PDS AP Environmental Science 5th Period 2011-12

*Note: This is a guest post by MattP from the other class.

Before Mr. Thompson, the CEO of a Biodiesel fuel company, came to speak to us on Friday, what did our class know about Biodiesel fuel or even just diesel fuel? We knew that diesel fuel was more expensive at gas stations than gasoline, that trucks and other large vehicles often run on diesel fuel, and that diesel fuel would destroy a gasoline engine. But that was about it.

The first thing Mr. Thompson want to make clear to us was that BIODIESEL IS NOT ETHANOL. Ethanol is a corn-based fuel that is made by distilling the sugars and starches into alcohol. It is then mixed with gasoline. Ethanol is not only less efficient than gasoline but it also takes away from our food supply. Basic rule of economics: when the supply of a product decreases the price increases. On top of its lack of efficiency and the fact that it increases the price of food, because it is corn-based all the same fossil fuel inputs and environmental impacts associated with farming. When you add up all these costs ethanol is energy negative (it takes more energy to make it than it provides) and in the eyes of Mr. Thompson and many others to be a bad fuel.

Mr. Thompson went on to explain what biodiesel fuel actually is and does. Biodiesel is fuel made from natural oils (soy, canola, poultry, algae, or Mr. Thompson’s company made fuel from used cooking oil) that can be used in a diesel engine. It can be combined with petroleum-based diesel fuel in any percentage and still run a diesel engine. In fact, the main reason biodiesel even needs to be mixed with petrodiesel fuel is that it tends to congeal when it is cold and block up engines. Petrodiesel’s lower freezing point prevents this tendency when the two are mixed. Compared to regular diesel fuel biodiesel fuel can also reduce carbon emissions by as much as 75%.

Biodiesel: 30 PSA

Just a couple of videos to show you how biodiesel fits into our country today

Mr. Thompson finished his lesson by telling us what biodiesel is not. Again IT IS NOT ETHANOL. It is not simply waste vegetable oil taken from someones kitchen and dumped into a gas tank. It has to be processed first or else it would eventually ruin your engine. On the downside, in most places it is not cheaper than regular diesel fuel or gasoline or available in as great quantities… yet. But on the upside it is not flammable, hazardous, carcinogenic, and since it is just natural oils, it biodegrades very quickly.

Biodiesel fuel has many exiting possibilities and in a few decades it could be one of our major sources of fuel.

Mr. Willard's picture

*Note: This is a guest post by JordanI in the other class.

In class on Friday we had a guest speaker, Garet Johnson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department, she talked to our class about the future of Charlotte. She began by going over the four types of land use, which is residential, office (dentist), retail(store), and institutional(church or jail). Although each area of land is designated as one of these four categories, this is not the same thing as zoning. The land uses are just there for guidance, they are not the law like zoning is. Although zoning is a law, the regulations must hold up in the court of law. Because of this, you cannot have a “vacant” land use category. Everyone has the right to develop their land. You also cannot specify what you want. For example, you can’t say its ok for a nice steakhouse to be there but not a burger king. Johnson also went over with us how urban planning is a very political process. Also, even though urban planners make up a plan for the city it doesn’t mean that it’s going to be adopted. The city council ultimately makes the decisions.

Garet Johnson also went over with us the future for Charlotte. They are planning on having 5 major transportation and growth corridors. The goal is to focus growth in the activity centers and growth corridors.One of the main principles is to also provide more transportation systems. Below is a picture of the Centers, Corridors, and Wedges for the Charlotte Plan.

Image from Char-Meck Planning Dept

At the end of class, we were put into groups of two and asked to develop an empty site. We placed the stickers for what we wanted where in the open site. After the activity, we realized how hard it was to develop an empty site from scratch because there is so many things to consider. Below is a picture of our class working on the activity.

Image Credit: Mr. Willard

Garet Johnson’s powerpoint that she shared with us in class can also be found here: http://www.slideshare.net/dwillard/charlottes-future-growth-and-the-environment