Surprise

This is on the sly...


Because my mother doesn't have internet access right now, I can post these pictures of her birthday present without too much fear that she'll see them.



The pattern, which I adjusted a little bit, comes from Stephanie Japel's wonderfully hip book Fitted Knits. Stephanie's blog, Glampyre, is also amazing. She's not only an inspiring pattern designer, but a geologist, a custom yarn dyer, a seamstress and a mom. A girl after my own heart.

We opened The Foreigner last Thursday (that link is to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's website; there are a few production photos up now). It seems to have been received well, but I made a vow a couple of years back not to read reviews until after closing. Although a bad review is only one person's opinion, it's amazing how much it can unravel your self esteem. So...while I have a hunch that the buzz might be good, I'll just stay away to be safe. In any case, we are having the time of our lives with this comedy, and I'm so grateful to be here doing it.

On other fronts, it's looking like upon my return to Ashland I will be trying to downsize from my lovely Jetta, Horace, into an older Benz that I can hopefully pay off in full up front. We'll see how it goes. But if I do end up in a vintage Mercedes, it will be a new and slightly different world of biodiesel use (I may have to change hoses from rubber to synthetic, etc.), with more careful attention and DIY repairs on my part. But Janis will be proud.

SPRING IS SPRUNG! June will be busting out all over before we know it. Where does the time go?

--Nell

Bio Pick-Me-Up

Thought I'd better go ahead and make a post about biodiesel, since that's what I came here to do.

And more specifically...the necessity of testing fuel (yes, a plug for Fleet Fuel Testing, but a worthwhile one).

In Ashland, Oregon, where I live, there seems to be a big underground culture of home fuel brewing. Which is awesome. Depending on the raw materials you're using, you end up with a wonderful, renewable fuel for 70 cents to $1.50 a gallon. And this fuel is an excellent solvent, so it helps clean your engine and lines at the same time. Some studies even show it to out-perform diesel #2 in certain situations. And all you need to create it are a few simple tools and some time and experimentation.

However...

...there is a chance that something could be a little off in your brewing. And before you put the fuel to use, you need to be sure that it's not going to damage your engine. That's why testing is so important. Gasoline and Diesel fuels are kept in spec by tests done at refineries. They've mastered the art of making fuels that are clean and engine-ready...and not biodegradable (although Diesel is susceptible to water and microbial contamination). So why shouldn't we perform simple tests on our home-brews and local products? It's a small price to pay for reliable fuel performance.

The other reason that testing is so important (and I know I've gone off about this before) is that making sure that Biodiesel is in specification helps build a good reputation for Biofuel. There are, in my opinion, two main reasons why this alternative fuel has not been explored more:

1) Many people assume that the oil required to process Biodiesel must come from crops that need to be grown on thousands of acres of land that we need desperately for food crop production.

2) People have seen less-than-perfect Biodiesel destroy engines.

The first problems can be addressed with simple facts: Biodiesel can be produced from many different kinds of oil crops (including algae, which reproduces at a remarkable rate and can be grown in standing vertical tanks), as well as from waste oil, which is normally just thrown out.

The second problem will take some more doing. We are so used to filling up at the pump, letting cars sit for weeks at a time, being able to drive with ease in all weather without regard to the condition of our fuel. This is a huge benefit of gasoline -- you just don't have to worry about it. It's so convenient. But Biodiesel is a way of life. You make modifications to your schedule to get out to that pump that's ten miles down the road. You bring 5 gallon containers with you to fill up, and they're damn heavy to lift (*benefit: biodiesel can be stored almost anywhere since it's far less volatile than gasoline). You end up spending extra money on the fuel (unless you're home-brewing), because although it's relatively easy and inexpensive to produce, it's still so difficult to market. And you pay a little extra to test it, for your own sake, and for the sake of the fuel itself.

But I take pride in all of this. The inconveniences amount to a small sacrifice that I'm willing to make for the sake of...yes...the planet.

--Nell

Late Night Rumination

I finally joined Facebook. With my real, full name.

I know that this shouldn't have been such a difficult thing to do. But I like anonymity. What if I was contacted by or became tempted myself to contact people from high school? What strange and buried memories, secrets, embarrassments would rear their ugly heads? Would I lose that bizarrely comforting nostalgia if my first crush sent me a message to say that he's married and has three children? I don't want everyone to know what I'm doing or thinking or where I am all the time. 'But,' I thought, 'might as well jump on the damn band wagon.' Create a few cyberspace tattoos that I'll regret. It's all part of growing up in the 21st century.

There's a good chance I'll cancel it...

But, being a voyeur at heart, I will enjoy it in the mean time. What do we lose with this new networking? What do we gain? Will we ever be the same? Politicians 20 years from now will have to scramble to explain the bongs and beer cans and lascivious slogans that are plastered to their profiles right now...

Computers were little more than first a source of entertainment and then a marginally helpful tool for most of my youth. I was reprimanded in high school because for awhile I refused to type papers up -- I preferred to hand-write them.

