUS for use on the “We The Planet” and its “Planet Bus” tour featuring Julia Butterfly Hill!

“We the Planet” is a national tour highlighting the need for sustainable energy, alternative fuels and offering a wide range of interactive engagements that highlight positive solutions and creative strategies that can heal and transform our world.

Through their stops at universities, colleges and conferences, Planet Bus is bringing their message to a new audience of young people, empowering them with tools and information to act as agents of change toward a peaceful, just and sustainable planet!

Their transmission blew in mid-tour (NOT veggie-oil related) and they called Biotour for help. At Biotour.org we know that activists have to stick together and that we share a mission with the Planet Bus tour so, we not only said “yes” we offered to waive the rental fee as well! Biotour.org's new Outreach Director/Conversion Mechanic/BIOBUS operrator Andy Lynch will be the hired driver for the tour so please say "hi" to him.

So, please check out the Planet Bus tour as it travels in the BIOBUS down south and west thru the United States this October and November. The Planet Bus/Biotour tour schedule can be found http://biotour.org/schedule.html. For more info on "We the Planet" go to http://circleoflife.org/WTP2004/index.php

Below is what I know about there local stop from Sandie...

Have you heard of Julia Butterfly Hill? She's the woman that lived up in a tree called Luna for 2 years to prenvent it form getting cut down. She's quite an orator and she's coming to the Jivamukti Yoga Center, located at 404 Lafayette Street, just south of Astor Place in Manhattan, where I teach this friday. It's called GIRLS GONE GREEN! A CHARITABLE EVENT TO BENEFIT LOWER EASTSIDE GIRLS CLUB 6-9pm $20 (tax deductable)

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Black Rock Goes Green...how can you help?

2005-10-21T11:44:42Z

hey all,
My partner in eco-lution and dear friend is leading a campaign to run the Burning Man Festival on renewable fuel and sustainable energy. Please read on and get involved...

-------------------------------

Hello beautiful burners...

It's been 4 weeks since we were all in BRC together and for some, it is feeling like a beautiful dream that is hard to fully recollect. I hope all of you do remember the part about volunteering to help Black Rock City become a green energy fueled community...whether you and I met at the Larry Harvey talk on Sunday, the Monday night meeting at Center Camp, or somewhere out on the playa. If your memory around this is hazy, no shame in that, read on anyway.

This community is poised for positive change in our relationship to petroleum products; we're ready to end it. Through encouragement of the artists, inhabitants, and authorities of Black Rock we can have a community compeletely run with green energy sources: wind, solar, biodiesel, and people power, as well as energy sources still to be innovated by burners in the future. This goal will take planning, organization, focus, imagination, determination, and some superstar mojo to manifest. I believe we have that among us.

For now I have two requests from all of you...

1) Please send me a concise description of your skill set as it could relate to making Black Rock City a completely green energy-fueled community including but not by any means limited to: performance abilities, graphic design, accounting, climate/environmental science knowledge, alternative energy knowledge/technical skills, ability to garner support from burners via internet, connects to the administrative/executive branch of BRC, connects to DMV, willingness to hold meetings/teach-ins in your hometown, lobbyist/political skills, etc.
2) Forward this email to burners you know who'd be interested in helping manifest the goal of Burning Clean

Once I receive a confirmation of your desire to volunteer, I will send you a complete rundown of the initiatives that we are putting before the founders of Burning Man, as well as green energy goals to be achieved by the Black Rock community at large.

Thank you so much for having the drive to volunteer for this project. The benefits of which we will feel each time we return to Black Rock and enjoy the popcorn-like smell of biodiesel instead of the chemical scent of gasoline and watch the amazing wind powered artcars sail by on the playa...a guiltfree Burn. Let's manifest what we want in this world by working together.

Jenn "Onelove" Breckenridge

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

Share a BIO BUS story

2005-10-20T04:31:21Z

Been on the BIOBUS before? Please share a BIOBUS story with the peeps!!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 7 replies

BIOBUS REJECTED FOR HALLOWEEN PARADE

2005-10-17T19:10:14Z

Well our past exlperiences with the organizers are that they absolutely loved the bus and begged us to come back but this year heres what we got...

----"I'm sorry to have to tell you that this year we don't have room for the
BIO Bus.

Last year, while you were in the parade, there were a handful of other
long-time participant floats and vehicles that were unable to
participate because the parade was packed.

In fact, even with those cuts, last year's parade was longer than ever
before, and there were still too many vehicles, and not enough costumed
marchers, on foot at the end of the parade. That is why we are again
reducing the number of vehicles in the parade.

