From The Big Easy

friends,

Greetings from New Orleans!

Our internet access has continued to be spotty so I haven't sent an update in several days, but we've been traveling a lot and we haven't had any video stops until now anyway. We arrived in New Orleans yesterday afternoon - what a beautiful city and an amazing spirit! There were many people back home who just thought people here were crazy for coming back to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, since it's so vulnerable. It's such a wonderful place with so much history; I get a better appreciation for why people are rebuilding.

We are stopping by the Build Smart Center this afternoon to interview one of the green builders in the city. There is a big effort to rebuild using green, sustainable building products and techniques, and the Build Smart Center holds seminars and training for teaching contractors who are rebuilding the homes here. Although Katrina was devastating to the area it gave a chance for introducing green home materials and renewable energy, and there are some zero-energy homes being built now. We'll meet up with the builder this afternoon to learn more and get some video. The most dramatically hit area in the city is the Lower 9th Ward and the word we got was that many of the residents there are tired of people with cameras coming through to gawk at their misfortune, so I don't think we'll drive through with cameras rolling, to respect the folks there.

We found out that while we're driving through the heat with the vegetable oil system on, using the air conditioner in the car really heats up the engine, a little too hot for my comfort. We turn it on for a while then when I see the fuel temps get too hot (in my opinion anyway) then I turn it off for a while. Not very convenient. When we get to Arizona and it's over 100 degrees then it will REALLY get interesting. Usually the problem in New England is getting the veg oil HOT enough in the cold climate, so this is a new challenge. We planned this trip to go through the south in May so it wouldn't be too hot, but so much for those plans!

READER QUESTION: Where do you get your vegetable oil on the road?
There are conversion shops in most major cities that do conversions for diesel cars and trucks, and usually they sell filtered veg oil. We stopped at a place in Memphis that gave us 28 gallons - 13 gallons in the tank and an extra 15 gallons in our 3 containers we're carrying. It's been as easy as a quick Google search for 'WVO (waste vegetable oil) Memphis' or whatever city we're coming to. Next stop for oil is in Austin.

If you have a reader question, please don't hesitate to ask!

Like I said in an earlier message, most of our video stops are on the west coast, but we have some along the way before we get there. I'll send more messages intermittently while we're driving and when we have internet access.

Be well,
Colin
--
Our Renewable Nation, A Cross-Country Eco-Video Adventure
www.OurRenewableNation.org