Take the Biofuel Pledge

"If the BioTruck team can make it all the way to Timbuktu on Biodiesel, I pledge that my next tank will be Biofuel."

See who else has taken it.

Chocolate fuelled BioTruck makes it to Timbuktu
on the worlds first Carbon Negative Expedition.

Adventures Andy Pag (34) and John Grimshaw (39) have just returned from the 8500km drive from the UK to Timbuktu using Biodiesel made from waste chocolate.

The petrolheads from London and Dorset delivered a biodiesel processing unit to MFC, a local charity. Independent analysts Carbon Aided estimate that the net effect of the expedition will actually save 15 tonnes of carbon emissions making this the first ever Carbon Negative expedition.

Along the way the boys had to battle with sand storms, corrupt customs officers and narrowly escaped a shoot out with Al-Qaeda.

Their journey wasn't made easier by their choice of vehicles, all rescued from scrap yards. “We are always being told that to be green you have to buy the latest gadget”, explains Grimshaw “but I don't think we should be so quick to throw things away. There's still plenty of life in these old trucks”

As a result the team had to effect daily roadside repairs, from broken headlights, losing second gear, rusty body panels falling off, frozen fuel, rear wheel blow outs, fuel leaks, oil leaks, air leaks, steering fluid leaks, radiator leaks… not to mention the spine and eardrum damage from the 4 week journey in a 1989 Ford Iveco Cargo.

“We're not environmentalists at all,” Pag points out “We just wanted to do a trip that wouldn't have a detrimental effect on the environment, and the more we learnt about Biodiesel the more we thought that's how we can do it”.

The pair successfully arrived in Timbuktu on Boxing Day and next year Pag plans to fly a paramotor to China using carbon neutral fuel made from landfill waste. Pag says “First step, I need to learn to fly.”

Background and Press contact

Images and more info available at www.biotruck.co.uk/index.php?men=press&con=High%20Res%20Images

Main Press contact

Andy Pag is the BioTruck expedition organiser, with over 12 years experience in running vehicle based expeditions in Africa and around the world. He is a filmmaker and an award winning journalist.

Sponsors

Ecotec are one of the UK 's leading biodiesel producers. As well as researching new ways to produce environmentally friendly fuels they also manufacture biodiesel produc tion kits for home users.
Contact Andy Hodgson, Marketing Director, 07969 636949
www.etruk.co.uk

CarbonAided assists entities to identify and reduce their carbon footprints.  They also help to develop projects that save greenhouse gas emissions and supports further projects with the sale of carbon credits.
www.carbonaided.com

The Harris Pye Group are one of the World's leading privately owned Offshore Repair and Refurbishment Companies and are also committed to protecting our environment.  We are pleased to be associated with the Biotruck Team and wish them success and speed on their arrival at Timbuktu . 
www.HarrisPyeGroup.com

Charity

MFC (The Mali Folke Center ) is an established Malian charity working with ChristianAid to develop enterprise through environmental projects, which include developing biofuels.
Contact Ibrahim Togola, MFC Director, +223 220 0617
www.malifolkecenter.org

Quotes

Greenpeace Spokesman “Using waste food products - like chocolate - as an alternative to fossil fuels is a great idea. … Other types of biofuels actually risk pushing up food prices and causing the destruction of tropical forests. This is seriously bad news for the climate.” - The Preston Citizen 16/11/07

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The Expedition set off from the UK on the 26th of November and arrived in Timbuktu on the 26th of December 2007.

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