Of course, we welcome your 'ton of people in costume' to the parade, and
hope you will be able to participate this year without the bus. If you
would like the group to be listed in the line up and be given a Pumpkin
to meet at, please let me know at your earliest convenience.

Regretfully,
Larry"---------

Last year in the parade we did a pretty good job of breaking some rules such as havi9ng alot of people on the roof....I have a feeling this might have contributed to the decision. Also we don't really decorate to much. Any way this is quite a bummer for me and many of yous I guess......

What can you do.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 4 replies

Pics: PDF Fall 2005

2005-10-17T03:21:30Z

Miss PDF prelims at Disorient (under the Chrome Home)
http://ky2046.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.12/date-asc/0-30

The Making of the SouthStar
http://ky2046.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.20/date-asc/0-30

Sunday, Bloody Sunday: Disorient mobile Bloody Mary bar
(hosted by Claire & Ky)
http://ky2046.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.19/date-asc/0-30

Tiki Bar: lounge & pole dancing (Sunday night)
http://ky2046.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.13/date-asc/0-30

Main Stage: Disorient & friends (Sunday night/Monday morning)
http://ky2046.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.14/date-asc/0-30

---------------------------------------------------------
GogoPod (included in Main Stage)
http://ky2046.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.15/date-asc/0-30

---------------------------------------------------------
PDF Fall 2005 (includes all of the above)
http://ky2046.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.11/date-asc/0-30

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

smart tech posting photos question...

2005-10-17T03:16:30Z

Hey KY or anyone...

do you have a quick and easy solution for posting my pictures on the internet...I was using flickr but now the say ive reached my monthly limit and they want money...

I got three websites but its so time consumiing making new webpages and photoshope each picture.....is there maybe some soft ware for my site that make it easyh???

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 6 replies

Willie Nelson drives biodiesal

2005-10-12T01:04:49Z

If anyone watched the last episode of Bill Maher he had Willie Nelson on, one of the big things they talked about was Biodiesal and Veggie Oil alternatives to oil.

I thought it was pretty cool
C

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

The Bioregional Approach to Sustainable Cities

2005-10-04T21:18:52Z

The Bioregional Approach to Sustainable Cities
Peter Berg

Cities need to become sustainable in order to improve human living conditions for half the world's population, reduce ecological threats to the Earth's biosphere, and harmonize with natural systems. In order to advance urban sustainability, it is essential that we come to view cities in regard to their particular bioregion. A bioregional approach to urban plans, designs, buildings, and policies is geared toward restoring and maintaining natural systems, developing ways to satisfy basic human needs, and supporting means to fit into the ecological life-place. Food, water, refuse, sewage, energy, materials and production, transportation, education and culture, parks and open spaces, and sustainable planning can all be viewed within a bioregional context. In this lecture and workshop, noted ecologist Peter Berg will discuss bioregional approaches to creating sustainable cities and examples of cities that are currently implementing these approaches.

Peter Berg, Founder and Director, Planet Drum Foundation; author, numerous books including Dispatches From Ecuador and Discovering Your Life-Place: A First Bioregional Workbook.

6075 - Thursday, October 6 6:30-9pm $15; $5 students

To register, call (212) 817-8215 or email continuinged@gc.cuny.edu with the information listed on this form. Or click for all of our registration options.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Costs

2005-10-04T02:55:57Z

Ok, if you can't or don't have a source for used fryer grease, what is the costs of Vegtable oils in bulk?

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

pdf?

2005-10-01T15:42:00Z

so, what exactly is the plan? I hear the bus is leaving from the FF party Saturday morn, what I want to know is:

1) is there a specific driving route planned?

2) are we driving the length of the Jersey Turnpike?

2a) if so, can we stop around Exit 4 to pick up my son?

2b) if not, can we modify the route such that we CAN?

2c) if we CAN, does a 6 year old need a ticket?

Info me ASAP.

:-S

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 1 reply

Nerdy carbon question

2005-09-29T22:37:58Z

Hey Arrow,
as an environmental scientist I am dying to know the carbon efficiency of vegetable oil compared to gas... Surely there are plenty of strategic reasons to drop the oil addiction. But my concern is global warming (as should everyone else's... they'll know sooner or later), and in all the alternative energy workshops I have attended, vegetable oil was never mentioned as an alternative.
I wouldn't be surprised to hear that's because most of these people are boring as bad shit and they should know Arrow and his wonderful BUS, but technically... per energy equivalent (say 1kW ) of veggie oil (assuming some standard engine) what is the amount of CO2 you save ?