I know that it's useless to resist the tide here. There's no point in going back. And it's silly to write about this, because most everyone has. But I still can't help being surprised by the feeling that we've fallen unquestioningly into something that we don't fully understand yet. A uniquely human pattern, and one that's gotten us into trouble many times before.

Must my Encyclopedia Brittanica lay fallow forever?
-N.

Dilly-Dallying

Today we are undertaking a run in the hall with a small audience. To stave off the nerves, I thought I'd come here and ramble for awhile.

On the morning walk with the dogs, I noticed how comfortable I felt moving through this new city. We traveled a lot when I was a kid -- I spent so much time in hotel rooms, motel rooms and guest houses, that it was sort of the norm.

My roommate and I talk all the time about exploring more of this country. I am certain it would be a form of political and environmental activism to familiarize oneself with the different landscapes, climates, and attitudes here -- and perhaps it is our duty to do this, as Americans with the freedom to move as much as we like. In the 1950s, everyone took to the new highways like mad, in their big station wagons and cadillacs, enjoying the plentiful beauty of the United States, because they could easily do so for the first time. Now, our road trips are usually of the practical sort; occasionally we head out for fun, but more commonly it's to get from point A to point B.

That kind of wandering exploring -- I want to do more of it. And I'd like to do it without the use of gasoline. Take in the sights of America, the national parks, small towns, monuments, lakes, rivers...the world's biggest ball of string. It would be good to remind myself what I'm fighting for.

-N.

The Local Views

Overlooking Kentucky and the Mighty Ohio

Clearly, I am finding it difficult to post regularly now that I am working full time. However, I am dead set on getting something up here at least twice a week.

We celebrated on Sunday night after our first stumble-through of the The Foreigner. It's always a relief, and as our amazing director Ken Albers says, 'These are rehearsals to survive. You don't have to do anything but be standing by the end of the day.' And to tell the truth, while some things are difficult at this early stage ("seeing text on your retina" -- again, Ken) we've been having a ball.

Monday, my day off, I took the pups and we explored Mt. Adams. Here are a few things we saw.



A panorama of the river and across, from near the top of Mt. Adams.



Houses -- these seem to typify the style on Mt. Adams. Many of them are very old, dating to the mid-late 1800s.



On the edge of Eden park, I came upon this crumbling bridge, leading to nowhere. The parking lot and modern road right next to it could be a summation of what you'll see up here. Very very old structures surrounded by super-modern architecture. In the west, I think it's less common to see things like this. Yes, in San Francisco and tucked away in places in Los Angeles, but in Cincinnati, this strange juxtaposition seems to be everywhere. Being a newbie, I'm still fascinated by it. In Manhattan it's certainly present, but everything is so overwhelmingly crammed there, that I'd never really appreciated it.

Best to you all, and thank you for reading,

Nell

FUEL!

Here's my latest recommendation:

The Fuel Film

I saw what I believe was a rougher cut of this in the winter of 2007, and it's simply the best movie around about Biodiesel and fuel independence and sustainability. Josh Tickell, the writer and director of The Fuel Film, is essentially the foremost expert on Biodiesel in the country, having driven thousands of miles in his "Veggie Van" on his own biodiesel. He's a scholar, an activist and an extremely brave person, and it was his book From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank that inspired me to quit it with the gasoline and move over to biofuel. I just ordered his other title, Biodiesel America, so I'll probably be blabbing about that on here when it arrives and I gobble it up. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see The Fuel Film for awhile, as it's only playing in select theaters for the time being. Josh's history is pretty amazing, and although the movie encompasses a lot of excellent science, solution and testimonial, his personal story is in some ways the most important part. If you have interest in seeing this amazing film, check out the site; there are showings in Santa Monica, CA right now, with upcoming dates in WA, NY and a few other places.

I've been car-less for almost a week, and I can't tell you how nice it is! I feel healthier and happier walking up these hills to the theater. Soon I'll be running them, I hope, with the little terrier muts in tow. They had to put on their sweaters for the first time today...there's a dusting of snow, and it's crisp and clear. Lovely!

--Nell

On the Absence...

...oh, it's been so long.

Getting myself and two dogs to Cincinnati ended up taking most of my time over the last two weeks. It was an incredible (nerve wracking) adventure, and I am glad that we are here and settling in and won't have to do it again for another couple of months.

Rehearsals began for The Foreigner on Friday the 13th, with an incredibly well-cast bunch in the miraculous hands of Kenneth Albers (who was in the original cast in Milwaukee and was a friend of Larry Shue) and a capable and courteous stage management team. I feel rusty and scared, but I think that I'll pull myself together and have a wonderful time with this. It's such a funny, dear play.

There is no recycling here at the apartment, though! So...I'll have to figure out how to get around that. I've already located a paper bin along a trail that leads to the theater. The plastics and aluminum will prove more difficult. But this might fortify my Reusing abilities.

