On The Road

On The Road

PuTTinG The GReen inTo

GReen MoToRinG by Helen Tait-Wright

With the recent decision by the EU parliament to ban sales of new cars powered by fossil fuels by 2035, it is time to look at sustainable alternatives. Electric is being heavily promoted but there are serious questions about how holistically “green” that really is. In fact a better answer could have been provided already, way back in 1941, making me think of a favourite saying of my grandma … “there’s nothing new under the sun”. In fact sunlight is an essential ingredient for the production of the material used to build and fuel this car. The solution might have been growing under our noses all the time! In 1941, Henry Ford built a car out of plastic from hemp and other plant material, that ran on hemp biofuel. Ford’s 1941 bioplastic Model T was made of hemp, flax, wheat, and spruce pulp, which made the car lighter than fibreglass and ten times tougher than steel, wrote the New York Times on February 2, 1941.

The car ran on ethanol made from hemp or other agricultural waste. Ford’s experimental model was deemed a step toward the realization of his dream to “grow automobiles from soil,” wrote Popular Mechanics in their December 1941 issue, and to reduce greenhouse gases; already a known problem.

Hemp biodiesel is extracted from the seed oil and is the only alternative fuel source that can work in any diesel engine. It’s safe to store, handle, and transport, and it’s biodegradable. It also has a much higher flashpoint than petroleum-based diesel fuel (300°F -v- 125°F), so it’s much less flammable. As hemp continues to become more commonplace, hemp biofuel may be a major contender in our quest for green fuel sources. In 1925, Ford had told the New York Times: “The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like that sumach out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust—almost anything. There is fuel in every bit of vegetable matter that can be fermented. There’s enough alcohol in one year’s yield of an acre of potatoes to drive the machinery necessary to cultivate the fields for a hundred years.” Ford’s revolutionary idea sadly didn’t take off as the growing of hemp in the United States was essentially outlawed in 1937 due to its association with its THC-containing cousin, cannabis, although in truth, it was outlawed through efforts by bullying lobbyists representing powerful industries such as the oil, plastics (Dupont) and paper industries. 80 years later, investor Bruce Dietzen has recreated a prototype of a hemp car based on Fords idea, creating the panels of his Mazda based vehicle without steel. Instead Dietzen used three-ply hemp fabric coated in resin to create the plastic-like panels. Given that the carbon footprint of manufacturing a standard car is 10 tons, hemp can sequester enough carbon to at least render the car carbon-neutral if not carbon-negative, argues Dietzen. Hemp is the most sustainable raw material in the world. You don’t need pesticides for its cultivation because it grows faster than weeds. Hemp is already used in the automotive industry, for interior panels, but which manufacturer will have the guts to take it further ??? Again going back to my grandma’s sayings … “only time will tell”.

Af!ernoon Tea Fête du “So British”Dimanche

24 Juillet

A Partir de 16.00 hrs

Salle des Fêtes Bouillé St Paul 79290

Venez vivre une vieille tradition Britannique; “Af!ernoon Tea”

Après un verre de vin mousseux local, dégustez des sandwichs et bouchées salées, des gâteaux et de delicieux “Scones et Clotted Cream”, avec, bien sûr, du thé.

Nous vous invitons à vous habiller pour l’occasion. Rejoignez-Nous! Tout le monde est le bienvenu

ENTREÉ UNIQUEMENT AVEC BILLET ** En vente jusqu'au 20 juillet **

Par Adulte; 14.00 Euros Par Famille (4 Personnes); 50.00 Euros Par Enfant moins de 9 ans; 8.00 Euros

Pour Rèserver Votre Billets, prenez contact SVP;

Helen TAIT WRIGHT 2, La Freaux, Cersay 06.17.76.16.51

helentw@me.com

Au proÞt de la recherche contre le cancer et de la participation à un rallye tout terrain qui soutient cette cause avec 100% des bénéÞces. Chimera Racing Association No W791002522

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