El Niño, always careful not to warm up the atmosphere with anything else than hot pants.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 3 replies

PETROCOLLAPSE

2005-09-29T22:34:43Z

PRESS RELEASE

PETROCOLLAPSE - Social isolation or solidarity?

The First Peak Oil Conference in New York City - October 5, 2005

Contact: Jenna Orkin, Moderator
(718) 246-1577 cell: (646) 267-1577

jennakilt@aol.com
or: Jan Lundberg, Organizer
(215) 243-3144
http://www.petrocollapse.org/

The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist
40 E. 35th Street, New York, NY 10016

9 A.M. - 5 P.M. Registration begins 8:30.

Speakers include James Howard Kunstler, author: The Long Emergency; Dr. John
Darnell, Science and Energy Advisor to Congressman Roscoe Bartlett; Jan Lundberg

of Culturechange.org, former publisher: the Lundberg Survey; Mike Ruppert,
author: Crossing the Rubicon, Fromthewilderness.com; David Pimentel, Cornell

University; David Room, Post Carbon Institute. Moderator: Jenna Orkin, World
Trade Center Environmental Organization

Sponsored by Culturechange.org and by Continuing Education &

Public Programs, The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY).

"As oil prices rise and crude oil supplies and refined products strain to keep
up with demand, the peaking of global oil extraction is finally becoming

acknowledged in the mainstream news. As Hurricane Katrina has hampered
petroleum production in addition to devastating a large population and
ecosystem, as Rita threatens to do worse, people are asking if this is a

foretaste of the future of a nation that has failed to conserve energy," stated
Jan Lundberg, a principal conference organizer who ran the oil statistics firm
Lundberg Survey.

"Yet, the complete story on peak oil is still suppressed, and the public remains

in the dark about the vast array of consequences of this looming crisis.
Dishonest reporting by OPEC countries and major oil companies have contributed
to the illusion that there is sufficient time before we 'run out of oil' to

transition to a 'solution', whether it be hydrogen, renewables, an attempt to
increase nuclear power, or some combination of the above," Lundberg added.

Approximately one dozen significant oil producing countries are past their peak

in extraction and it is possible that world peak has already arrived (this
cannot be conclusively determined until after the fact). The sudden effects of
shortage are likely to hit the global economy within the next three years,

possibly even as early as this winter. "With Hurricane Katrina, we have just
seen what the lack of disaster preparedness can do. And the effects of peak oil
portend an economic and social hurricane," said Jenna Orkin, the conference

moderator.

At The Petrocollapse Conference the participants will ask:

What are we facing now as the economy prepares to hit the wall known as
resource limits? Will growth suddenly implode?

What will be the effects of Peak Oil (a geological phenomenon) and
petrocollapse (a socio-economic phenomenon) on food supply and other services we
depend on?

What is the role of the market in determining how severe will be the effect

of shortage stemming from geological depletion?

Is there a "Plan B" to ease a transition to sustainable living in a world
without plentiful energy and petroleum's materials?

TV cameras should bring batteries as there are restrictions on use of church

electricity.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 2 replies

BIOTOUR.ORG now offering veggie oil conversions

2005-09-28T03:50:29Z

Thats right freekers,

Our organization has a diesel mechanic hot shot who can install veggie-oil conversion kits (like we have in the bus) in any diesel car or truck!!

Yeah baby, maybe its time that YOU started cooking with grease too!!

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

B.I.O BUS at East River Green-fest this weekend!

2005-09-28T03:47:02Z

October 1, 2005--The B.I.O bus will be appearing at CitySol; A green product market and all day, solar powered, music event in Stuyvesant Cove Park, Manhattan.

The event goes on from 1pm till 7pm and is located on the East river at E. 23rd and Avenue C.

Check http://www.solar1.org/events/images/citysolpstrsm.gif for more info.

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies

More info on the BIO BUS and BIOTOUR.ORG

2005-09-28T03:42:56Z

Based in New York City, the B.I.O. Tour is a public awareness campaign to highlight alternatives to America’s fossil fuel addiction.

It is our mission to help grow the movement to use alternative fuels and sustainable energy now!

Since June of 2003, we have logged over 20,000 miles criss-crossing the US in our vegetable oil-powered bus, with a solar-powered sound system, teaching people how to use vegetable oil for fuel, hosting workshops, distributing information and organizing in support of clean, renewable, peaceful energy.

Now back in NYC the B.I.O. Tour is continuing its outreach campaign as well as building a biodiesel refinery and distribution service called Tri-State Biodiesel.

The B.I.O. TOUR will continue to reach millions of people and push this crucial issue forward but can only do so with your help.

More info can be found on our website www.biotour.org

posted in B.I.O. BUS TRIBE - 0 replies