Cincinnati is a surprisingly striking and beautiful town, for the most part. Its sister city is Rome, I am told, because both are built upon seven hills. I have the fortune to be staying on one of said hills, Mt. Adams, which looks out over the Ohio river and into Kentucky, which is just a bridge-walk away. There are wonderful museums within walking distance for me to explore, and being on the edge of Eden park has made taking the dogs out a breeze.

More later. Glad to be back...

Nell

O-Ring...yeah...you know what I mean

So I changed the fuel filter in my 2004 VW TDI Jetta myself (well, my roommate helped me).

I mention it because it was MUCH easier to do than I thought -- yes, I cursed a fair amount, but I'm told that that's to be expected whenever you work on a car. Also, I learned that fuel filters are not always in the same place (yeah, I'm a moron), depending on the make and model; while my filter is easy to change because it sits over the right wheel in the engine compartment, my roommate's is not so easy because his is in the trunk under a lot of other machinery.

This is a large step for me towards self-sufficiency. I purchased the Haynes manual for VW Golf, GTI, & Jetta 1999-2005 which is pretty comprehensive. Since I don't have a warranty for the vehicle, none of my repairs are ever covered when I take it in for service (I didn't want to buy a warranty and have the dealership tell me that Biodiesel use voided it...which sometimes, but not always, happens -- if fuel is foudn to be out of spec, the manufacturer can claim that you're liable for the repairs). Here's the kicker: I paid $25 for the fuel filter itself and spent probably about 30 minutes doing the work...but I figure I could do it in 10 or 15 now that I know how.

When I had a dealership do this, it typically came out to around $100 for parts and labor.

So, for a little elbow grease and a quarter (!) of the cost, I figure I don't mind doing it myself. Next time I'm at it, I will photograph the whole process and write up a primer for anyone else who might be reading that owns a similar Jetta and wants to give it a go. However, I do plan to check the job every couple of days -- none of my viton o-rings would fit under the fuel control valve. So I'm o-ring-less. But I couldn't find any o-ring when I pulled the valve off, so I'm wondering if maybe my model doesn't require one here...?
Old, crusty filter...

...with black particulates inside. The new filter, which I didn't photograph, looked perfectly white through that little hole. My car is idling a lot more smoothly and starts more easily since (I was truant and had not changed it for over a year -- VERY bad...with Biodiesel, you want to change it about every six months, since Bio is such an amazing solvent; it takes all the gunk out of your lines and dumps it in the filter -- which is a good thing for your engine but can be bad if you overload the filter).

I think I'm hooked on this auto mechanics thing. Next, it's replacing a front headlight that's out. Of course, I'll still leave the big jobs to the professionals (like when my clutch when out last year...ehhh...)
-- Nellamity and Horace the Jetta.

Purse Thing, You Make My Hook Sing

So, this was the effort of the morning and early afternoon. The poor dogs STILL haven't been exercised, because when I am struck with a small project like this, I can't seem to tear myself away. 'Just another half an hour!' I say to them. They will be rewarded for their patience with a long late-afternoon walk.

Copy-catting my mom, it's made all from plastic shopping bags, although I crocheted mine as you'll see in these pictures. If I'd had the self control, it would have been a little bit longer (the bag part itself) to accommodate a proper book. But it will comfortably hold a cell phone, a wallet and keys as is.


In process...you can see where I've added new strands of plastic...and folding into bag-shape.



And here, doing the edging in a yellow shopping bag that came from New York. And making the button.

If anyone is interested in directions, let me know. It was fun to just make up as I went along. And I think that if done in all one color, like the light taupey brown, it would look like an organic material. I'm realizing there isn't a good picture of the strap -- it's just a long strip of 3 single crochet over and over again. Crocheting was much easier for me than knitting with this material. Also, regular shopping bags move relatively quickly over the hook, whereas the high-gloss pretty-colored strips take longer because they're...stickier.

I'm off to give the dogs their due!

--Nellamity

Dog Sweater/Recycling

Here's a picture of Clyde, my littlest dog, in a sweater that I made last week. He seems to like it.

Just read that last year Southern Oregon University, located in Ashland -- where I live -- was named among the EPA's top 20 "green" schools.

The students purchased "green tags" from Bonneville Environmental Foundation -- these green tags fund sustainable alternate energy generation. Of course, the cost was extra for the students, I believe between $6 and $20. But they were willing to do it. Also, they worked with the local sanitary and recycling department to place recycling bins in each residence hall, and began practicing zeroscaping -- something I've always wanted to do. Essentially, it means using low-water use native plants in your landscaping...you maintain the natural look of your geographical environment while you beautify. I'm hoping that this practice will be mandated or incentivized in the future; rolling green lawns are one of the top wastes of water in areas that simply don't have the resources to sustain them. Living in Los Angeles last year when wildfires were raging and Mayor Villaraigosa was calling for responsible water rationing because we were in the midst of a terrible drought anyway, the sprinklers would still pop on in the morning. I just kept thinking 'Do we really need a lawn that much?' Plus, when you zeroscape correctly, your water and electricity bills drop exponentially. Here's an SOU webpage with links suggesting ways to green up.

