See the Film FUEL This Weekend

Last night, I saw a film called FUEL that explored how we can break our addiction to oil and adopt  alternative energy sources in particular bio-diesel fuel grown from soybeans. I strongly urge you to catch it at its short run in NYC.

The first half of the film takes the perspective of Josh Tickell’s personal odyssey in awakening his own environmental conscious and the country’s to the possibility of an petroleum-free society as he drives his vegetable-oil based van across the country to educate his fellow citizens.

Then, when ethanol (made from corn) was mischaracterized as displacing food from people, the alternative fuel source movement hit a wall, and Josh hit a personal crisis in fearing his life’s work was in vain. But he finds new purpose and the second half of the movie picks up steam in exploring new energy possibilities including algae-based biodiesel, a particularly compelling concept (fuel made from algae grown from our waste).

While taking slightly heavy handed, but not unjustified, swipes at W and others for exacerbating our dependence on foreign oil, as well as rehashing 911 footage, overall the film provides hope about the possibilities of our energy future, showing cars that get 145 mpg on boidiesel and presenting plans for urban vertical farms and other ideas. You will leave buoyed about the future, which is at hand with the Obama Administration, and hopefully, fueled to act on behalf of our environment.