Upside down: Spreading the green message aboard a unique eco bus

Do not look shocked if you come across a school bus with its second bus body piled on top, upside down. Making a rather an unusual view, the bus with tires on top facing the sky has become a symbol of Jewish environmental education. Pesach Stadlin, along with four other staff members of the Teva Learning Center is travelling the country by a bus powered by vegetable oil in a hope to raise consciousness about global warming.

vegetable oil powered bus

The two months trip that officially kick started in October was designed to coincide with both, the international Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and the Festival of Lights. The group that is being paid for their traversal is visiting Jewish institutions, along with universities and green festivals across the country, spreading the simple message that people can live without producing inordinate amounts of waste. During their visits, the group demonstrates the vehicle's grease and composting systems, along with displaying a bicycle-powered generator. They impart kids and adults practical tips on ways to bring down their carbon footprints.

The tour that started with a blast of the shofar, outside the United Nations headquarters in New York is scheduled to conclude at the Hazon Food Conference in California. The bus that was originally commissioned by Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's ice-cream fame has been already used to promote a number of causes in the past. The bus that was reoutfitted to run on vegetable oil instead of diesel fuel is refilled with the oil thrice a week. Let’s hope their green initiative turns out to be fruitful.

Via: JewishExponent