Which reminds me: that local sanitary and recycling company (Ashland Sanitary and Recycling) has a special programs section that is as comprehensive as anything I've ever seen. Plus, they are running all of their trucks on Biodiesel from Rising Phoenix Organics, which is where I get my fuel. Back in 2007, when I was working for EnergyRushTV, we did a couple of stories on Ashland Sanitary and Recycling which were never released. Risa Buck, a coordinator there, let me on to an amazing program that they had recently begun at the time. She told me that it's commong for the average recycling center to cart recyclables sometimes hundreds of miles to the nearest repurposing plant (for example, for a long time they had been toting everything up to a center just south of portland -- that's about 250 miles worth of fuel just to complete the recycling). AS&R had worked out a plan to take their glass and locally grind it into aggregate that could be used to create road beds or give blacktop paint its reflective quality. While (as of 2007) they were still sending their plastics up north, the glass was all being dealt with locally -- and even better, it was being reused through a process that burned far less net energy and fuel than carting it so far away. It's worthwhile to mention that Ashland Sanitary and Recycling is privately owned -- which I believe has made sustainability easier to come by for them. They haven't had to negotiate the red tape that's inherent within publically funded agencies or wade through the bureaucratic processes of local government. I would recommend their site as a reduce-reuse-recycle resource in general (plus they sell compost and bring in adoptable dogs from the animal shelter that you can meet when you're down there doing your part).

--Nellamity Jane

Our New Man

"It will be the policy of my administration to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs."

...HOW MUCH BETTER CAN IT GET??...

He has specifics -- He's demanding of automakers that they raise fuel economy standards, asserting that:

"This will help us create incentives to develop new energy that will make us less dependent on the oil that endangers our security, our economy, and our planet."

Plus, the EPA has been ordered to reconsider California's request to mandate lower emissions.

"At a time of such great challenge for America, no single issue is as fundamental to our future as energy. America's dependence on oil is one of the most serious threats that our nation has faced.  It bankrolls dictators, pays for nuclear proliferation and funds both sides of our struggle against terrorism.  It puts the American people at the mercy of shifting gas prices, stifles innovation and sets back our ability to compete.  These urgent dangers to our national and economic security are compounded by the long term threat of climate change, which, if left unchecked, could result in violent conflict, terrible storms, shrinking coastlines and irreversible catastrophe.  These are the facts."

"Embedded in American soil and the wind and the sun, we have the resources to change.  Our scientists, businesses and workers have the capacity to move us forward.  It falls on us to choose whether to risk the peril that comes with our current course, or to seize the promise of energy independence.  For the sake of our security, our economy and our planet, we must have the courage and commitment to change."

"We hold no illusion about the task that lies ahead.  I cannot promise a quick fix; no single technology or set of regulations will get the job done.  But we will commit ourselves to steady, focused, pragmatic pursuit of an America that is freed from our energy dependence and empowered by a new energy economy that puts millions of our citizens to work."

The proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that's before congress now would "put 460,000 Americans to work with clean energy investments and double the capacity to generate alternative energy over the next three years.  It will lay down 3,000 miles of transmission lines to deliver this energy to every corner of our country.  It will save taxpayers 2 billion dollars a year...it will save working families hundreds of dollars on their energy bills...This is the boost that our economy needs and the new beginning that our future demands."

As the president signed the executive orders, my eyes welled -- and I am not ashamed.  He's only a few days in.  He's obviously been busy.  And, selfishly, I felt that MY president had finally arrived.  Someone was cheering when Bush got elected and re-elected, and that's just fine.  Now I get to have a turn, and so do all the like-minded people I know who have been yearning so deeply for this.  

Can you imagine?  He tied national security to environmentalism!  He put issues that happen to matter to me at the forefront of his administration's priorities.  I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED THAT BEFORE.  It wasn't Afghanistan or Iraq or North Korea (of course I care about those countries too)...it was, most responsibly, AMERICA.  AMERICA, AMERICA!

I was looking at a coffee table book today full of the pictures and stories of the pioneers.  Now, there's a lot I disagree with about how the West was settled -- sometimes the fact that it was settled at all irks me.  But peering into the faces of those men and women in old tintypes (our ancestors, our precursors for better or worse), I saw the day's mood reflected.  Terra nova!  Moving forward into the unknown with the promise of labor and difficulty and being confronted with startling new things.  That's adventure.  We may be able to right some of the wrongs of the last century or two and steward the land consistently.  Build sustainability into the Constitution, if not through formal rewriting, then simply by understanding its necessity as a given.

That is one long transcription and ramble.  I just kept finding it necessary to include things.  If you haven't already seen it, you can view the full broadcast, made yesterday the 26th,  here, on MSNBC.  

--Nell

Theater/Travel

Just got back from Portland and seeing The Seafarer at Artists' Repertory Theatre -- pretty exciting play.

