Yesterday we (our coop- Dirty Hands & Madrona) hosted the team from Japan as it begins it's adventure, making biodiesel from donated waste veggie oil as they go. I've had a great time hanging out with them- Shusei, Satori, and Tatsu. Shusei Yamada had the idea and designed the elaborate and beautiful processor, which amazingly fits in the back of the Toyota Landcruiser. It's on a track so it can slide out and allow for adding oil and chemicals. Shusei is no stranger to around the world adventures or biodiesel. He works as a photojournalist, and is also an off-road racer. He's crossed the Sahara on motorcycle, raced the United Arab Emerites Desert Challenge in a car using biodiesel, and has travelled to 140 countries. And he's a really nice guy! Very down to earth, so to speak, gentle and warm-hearted- he seems to really enjoy meeting folks while doing this amazing thing to raise awareness about the need for alternative and environmentally friendly fuels. The launching ceremony was great fun- see today's story in the Seattle PI.
They'll be heading south to LA, and then east- if you'd like to contact them and help them with publicity and most importantly oil donations, reply to this post, or email me at biolyle@gmail.com and I'll put you in touch with Satori, the team's wonderful organizer. And now for some pics! Yes they use ion exchange resin for washing, so no water...
