Blogger Convergence - Jori and Betsy

We got an email some time back about a couple who are touring the country in their veggie-oil bus. "We're visiting national parks as well as intentional communities and other interesting places."

Well, we certainly might qualify as an "interesting place," plus we've got the whole community thing going. After checking with my housemates and my wife, I called these two to get the ball rolling and formally invite them.

"We're in Placerville right now," said Betsy. "We'll be staying another couple of days, and then we'll be looking for some veggie oil to fuel up the bus."

"I think instead of asking you for a firm arrival date, I'd rather you just call me about 24 hours ahead," I said.

"Even with the uncertainty of collecting waste oil, negotiating with a restaurant owner and all that, I'm fairly certain we can give you more notice than that," she said.

Hmm, I wonder what having them around will spark?

You can check out their journey so far at the Travels of Jori and Betsy.

Biox: "We didn't know."

Headlines read "Biofuel's a bust" and "Biofuel fails to reduce CO2." A spokesman for the energy company Biox claims they didn't know oil palms were being planted on top of slashed-and-burned peat deposits. Biox buys palm oil from the other side of the world and burns it in Europe, effectively moving their pollution off-shore. Malaysia apparently is smoggy all the time, from poorly managed agricultural techniques.

Those who are anti-biofuel will crow that this debacle proves that human civilization is headed down a one-way path the end of which has God wiping the slate clean and installing Paradise over top of the ashes.

What this really shows is that at the highest levels, it's still business as usual. Businesses have yet to learn to look at entire supply chains and business practices for the goods and services we buy. Biox claims they didn't do this; I find my credulity stretched to its limit. No one ever got invited to the other side of the equator to tour the new palm oil plantations? Puh-lease. If that's true, Biox should be hoisted up the flagpole. They are clearly green-washers, looking for the quick green buck rather than learning how to export sustainability.

I fully realize how much effort has to go in to understanding cradle-to-cradle, full life cycle supply. This is one reason why the greening of our global economy is a growth industry. I'm confronted by the time consumption as I hunt for sustainable solutions as I work on my house. Yesterday, I bought $150 worth of supplies and lumber from Home Depot.

Home Depot!? Home Despot?

Yes: they do offer a few FSC lumber products, which I buy. I also buy some of their cheapest lumber. It's about a mile away, so I use very little fuel getting to the place. Many of the employees are actually having a good time. I make it my last stop when I run errands, too.

As opposed to Biox and their palm oil woes, I do know some of what makes Home Depot one of the ravagers of the land and civilization. The fact that I buy their token sustainable products does grind on my nerves a bit. What I think is different is I have a plan for how to stop shopping at Home Depot (unless they really change). As I get the house up to a minimum level for earning income from it, I'll be able to shop for more sustainable products from other establishments.