I am gearing up for a two-month trip to Cincinnati Playhouse to do a play of me own: The Foreigner, by Larry Shue. I am GUNNING to get there...luckily, Fleet Fuel Testing has been cool with this prolonged absence from the start. I'll continue to work by computer, phone and snail mail from Cincinnati. I've never been there. Sometimes I'm startled by the sheer size and diversity of this country. Really, how can one entity expect to govern it all? We are so different, our land is so different. When the constitution was written, we hadn't even acquired much of the territory that now makes up the US. We weren't commonly mixing races. We weren't so many. How can those old words still stand? But they do...

Which brings me to the airing-out of some guilt here: I fly on commercial airlines frequently. I wish that I planned better, that I had the fortitude and patience to work a 3-5 day train ride into my schedule. That's another big change I'm going to make. Auto or Train only. And it's funny: I dont' even like flying anymore. I necessarily had to travel through Kennedy airport several times right after 9/11. I fell prey to the hysteria. It was SO tense. And then, on top of that, my father mentioned in some casual conversation that smoke, flames and loud noises are indications of major trouble mid-flight. Which forever destroyed my peace of mind. And now we see just how threatening geese are above the Hudson river. My little body shouldn't be flitting around thousands of miles up in the air anyway. 'Sunnatural, I say, 'sunnatural!

But on to renewable news: I remembered reading about solar paint in one of my grandfather's science magazines awhile back (I can't remember which one). Here's a little article that I found at New Scientist online. It's dated March 2008. At that point, the companies involved were postulating that a commercial version would be available in 2.5 years...which means that in some cases, expensive solar panels may not be necessary (its application would be probably be with very large buildings). I originally thought that conventional photovoltaic cells would somehow be involved in solar paint...this article sets me straight. Googling around, I find that people have been talking about this for several years. This makes me think that the technology is still a quite ways off from being affordable and practical for most companies (the article above even admits that dye-based solar cells are less efficient than their traditional PV counterparts). But if it does happen, and an effective, productive solar cell can be worked into a paintable liquid -- the possibilities seem limitless. And in any case, it's an imaginative, exciting idea.

--Nellamity

The Day Was Strange and Wonderful

Buoyed by the inauguration, I spent the day making calls for the company...which, by the way, is changing its name to 'Fleet Fuel Testing'; the old rubric was inspiring too many calls of: "Where's the Biodiesel?" (we don't make Biodiesel, we just sell the test kits).

The reason the broadcast caused me to sit doing secretarial work is simple: it's my Change.

One of the fellows I spoke to today was vehemently against Biodiesel use and said (and this is, I believe, pretty close to verbatim):

"We shoulda blown up **** and **** and all them and put a prison over all of it and sucked them dry, then sold gas for 25 cents a gallon.  If they don't care about us, why should I care about them?"

Ironically, this guy services agricultural equipment like tractors -- and farmers are the ones who stand to benefit perhaps the most from a biofuels industry.

So, casually I said "That sounds like quite a plan, and I can see your point.  But you know what's true about biodiesel is that it's made in America...jobs...economy boost," etc.

He didn't buy it, telling me how good money is paid to thousands of workers to labor for oil overseas.  But he did seem relieved to blow off steam.  Once his kettle is whistled out, I hope it comes clear that the seed was planted.  You never know.  Life is interesting because of guys like this.  There's a deeply jingoistic survival instinct at play -- the kind of instinct that has sometimes made the difference between triumph and defeat.  And yes, I really could see his point: If we're so powerful, and God is on our side, why can't we just take what we need?  

Power, in the strong-arming sense, is (or should be) a thing of the past.  America has so much.  We don't need to bully anybody else into coughing up something we think we deserve.  And the problem with the view above is that just about anyone can justify just about anything with it -- and they have.  *****************************************************************************

Those represent a whole paragraph that was perhaps a little too zealous to post.

But I hope that we're going to see this change.  Well, not 'see'.  Effect.  As I told Erin, I will be sorely disappointed if we don't.  All we can do is our best in the moment...each and every one of us.  

--Nellamity Jane

MOM'S BAG...finally

Things are settling back into their slow Oregon pace. My parents left this morning after a whirlwind week of fun that went by much too quickly.

Here, finally, are pictures of the plastic knit shopping bag by my mom. It's very big and wide and as with weaving, the process of knitting here takes an otherwise flimsy material and turns it into a very strong fabric. It's done in garter stitch. Spiral-cut the bags into one or two-inch wide strips (you can tie them together as you go...it's pretty free-form).  Use your instinct with needle size and do a gauge swatch if you like...because this is for fun and recycling purposes, I think it would be acceptable to omit the sacred swatch and just take a stab in the dark.  You don't want it too lacy and loose, but then again, you don't want it too tight, which will make it even more difficult to work.  Knit two big matching rectangles and one long skinny one. The long skinny one becomes the (width) sides and bottom -- you keep measuring as you go, and when it's long enough to span down the side, across the bottom, and up the other side of the rectangles (between them), you cast off. Crochet (or sew) it all together, and then sew on straps. She used canvas strap material from a fabric store -- my elaboration would be to use belts or cut the straps from old purses at Goodwill. The straps should go completely around the bag, as this gives extra strength.  

