Let’s hear it for the Biodiesel ladies!  Biofuel Oasis is an all female co-operative that values sustainability, local production, and community.  In our quest to find alternative energy sources, especially clean ones, these ladies have set up shop in Berkeley, California (just a stone’s throw from San Francisco) and specialize in a high quality grade of Biodiesel fuel made from recycled vegetable oil that meets the ASTM standards.  You drive right up and pump directly to your car or buy in bulk using five gallon containers called carboys.

These enterprising ladies are not only selling the fuel, they’re teaching you all about it as well!  They offer a monthly fuel filter changing workshop.  Since running biodiesel will actually clean out your fuel system you may notice a loss in power which could be a symptom of a clogged filter.  Running biodiesel in a diesel engine does not mean a huge over haul to your existing engine just making sure you keep your filters clean.  Talk to these ladies they are a plethora of knowledge and very willing to share it, so much so, that they’ll sell you the how-to guide on brewing your own fuel or even setting up your own station.

Please note, regardless how good your intentions may be on recycling, they want you to know please don’t come here to donate your old cooking oil!  Running your vehicle on biodiesel is different than running it on straight vegetable oil.

There are a few drawbacks to biodiesel that are easily remedied such as cold weather (not a problem here but if you’re going up to the snow in Tahoe, use diesel), and the already mentioned of filter clogging, but the benefits are cleaner emissions, non-toxic, sustainable, renewable, and it’s easy.  Their website lists all this information on the pros and cons of biofuel.

With all that I’ve learned it’s funny to think the oil used to fry my favorite donuts can also run my car…hmm, perhaps not so funny!