1 00:00:07,089 --> 00:00:08,455 Just a minute ago, 2 00:00:08,455 --> 00:00:11,246 this oil helped make a delicious meal possible. 3 00:00:11,246 --> 00:00:13,794 But now, it's just some nasty goop. 4 00:00:13,794 --> 00:00:15,045 What should we do with it? 5 00:00:15,045 --> 00:00:16,329 Well, the easiest thing would be 6 00:00:16,329 --> 00:00:17,495 to pour it down the drain; 7 00:00:17,495 --> 00:00:19,495 that makes it seem like it's gone, 8 00:00:19,495 --> 00:00:20,579 but it's not really gone. 9 00:00:20,579 --> 00:00:22,913 Instead, it's collecting bits of food 10 00:00:22,913 --> 00:00:24,413 and other random stuff, 11 00:00:24,413 --> 00:00:26,639 producing monstrous, greasy blockages 12 00:00:26,639 --> 00:00:28,516 that clog not only your own drain 13 00:00:28,516 --> 00:00:30,352 but entire sewage systems, 14 00:00:30,352 --> 00:00:33,259 causing flooding and pollution. 15 00:00:33,259 --> 00:00:36,606 Many places have laws for proper disposal of grease, 16 00:00:36,606 --> 00:00:39,236 but we can go one step further. 17 00:00:39,236 --> 00:00:41,068 Instead of just throwing it away safely, 18 00:00:41,068 --> 00:00:43,114 we can turn it into something useful. 19 00:00:43,114 --> 00:00:44,176 And if you're wondering 20 00:00:44,176 --> 00:00:45,650 what anyone could possibly want 21 00:00:45,650 --> 00:00:47,817 with a bunch of digusting, used cooking oil, 22 00:00:47,817 --> 00:00:50,067 the answer is: biodiesel. 23 00:00:50,067 --> 00:00:52,205 You've probably heard of diesel engines. 24 00:00:52,205 --> 00:00:54,567 They power farming and construction equipment, 25 00:00:54,567 --> 00:00:58,210 trucks, buses, ships, trains, backup generators, 26 00:00:58,210 --> 00:00:59,983 and even some cars. 27 00:00:59,983 --> 00:01:01,798 Most of the fuel that feeds these engines 28 00:01:01,798 --> 00:01:03,401 is refined from petroleum, 29 00:01:03,401 --> 00:01:05,429 which comes from long-dead dinosaurs 30 00:01:05,429 --> 00:01:07,263 and other ancient fossils. 31 00:01:07,263 --> 00:01:09,266 But diesel fuel can also be derived from 32 00:01:09,266 --> 00:01:10,816 more recently-dead organisms, 33 00:01:10,816 --> 00:01:12,269 like plants and animals. 34 00:01:12,269 --> 00:01:14,744 And this type of fuel is what we call biodiesel. 35 00:01:14,744 --> 00:01:18,106 Biodiesel is a biodegradable energy source, 36 00:01:18,106 --> 00:01:20,443 made from plant oils or animal fats, 37 00:01:20,443 --> 00:01:23,566 that can usually be burned in regular diesel engines. 38 00:01:23,566 --> 00:01:24,598 You guessed it, 39 00:01:24,598 --> 00:01:26,649 it's the 'bio' version of diesel. 40 00:01:26,649 --> 00:01:28,149 It's cleaner than normal diesel, 41 00:01:28,149 --> 00:01:30,066 so there has been a push to generate it 42 00:01:30,066 --> 00:01:32,039 from crops like soybeans. 43 00:01:32,039 --> 00:01:33,817 Now, growing plants for fuel, 44 00:01:33,817 --> 00:01:36,168 instead of food, comes with its own problems. 45 00:01:36,168 --> 00:01:40,900 But fortunately, we already have some oils and fats right here. 46 00:01:40,900 --> 00:01:42,483 Preparing your used cooking grease for recycling 47 00:01:42,483 --> 00:01:43,842 is easy. 48 00:01:43,842 --> 00:01:46,233 First, let it cool down to room temperature. 49 00:01:46,233 --> 00:01:48,484 Then, transfer it to a clean container. 50 00:01:48,484 --> 00:01:50,513 You can use any old bottles you have lying around, 51 00:01:50,513 --> 00:01:51,816 like milk jugs, 52 00:01:51,816 --> 00:01:53,183 as long as they're completely empty, 53 00:01:53,183 --> 00:01:54,815 rinsed, and dried. 54 00:01:54,815 --> 00:01:56,479 Use a funnel to avoid spills 55 00:01:56,479 --> 00:01:59,568 and a sieve to filter out any small food particles. 