If and when I make one myself, I will include pictures of each step and more explicit directions, but just looking at it, I think you can see what was done.  Of course she also made the sweater she's wearing in the picture.  

Ooh, the hemp bag is still in process -- it is very difficult to work with, but I am not giving up yet.  It's just going to take a bit longer, and I'll need to figure out a way to make it easier to handle.  Crocheting might be the ticket.

In other news, or news hitherto neglected by me, on January 7th, Continental Airlines successfully completed the first test flight by a North American airline using a biofuel blend. Here's the story in Biofuels Digest. A combo of jatropha and algael oil-based jet fuel was used, and the test came off beautifully. The alternative fuels that made the blend were provided by in house companies Terra Sol (for the jatropha) and Sapphire for, you guessed it, that pretty green algae. The next similar test of note will happen in Tokyo on the 30th, so stay tuned. Some major airlines are predicting for themselves a 10% biofuel use by the years 2012 and 2013, variously. In the article linked above, the value of "drop in" alternative fuel is stated. For airlines, I suppose that solar technology is still relatively a long way off (*note to self: RESEARCH).  But there are those companies that want to do something now about reducing certain emissions, and they need a fuel that will pose no problems to the existing infrastructure.  Bio, when outfitted as jet fuel, seems to fit the bill so far. The test was conducted at George Bush International in Houston...

--Nellamity

Parents in Town

As much as the world changes, I hope that one thing remains constant:

Some parents seem to like treating their adult children to fine wines, delicious food and movies.  Of course every family enjoys different pastimes, but I think that parents find solace and comfort in seeing their progeny indulge in the same pleasures with the same zest -- it reaffirms our feeling of unity as a family.  And it often leads to some bickering which is remembered with humor the next day.

My mom and stepdad are in town, and they have been taking me out for the best of times.  I have been under the influence of wine by no later than 5:30 for the last three days, and I think that this is a civilized custom that should be practiced more.  

We discuss evolution, Gaza, knitting, entertainment...it's refreshing, and I feel so lucky that we find ourselves aligned on many of these issues.  

Olbermann on now.  

-Nellamity

New Old Curtains and a Moon Follow-up

Here's that stinkin' moon -- and this photo was taken the day before it got really bad.  

Yesterday I decided to finally make some curtains for my south-facing window.  In the process, I discovered an excellent way to passively heat the house with the sun.  I'd had blankets tacked up on those windows most of the year, because folks in neighboring houses can see into them easily and the light entering there causes a glare on the television.  I took the blankets down to measure the windows, and just left them off while I was sewing.  The entire room got so warm...this was a huge deal, because the power bill goes up SO much here in the winter.  The heat diffused into the rest of the house, and it stayed warm even though it was in the low forties outside.  If you have a south/south-west facing window, and you can bear the bright light during the day, give it a try.  I don't know why I didn't think of this before...an Earthship, which is the type of dwelling I plan to build myself in the future, operates on this premise.

Also, I bought my fabric for the curtains at Goodwill.  They often have yards and yards of interesting fabric, and it usually seems to be pretty clean and in good shape.  I've found amazing prints from the seventies that obviously just sat in a trunk for 30 years and were never used.  Sometimes the yardage smells like White Shoulders or Jean Nate (I'm very smell-oriented -- my good friend thinks that's gross, but I can't help it).

After my Goodwill find, I went to the Shop N Kart around the corner, and when I came out with my bags, there was a man standing behind my Jetta writing down (I assume) the web addresses from my Biodiesel bumper stickers.  I asked him if he had a question about Biodiesel, and he seemed surprised to find that the car in front of him belonged to me.

This is what was exciting:  He knew pretty much nothing about this alternative fuel, but he was so genuinely interested to learn.  He used the back of part of my receipt, and wrote down the URLs of sites that would tell him more.  I asked him what kind of a car he drove, and he said a Toyota sedan; his wife has a Camry.  He seemed disappointed when I told him that his vehicles wouldn't be able to run on Bio.  But he responded:

'Oh, we'd need different vehicles, then,' happily, as if he were really considering trading in for a car that would run on an alternative fuel.

He said something like 'It makes so much sense.  Why would we stay the way we are?'

I would like to believe that this man's attitude typifies most Americans' at this point.  They're not all going to be interested in Biodiesel.  But I can't imagine that at some point over last summer most middle class Americans didn't ask themselves at least once "Why do we have to do this?" while we all watched prices soar and some were choosing between a meal and a tank of gas to get to work.  How could the government let this happen?  Actually, I shouldn't place the blame there.  How could WE let this happen?  We fell for it hook, line and sinker. 

