Bob and Kelly King started Pacific Biodiesel in Hawaii ten years ago, before anyone knew what biofuels were or why they were important. In 1995, while he was working at the Central Maui Landfill, Bob King saw the opportunity to convert restaurant waste into biodiesel that could fuel the landfill’s generators. This revolutionary idea of converting waste to fuel led to the creation of Pacific Biodiesel plants on Maui, Oahu, and in several more U.S. states.
The Kings support the local economy and environment by creating community-based solutions for managing waste and turning it into fuel. They’re developing a fuel that doesn’t rely on foreign oil, rainforests, or our food supply.
As the demand for biodiesel began to outpace the supply of used cooking oil, the Kings started the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance to focus on the environmental, social, and economic-sustainability issues facing biodiesel.
The car my family and I drive is powered by sustainable and locally produced biodiesel. The only problem is it smells like French fries rather than diesel fuel, so I get hungry whenever I drive.
By Jack Johnson (singer, songwriter, and activist)
Photo courtesy of Ode Magazine
