Slowly but surely, it seems as if we are all becoming environmentalists. It wasn’t that long ago when a certain element of scorn, if that’s not too harsh a word, was attributed to those who vociferously extolled the virtues of sustainability. Some of them were called “tree huggers,” and as we had little to worry about back then and a somewhat devil may care attitude, we disregarded climate change issues almost entirely. Times have certainly changed and more especially in the last five years or so. These days climate change news is everywhere and the subject is the darling of the mainstream press, with climate protection issues likely to result in stringent legislation before long.

Everybody wants to be green these days and we know that we have to cut down on the use of fossil fuels, coal, oil and gas that result in pollutant greenhouse gases and temperature change. Energy is so much a part of our lives and our existence is so complicated, yet we are still mostly unaware of the size of our individual carbon footprints.

The way that we get around - our means of transportation, are for the most part principal emitters of carbon, be they considered individually or as a group. Gasoline and conventional diesel fuel are very expensive commodities and as we mostly rely on foreign sources for these fuels, external influences can directly affect availability, pricing and our very economic security.

It seems that change will be slow to come. We have got to learn how to change our habits and to wean ourselves off our reliance on these fossil fuels, even though our very infrastructure relies so heavily on the sourcing, generation and distribution of these fuels. Unfortunately, the oil industry has a strong political lobbying background and any alternative options face a significant challenge in trying to bring their message to an unaware public.

Biodiesel fuel as an alternative is, at face value, very attractive. It is produced by mixing vegetable oil or animal fats with methanol and a process of separation derives this alternative fuel. In many cases, biodiesel fuel is originally derived from soybean products, which grow and are plentiful in the United States.

Biodiesel is essentially carbon neutral and has very low sulphur rates, especially compared to its alternatives. It can be used in conventional diesel engines without any issues at all and can be mixed in various solutions with petro diesel if required. While it is not widely available in this country at the moment, distribution systems need to be developed and the infrastructure put in place. We’re becoming more and more aware and interested in hybrid vehicles, and we’re also generating a buzz around biodiesel as an excellent alternative option.

At present, homemade biodiesel may well be an option for you, as with a little bit of application it is within reach of everybody. These days, making biodiesel has become a labour of love for many thousands of people who have realised the value of making considerable personal effort to help reduce carbon emissions. Although making biodiesel can be very rewarding, personally and financially, keep in mind that if you do decide to try making it for yourself, always carefully review what the experts call, “essential safety advice,” before you begin!