 

The beauty of humanity is that we know better now, and we WILL pick ourselves up and move on with solar power, biofuels, hydrogen fuel cell technology, and perhaps alternatives that have not yet been imagined.  The Race to Space of this generation is going to be the Race to Renewable Fuel.  

I imagine complete self-sufficiency in the future.  Not relying on a technological infrastructure that's beyond my control or understanding.  I used to think I was a closeted luddite, but I've come to realize that many complex machines are important and useful for us.  I don't even know how radios really work, but I'm tuning in every day.  My car is necessary...but if it breaks down, I'm helpless.  Biodiesel was my window into a world of understanding and taking responsibility for the gadgetry around me and for the repercussions of using it, both positive and negative. Of course I've got a long way to go.  But I think that this gift of knowledge and intention will enhance all of our lives, as we move into new energy and fuel territories.

--Nellamity

The Moon in the Middle of January

In the first act of Our Town, Emily says to George 

"I can't work at all.  The moonlight's so terrible."

Tonight is that night of the month.  It keeps coming in at the windows, and the dogs are restless.  It started at sun down, and because there was smoke from controlled burns still hanging in the sky everything was pastels.  Coming back from Jacksonville, 5:11, on South Stage Road, you round a corner, and in front of you are the striped hills of a vineyard.  Mount McLaughlin sits just above and to the right, and then there's that moon, just glowing softly, and so big it hardly looks real.

Now at nearly 4 it has pulled itself higher, and it's flooding over the valley, getting into every little cranny, making it seem like I've let a flood light on in the driveway.   

The Second Question

I wanted to address Dave A's second question to me about "heavier" molecules in biodiesel emissions. The theory here is that some molecules in biodiesel emissions are more dense, causing them to linger lower in the atmosphere, and therefore creep into our lungs more easily.

Truthfully, I don't know. I haven't yet seen a study that talks about 'heavy' molecule emissions from Biodiesel, but I had heard the theory once before in connection with SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil), which is another alternative fuel. Many people have SVO and Biodiesel confused. Oil (soybean, algael, jatropha or rapeseed for a few examples of the vegetable type, or animal fat-derived, even human fat-derived) is a component of Biodiesel. But in order to make Bio, you have to put the oil and a few other solutions through processes which together consistute transesterification. That's the term for separating the glycerin in the oil/fat from the substances that you've bound in a chemical reaction to create biodiesel through lots of mixing, settling, etc. You can read about how it's done on several websites, but again I will provide the National Biodiesel Board's Basics sheet for reference. If you followed my bad writing above, you might infer that glycerin is a by-product of Biodiesel processing. That's correct. You can make lots of lovely soaps out of that ('Which would probably make excellent inexpensive gifts, wrapped in a hand knit wash rag!' pipes up the Martha Stewart within).

I will certainly look into it more. The idea of a "heavier" molecule does ruffle the few chemistry tailfeathers I possess. It seems like if you changed the 'weight' of a molecule, you'd necessarily be changing the compound itself....?? Scientists? Anything?

--Nellamity, who never actually took chemistry

The Knitting Corner

...yes, here it is. It's a deeply unorganized space. But it serves.

For me, knitting is many things. But the deepest point of my connection to it touches some self-sufficiency/survival instinct lingering in my genes. One of the most fundamental human instincts -- besides providing ourselves with food -- is keeping ourselves and our loved ones warm and protected, which a handknit garment usually accomplishes beautifully. When I knit, I drop off into imaginative reveries. I won't bore you with the content of those. Suffice it to say, it's an ancient tradition, and I find it very therapeutic.

The garment on the pink chair is a from-the-top-down vest based on Barbara Walker's method for a sleeveless sweater in Knitting from the Top. I love knitting in this way -- in fact, I rarely work from the bottom up anymore. Whenever I fall in love with a conventionally-knit pattern, I always find myself thinking how I'd do it from the top. You can try the garment on as you're working (yes, you really can!) to be sure of a perfect fit, which is important for me, because I often don't look well in normal patterns. Also, if you're making something for somebody else, you can break into their home, steal their favorite t-shirt or sweater and copy the proportions exactly. You can do that with bottom-up styles, too, I just think top down is more fun, damn it.

Pictures to follow when it's completed.

Also, I began a knitted hemp bag today -- usually I don't knit bags, because I am too rough with them. I know I would slam one in the car door or step on it or mutilate it in some other way, and when you knit something and then have to see it destroyed...it's a recipe for a broken heart. But hemp is SO so strong, and I had some of it sitting around. I am forcing myself to write it down as I go (which I always give up on halfway through any creation), so the pattern and pictures will be up hopefully within a few days.

Let me know if you knit with cool stuff -- my mom does it with old plastic bags (it makes a terrifically strong fabric, but is hard on the hands as you're working). I thought I'd try something with old t-shirts...cutting them up spiral-wise into long strips, and knitting with those. I'd like to branch out from always shopping for yarn. Until I can get my hands on a living sheep or an alpaca, I vow to quest for recycled, nouveau (cheap) yarnstuffs.

