NotPetroleum Blog

Beyond Thunderdome

I’m a Mad Max movie buff so I couldn’t resist writing a post comparing the energy embargo scene in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome to our current world oil addiction.  Beyond Thunderdome is set in a post-apocalyptic world where we’ve destroyed civilization and a few survivors struggle to live on the leftovers of mankind.  Bartertown is one of the towns where people have gathered to live.  Deep underground, there is a large pig farm where workers feed and raise pigs to produce methane to power the generators that provide electricity to Bartertown. Read the rest of this entry »

Voter's Guide

Before you go to the voting booth this year, make sure you do a little research on the candidates and understand where they stand on reducing our dependence on petroleum.  If asked, all candidates will answer, “I support reducing our nation’s dependence on oil.”  However, you need to look at a more granular level to see how they will act on specific programs to help promote this initiative.  Here are a few specific issues to research before choosing a candidate: Read the rest of this entry »

How Do I Reduce my Petroleum Usage?

I see many articles on ways that people can reduce their usage of oil in the home and in their lifestyle.  Bike to work, buy a scooter, buy natural fiber clothes.  All of these will make some difference but is it really the best bang for the buck?  Here is a short list of the best ways you can make a difference and use less oil Read the rest of this entry »

Tesla Model S

The next two years will be an exciting time in the world of transportation. Not only will hybrid cars plug in to charge but battery electric vehicles will be an option at your local car dealership. While there is much debate regarding the range of the first mainstream EVs, there is a new class of electric vehicle that should calm your range anxiety.

Meet the Tesla Model S. Read the rest of this entry »

Present Day Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Tonight, I watched the Imax movie, Arabia, at the Fernbank Museum and enjoyed the history lesson in the Two Golden Ages of Arabia.  The first was led by the Nabataean culture and the natural resource that created their empire was frankincense and other spices.  The Roman Empire’s polytheistic worship drove the insatiable demand for the exotic spice trade dominated by the Nabataeans. Read the rest of this entry »

An open letter to Erich Marx, Director of Marketing and Media for Nissan Motors

Dear Mr. Marx,

I would like to offer a suggestion for a new marketing program to help promote the upcoming Nissan Leaf electric vehicle this winter.  For each Nissan Leaf sold, offer to donate a percentage of the purchase price to the Gulf Oil Spill relief effort.  Give the purchaser the choice of either directing the donation to the cleanup effort or to the relief effort for the many people affected by this environmental catastrophe.  This program will not just promote a great new vehicle, it will give Leaf owners the opportunity to help those affected by our addiction to petroleum. Read the rest of this entry »

Seagull Coated in Gulf Oil - Louisiana

As the toxic slur of oil and dispersants drift ashore across the American Gulf Coast, I wonder if this will be enough to make us change our ways?  Over the past hundred years, we’ve accomplished a lot.  We made the internal combustion engine the mainstream choice for transportation.  We’ve built roads and super-highways that link every state together in the United States.  We have a fueling infrastructure that has very few areas where you don’t have at least three or four choices of fuel stations.  We’ve developed advanced fertilizers and pesticides from petroleum that allows us to feed hundreds of millions of people.  We synthesize oil into olefins for making advanced polymers and plastics that allow us to carry disposable plastic water bottles wherever we go. Read the rest of this entry »

One of my Biodiesel Jetta TDI's

This title is a little misleading if you have read my post on “Using Biodiesel in your Vehicle.”  In reality, I’m going to provide information on how you can prepare your VW TDI to run on biodiesel.

In general, there are two issues to overcome when running a vehicle on biodiesel: Read the rest of this entry »

My 1970 Mercedes 220D Veggie Car

As part of my “no nonsense” series on bio and alternative fuels, I covered biodiesel and straight vegetable oil (SVO) and waste vegetable oil (WVO) diesel conversions.  Since I believe in experimenting first-hand with topics I discuss, a few years ago, I worked with a local company to convert a restored 1970 Mercedes 220D to run on vegetable oil.  I have had one other veggie car before “Helga” the Mercedes and you can read about the “Veggie Ranger” conversion on Greasology.com. Read the rest of this entry »