Melvindin On Fuel Crisis

Introduction /Purpose
I am planning to set up a forum that not only discuses but also generates practical answers to current fuel crisis as part of my assignment 2.
Energy, fuel in particular has become a major concern and the situation is cascading.
The ecommunity will look at

• 1  History of fuels
• 2  Current trends and modes of using fuel
• 3  Geo political situations and hotspots that fuel the fuel prices
• 4 Big boys who harvest $$$$$ through momentary or instantaneous  issues for instant gains
• 5 Sources of alternative fuels/ eg biofuels
• 6 Ways to reduce fuel consumption
• 7 ..............................and similar matters arrising from discussions    eg   how to make biofuels/biodiesel on small scale

Method:
A base dicussion statement will be sent to all members with invitation for comments.
To provoke discussions, the base statement will have some pointers for the members to comment/feedback
A summary will then be made available to attract more guided disussions
A semi-formal document/ file will be complied as an outcome
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Hope to see all participating in this activity
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Hi Melvin, you made a really good point in some of the other discussion threads about keeping it small and manageable. Your topic sounds great but it seems that, like some of the rest of us, you might need to narrow your discussion topic a bit to make it more manageable. It is a bit like a research project I guess, it needs to be very small so that you can focus on the findings without getting bogged down.
Wendy

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Hi Melvin
I have to admit to joining the discussion a little late but I totally agree with Wendy,  I think its  positive that you are already listening to the community and adjusting to suite the community needs.  I think that is one of the points that we will be checked against when the assignment is marked
I look forward to the discussion
thanks
Bob

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Thanks, Melvin - looks interesting and timely!

I think the purpose  is to 'generate solutions to the current fuel crisis' - I guess these are personal things we can do rather than global solutions? If so, that looks to be a very suitable purpose.

I'm a bit concerned that you have a lot of 'content' in the 7 points which will be hard to cover without resorting to an 'information transfer' mode and diminishing the community approach. When I look at the purpose, it seems that point 6 (and maybe point 7) seem to be the most relevant.

Re step 2 - I'd suggest the discussion will need specific questions rather than just pointers.

I'm looking forward to some innovative ideas from the group on how I can save fuel!
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I am now trying drop some bullet points to keep the forum more focused for productive discussions.I am aware of the time available to me and to others and the relavance to the outcome. I do realise having many bullet ponits will just attract  comments and not  in depth  meaningful discussion. In odrder to generate discussion with a measurable outcome I feel the need of bullet point 6 to saty on the top as
Ways to reduce fuel consumption             and
How to make biofuels/biodiesel on small scale

Please start adding your comments while I look  for methods of making biofuel the easy way.


 I have written some articles about it in NZ magazines and used to conduct hands-on workshops nationwide in my heydays. I am sure will pull out some material from here and there for you. In the meantime start collecting used vegetable oil (or even better siphon it out form your kitchen as a starter ingredient )as well as
some saftey galses. gloves, apron, two larger 3 L just juice bottles, pH paper, funnel, some common sense safety rules about using methanol and caustic soda.....................
( I may be able to set up a video  on how to make biofuel/biodiesel ) and
send the first 4 people a small pack of methanol , caustic soda and pH paper
Animal fat or vegtable oil are must
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Thanks Fred

That is great. You are in

Using electricity also means using existing but quickly depletinig non renewable resources. Most of the electric power is poduced by burning coal and gas in NZ.

What we need is to grow cash crops that will produce oil and add nirogen to soil . The byproducts will be added attraction. 

warmly

melvin