David Blume Inspires Us

by Yvonne Rainbow Jensen Teplitsky

On a cold Saturday in February we sat in the Council Hall, sunrays and snowflakes dancing outside the windows, listening to a lively presentation by David Blume, author of Alcohol Can be a Gas, and Luke Staengl, of the Virginia Ethanol Association.

They vividly explained how we can produce alcohol using a wide variety of plants like cattails, corn, beets, kudzu and more or using waste products like stale donuts.

“Alcohol fuel is liquid sunshine,” said David Blume, and you can even use it in your car, right now! Converting a car to 100% alcohol or flexible fueling (both alcohol and gas) costs only between $350-$500 for a converter, which they sell from their website.

With alcohol fuel, you can become energy independent, reverse global warming, and survive Peak Oil in style. More at permaculture.com.

But we need someone to start a production system here locally. David and Luke implied that a small-scale alcohol plant of 500 acres would be enough to start an energy revolution!

I was touched by David and Luke’s involvement with Project Gaia, which brings ethanol cooking stoves to refugee camps in the developing world. Their work with stoves and with establishing regional alcohol plants helps to reverse global warming because alcohol burns very clean. One stove (cost of just $50) used for a year removes up to 17 tons off the carbon footprint of the planet.

In fact, I was so impressed that I decided to donate a portion of my upcycled clothes sales to Project Gaia too. As I walked home through the forest, I felt uplifted, hopeful and inspired, knowing there’s so much possibility to turn the energy crisis around, right here in our Valley-and out there too.

Yvonne Rainbow Jensen Teplitsky is involved with Transition Black Mountain, a grassroots organization aimed at increasing local awareness of appropriate ways of living in response to energy descent and climate change. Rainbow also creates unique upcycled clothes for sale at the EH Trading Post, on Etzy, or on Facebook: Artsy Goddess.