| This article could have been called "Drive Through Fast | | | | not diesel fuel. However, most trucks that transport |
| Food Lane," or "Grab Lunch and Fill 'er Up at the Drive | | | | food and goods to store shelves do run on diesel fuel. |
| Through." I liked all three. The fact is, there is a huge, as | | | | The more expensive it is to fuel these trucks, the more |
| yet untapped resource out there that could drastically | | | | the products they transport cost because trucking |
| reduce emissions, and slash dependence on oil. This | | | | companies have to charge more in freight fees. |
| fuel source can be found all over the country at | | | | Makes sense, right? So, If we could lower the fuel |
| McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and many other | | | | costs for trucking companies the prices of the |
| fast food chains. Oh yeah, it burns clean, and is more | | | | products they carry would go down as well. |
| efficient that fossil fuel. Clean and green, it's a no | | | | Why then, don't all the fast food chains get into the bio |
| brainer, Folks. | | | | diesel business? The profits would be enormous even |
| High fuel prices mean high prices for everything from | | | | if they charged $10.00 per barrel because they create |
| milk to socks. The reason, of course, is to get milk, | | | | the waste already. All they would need to do is haul it |
| food, TV's, and yes, socks to the store shelves they | | | | to a grease refinery to turn it into bio diesel fuel. They |
| must be transported by truck. Ask any truck driver | | | | might even be able to reduce prices on their food |
| and he'll tell you, it's costing them a fortune to gas up | | | | products because of the massive profits they would |
| their rigs. Gasoline prices are bad enough at over | | | | make. Not only that, but think of all the jobs that would |
| $4.00 per gallon. The diesel fuel most trucks run on is | | | | be created by major grease refineries. |
| even worse at about $5.00 per gallon. | | | | Imagine McDonald's Energy, or Wendy's Power, or |
| The major freight carriers, UPS, FedEx, and DHL have | | | | Burger King Bio Fuel becoming big players in the |
| all adding fuel surcharges to their shipping rates. These | | | | energy industry. If they know what they're doing, within |
| surcharges as well as their normal rates are only going | | | | the next decade it could come to fruition. It may sound |
| to go up as fuel prices continue to climb. That means | | | | strange today, but it takes maverick thinking to make |
| anything you order online will cost you more to ship, or | | | | change happen. Microsoft got the rights to the |
| will simply cost more as the seller buries freight costs | | | | computer mouse for nothing because the company |
| in product pricing. | | | | that invented it, IBM, didn't think it was of any value. Do |
| So, if you've noticed prices on just about everything | | | | you think the mouse has changed the world? You bet. |
| going up, high fuel prices are the major reason. What is | | | | Bio fuel from fast food waste could do the same for |
| the solution? I've written about building a bridge to | | | | American energy. |
| energy independence, and one of the lanes on that | | | | In fact, there is a restaurant chain in my neck of the |
| bridge just might be bio diesel from fast food waste. | | | | woods in New England that is already doing it. |
| Many people have discovered that used fat and | | | | Friendly's Ice Cream could serve as a model for the |
| vegetable oil from fast food joints can be converted | | | | major nationwide fast food chains. They have begun |
| into bio diesel fuel. Who would've thunk it? Something | | | | turning their used vegetable oil into bio diesel for their |
| that was considered waste a few years ago is fatty, | | | | own fleet of trucks and as an additive to heating oil at |
| greasy, gold today. | | | | their corporate headquarters. With the help of local |
| The problem is, like all other alternative fuel sources, | | | | universities they built their own lab from scratch. There |
| not enough investment is being made into this source | | | | was no manual or model to build from. They basically |
| of fuel. Imagine how much greasy waste the | | | | created it from the ground up. That's innovation, Baby. |
| thousands of fast food restaurants across America | | | | That's waving bye bye to high oil prices. That's |
| generate per day, per month, per year? The major | | | | maverick thinking. |
| fast food chains could not only help solve a fuel crisis, | | | | According to Jim Dangleis, director of Northeast |
| but they could make a heck of a lot of money doing it. | | | | Distribution, the benefit to the company is two-fold. |
| It's a win/win. | | | | They have significantly reduced fuel costs at a time |
| It's already been proven to work. A friend of mine | | | | when diesel prices have skyrocketed. They have also |
| drives a diesel Volkswagen, and he has been buying | | | | made their business more green, and that is something |
| grease from a Chinese restaurant in his town for a | | | | that customers really get behind. It's simply good for |
| year. He converts the grease into bio diesel in his | | | | business to be environmentally friendly these days. It's |
| garage. As a salesman who drives all over New | | | | a huge selling point that only a few years ago no one |
| England, the savings in fuel costs for him are huge. To | | | | would have ever thought possible. |
| the tune of about $4,000 per year at current diesel | | | | McDonald's is doing it in Great Britain already, so they |
| prices. | | | | may already have a leg up on bio diesel production. |
| Many small restaurants that used to pay waste | | | | The other major chains should get on the band wagon. |
| companies to take away their excess grease are | | | | Fast food companies tale constant criticism for selling |
| now being paid top dollar for their fatty fuel. There are | | | | foods that are unhealthy. They could all seriously |
| companies popping up all over that specialize in | | | | enhance their image by going green. |
| converting this greasy waste into bio diesel. This has | | | | This is the kind of thinking and innovation that will |
| the potential to become a big business. | | | | transform America and the world. So, what are we |
| Most automobiles in America run on regular gasoline, | | | | waiting for? |