Nature - Fuel from just sun, air & water!

When I was a very young child (UK early 1950’s), there was the odd business that still considered a horse and cart, as being a viable means of transport. There were still a few steam powered threshing machines resisting the momentum of the combine-harvester. There were buildings in the industrial cities still black from the consequences of the industrial revolution. London was referred to as the ‘Big Smoke’. As I grew, so did the technology that changed those things forever.

The evolution and capability of the human animal is staggering in its trajectory. Science and technology has taken us to the Moon, and now other planets are realistically within reach. Incredible discoveries enabled by scientific development, then utilised by industry, have created much of the lifestyle you live today. You could say science and technical development became the goose that lays golden eggs. ‘Profit’ is after all, a reasonable expectation. The by-product of these incredible advancements is that while you are taking the golden eggs, you feed the ‘super goose’ fossil fuels and let it fart and belch toxic gases into the atmosphere with a naïve belief that our atmosphere has an infinite capacity to absorb them without harm.

Meanwhile scientific evidence told you, for example; lead in petrol was having a radically negative effect on your mentality. The vested interests, presented their own ‘evidence’ to governments – accompanied by generous political donations – everything’s fine, nothing to worry about! You were being lied to!

It was only when the evidence became overwhelming and the public insisted it was obviously affecting our health - especially for young children living near busy highways and junctions - that lead poison effects could no longer be denied. Science delivered the evidence, governments reluctantly made decisions – lead in petrol was deemed environmentally unacceptable. I’ll assume, like me, you believe this to be an absolute truth. If you still need convincing a short version of the truth can be found at: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40593353 if you can cope with knowing that killing millions for profit is OK in western democracies if political donation are part of the deal, read: https://www.thenation.com/article/secret-history-lead/ then scream and weep, because you, me and our entire generation have been seriously affected - believe it or not!!

For reference: The perfect octane raising additive to replace lead in petrol/gasoline is ethanol. Ethanol It's cheap, you don't need to dig for it, and it's not poison. The problem is, it's exactly the same stuff as beverage alcohol and people have been making it for thousand of years! Anyone can make it, so you can't patent it and make $ Billions. So some hydrocarbons are used instead such as toluene, xylene and benzine, all of which are highly toxic and carcinogenic, even before combustion!   

Science then told you that Co2, toxic gasses and particulate matter emitted by transport and industry was having devastating effects on plants, animals, human species, and the very nature of the atmosphere itself. In fact we are now seeing the tragic effects, as predicted - but still venal governments and vested interests are in denial!

Denial is so easy when you’re sitting pretty! In fact, you are being lied to!

The fact is, profit becomes deeply immoral when it is known to be at the expense of ‘life’.

Science now tells you we have gone too far, the goose that lays the golden eggs has belched and farted way too much and the planet is about to die from the stench! Amazingly, there are still those who don’t believe it!

I guess you can believe what you like. I could say; I really don’t care, I don’t have children and I’ll see maybe another 15 years if I’m lucky, so why should I care? Well, I do care, I care most for the innocent by-standers, the ‘collateral damage’ - that is: the magical planet that created life – the real goose, the plants and animals, which evolved ‘as nature intended’ - until the human animal evolved and the ‘material goose’ – industry and the wheels, propellers and wings of commerce – took over and dominated.

Help! We need a solution!

One thing is for sure, we can’t turn the clock back. Our expectations are high and we can’t simply go back to manpower and horses. We can’t change overnight – but we can change rationally if we do actually care about the future.

The long term solution is: you need to change the goose’s diet! You must wean it off fossil fuels and onto a healthy natural diet!

Unlike ‘Big Coal’, ‘Big Oil’ stands a chance of survival. Despite still inducing the ‘political parties’ in power, to supporting prolonging their primary business model, the smart oil companies are dipping their toes into alternative low, to net-zero-carbon fuels. Pressure, from the big corporations that understand their responsibilities and can go direct to alternative fuel sources, is beginning to force their hand. Bio and renewable fuels remain the obvious transition fuel solution, as electric and hydrogen options evolve further and dominate in on-road’ applications. But it is clear that the continuing liquid fuel developments will ultimately enable the internal combustion engines to operate virtually emission free – and as such, they will remain the obvious choice for the smaller marine application.

Rest assured, boats will be powered by internal combustion engines for many years yet!

Many significant entities including major airlines, shipping companies, naval fleets, road transport fleets and ‘professional’ motorsports, are acknowledging their responsibilities and transitioning to bio and renewable fuels. Amazingly, there are still some ‘venal’ western governments (political parties) who, rather than governing in your interests, continue to encourage fossil fuels.

You know the lies must stop, NOW!