--Nellamity

Thank you!

Friends,

Thank you for the outpouring of support for the new blog. It meant a lot to me that so many of you are passionate about this subject.

Dave asked some great questions in an email, and I'd like to begin to talk about those, and open up the discussion -- if you know more (or more accurate) information, I gladly accept corrections or additions.

First, are some harmful biodiesel emissions more abundant than those of even the oldest crustiest diesel?

I checked with the National Biodiesel Board's website and with the EPA's section about Biodiesel emissions (click on the link, and then scroll down to the bullet entitled "Draft Technical Report, A Comprehensive Analysis of Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions, October 2002 (PDF)" -- the findings are mixed, although there is a general consensus that CO2 emissions were unidentifiably different from those of Diesel (looking at a B20 blend), and that NOx emissions were actually a bit higher (again specifically for a B20 blend):

Emission impacts of 20 vol% biodiesel
for soybean-based biodiesel added to an average base fuel
Percent change in emissions
NOx.........................................+2.0%
PM...........................................-10.1%
HC...........................................-21.1%
CO...........................................-11.0%

So, as the volume of biodiesel increases, several toxic emissions are reduced, and at least one (NOx -- which is a generic term for a group of gases made up of both Nitrogen and Oxygen in different concentrations) rises. The in-depth report also points out that emission impacts varied depending on the type of biodiesel (animal fat, soy bean, rapeseed were the tested types), as well as the type of conventional fuel to which the biodiesel was added.

Again, this is just an opening of the discussion -- there is much more to be said and debated. For instance, in areas like San Pedro, where the cancer rate is astronomically high, would it really be beneficial to implement a new fuel that puts out more NOx? Maybe not...there.

"So, how can we get off foreign oil AND prevent more accumulation of toxic gases?" Dave queried.

Clearly, Biodiesel is not the cleanest alternative -- but for those of us who can't afford to go electric yet, it's a good start (in my opinion), if only because, as the National Biodiesel Board points out:

"Biodiesel is the first and only alternative fuel to have a complete evaluation of emission results and potential health effects submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act...These programs include the most stringent emissions testing protocols ever required by EPA for certification of fuels and fuel additives."

And again, I think it would be wrong to put faith in biodiesel as the 'magic solution.' But at least we know what we're getting into -- we have the numbers, and at this point we can work to offset (I don't necessarily see the practicality or definite measureability of offsetting, but I think it's a principled notion) Biodiesel emissions if we wish.

Damn, I've written a lot, and left little room for knitting news. Chris, up at the top is a picture of some baby booties that I made up to sell in a local children's shop. My "company" (haha) is called Nettell -- and I will post information about the genesis of that whole shebang soon. The pattern is modified from a Debbie Bliss creation called "Snowflake Booties" in the Debbie Bliss book Baby Style.

Hope you'll comment!

Best,
Nellamity

A swift blog to serve as an introduction. I started this because of my new part-time job as a sales representative for Fleet Biodiesel (see links). I have never done sales in my life, excepting a brief stint in retail for a vintage clothing company called "Eye Candy". During the short time I was employed there, my boss took peyote regularly, chained a bed to the ceiling of the shop, and, when a customer was threatening violent revenge for an unknown slight, locked me in with said customer to "Wait for the police!"

Sales in general were not appealing to me after that.

I overcame my deeply embedded fear when I joined Fleet Biodiesel, a company with local offices and international reach, because I believe very strongly in the necessity of diminishing our reliance on foreign oil...and on petroleum in general. I have been using Biodiesel from Rising Phoenix Organics (see links) in a pre-owned '04 VW Jetta since the fall of 2007, while I was working at the Oregon Shakespere Festival. My reasons are environmental as well, although it has been pointed out to me that while Biodiesel has net fewer emissions than regular Diesel #2, it's fluorocarbon output is slightly higher.

It saddens me that Biodiesel has gotten a somewhat bad rap in this country, firstly because it's a strange new world of technology (despite the fact that Rudolph Diesel powered the first engine bearing his name on peanut oil at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris), and secondly because it can become corrupted and cause engine problems; it degrades far more easily than regular petrol. Because of the trouble bad Bio has caused, and because many don't see the production of the oils necessary as viable, it has been relegated to a shady purgatory while fuel opportunists look for that "silver bullet" that will turn the world as easily as petrol has done for the last century.

But I feel strongly that the silver bullet does Not exist. I think it is a hubristic tendency to look for the product that will outsell, outperform, and outrank everything else on the market. In this day and age, there may be more than one good solution.

I talk about Biodiesel and Biodiesel Quality Assurance, because I believe together they are one of those 'good solutions.' Please feel free to comment harshly or gently. I may drop info about Fleet Biodiesel's products from time to time, in an appropriate context, but that will be the extent of my sales pitching here. My hope is to open a community dialogue about Biodiesel in general. Let's talk about this and other fuel alternatives...or just talk.

--NellamityJane