56 00:01:59,568 --> 00:02:01,026 You can even add bacon grease 57 00:02:01,026 --> 00:02:02,193 and other animal fats 58 00:02:02,193 --> 00:02:03,278 or the excess oil from canned food, 59 00:02:03,278 --> 00:02:05,863 like tuna or sardines, 60 00:02:05,863 --> 00:02:08,566 just make sure it's really oil and not brine. 61 00:02:08,566 --> 00:02:11,369 So, what happens now that your oil is safely contained? 62 00:02:11,369 --> 00:02:13,955 Well, many cities have recycling services 63 00:02:13,955 --> 00:02:15,817 that will pick up large amounts of grease 64 00:02:15,817 --> 00:02:17,874 from restaurants and other establishments. 65 00:02:17,874 --> 00:02:18,960 But there are locations 66 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,754 where individuals can drop off their containers, as well. 67 00:02:21,754 --> 00:02:24,131 All of this grease will end up at a processing plant, 68 00:02:24,131 --> 00:02:27,428 where it can be converted to useable biodiesel. 69 00:02:27,428 --> 00:02:29,173 How does this conversion work? 70 00:02:29,173 --> 00:02:31,722 Well, all these oils and fats you donated 71 00:02:31,722 --> 00:02:33,483 are made up of triglycerides, 72 00:02:33,483 --> 00:02:35,066 a glycerol molecule connected to 73 00:02:35,066 --> 00:02:37,315 three fatty acid chains. 74 00:02:37,315 --> 00:02:38,898 To convert fats to fuel, 75 00:02:38,898 --> 00:02:40,523 they react with an alcohol, 76 00:02:40,523 --> 00:02:42,483 usually methanol or ethanol, 77 00:02:42,483 --> 00:02:45,484 which produces long-chain esters and glycerol. 78 00:02:45,484 --> 00:02:47,484 To compare, here are some molecules 79 00:02:47,484 --> 00:02:49,149 of regular diesel fuel. 80 00:02:49,149 --> 00:02:51,483 Now, here are the molecules we created 81 00:02:51,483 --> 00:02:53,452 by breaking apart the triglycerides. 82 00:02:53,452 --> 00:02:55,317 Glycerol is the odd man out, 83 00:02:55,317 --> 00:02:57,816 so it's removed at the end of the process. 84 00:02:57,816 --> 00:02:59,500 But look at these esters! 85 00:02:59,500 --> 00:03:01,798 If you squint, their structures look pretty similar 86 00:03:01,798 --> 00:03:05,590 to those of the long-chain hydrocarbons in regular diesel. 87 00:03:05,590 --> 00:03:08,067 And diesel engines, with a few small modifications, 88 00:03:08,067 --> 00:03:10,567 can also be made to squint 89 00:03:10,567 --> 00:03:14,014 and burn these esters like regular diesel fuel. 90 00:03:14,014 --> 00:03:16,093 Et voila! Biodiesel. 91 00:03:16,093 --> 00:03:18,586 Now, you might be wondering whether all this hassle 92 00:03:18,586 --> 00:03:20,233 over recycling used cooking oil 93 00:03:20,233 --> 00:03:21,898 is even worth it. 94 00:03:21,898 --> 00:03:24,983 After all, how much energy can it possibly generate? 95 00:03:24,983 --> 00:03:28,899 Well, if all the grease that New Yorkers throw away in one day 96 00:03:28,899 --> 00:03:30,783 were converted to jet fuel, 97 00:03:30,783 --> 00:03:33,701 it would be enough to power several hundred flights 98 00:03:33,701 --> 00:03:35,869 from New York to Los Angeles. 99 00:03:35,869 --> 00:03:37,816 And let's not forget that using waste oil 100 00:03:37,816 --> 00:03:39,816 instead of burning more fossil fuels 101 00:03:39,816 --> 00:03:43,066 will limit our negative effects on the environment. 102 00:03:43,066 --> 00:03:44,706 Recycling used cooking grease 103 00:03:44,706 --> 00:03:46,529 turns goop into good. 104 00:03:46,529 --> 00:03:48,131 By contributing a little bit, 105 00:03:48,131 --> 00:03:49,969 individuals and businesses can help create 106 00:03:49,969 --> 00:03:52,444 an alternative, stable source of diesel oil, 107 00:03:52,444 --> 00:03:53,945 while protecting the environment 108 00:03:53,945 --> 00:03:55,682 and keeping our cities cleaner. 109 00:03:55,682 --> 00:03:59,682 And that's pretty slick.