Booty Call for Boats

Fox News: "Superboat Burns Human Fat to Zip Around World"

A New Zealand-built boat that runs on biodiesel - and the fat of the captain -- is set to kick off an attempt to break the world speed record for circumnavigating the globe in a motorboat next year.

In the ongoing search for environmentally-correct alternative energy sources, this idea must rank right up there.  According to the article, the fat donation of the captain and other ecologically conscious volunteers "produced 10 liters -- a bit more than 2 1/2 gallons -- of human fat, enough to power the boat for 8 nautical miles" - a significant and worthy contribution toward the completion of his (quick look at the globe here) 24,000 mile journey.

Well, maybe not quite such a significant contribution as the article would have it appear.  It is claimed, though, that the boat is carbon-neutral.  But how is that calculated?  One hopes that they are not using American ethanol, which despite being promoted as "green" actually uses almost exactly as much fossil-fuel energy as just using the good old Saudi stuff.

But even if they'd filled the boat entirely from liposuction byproducts, the environmental benefit is questionable.  Science tells us that meat production is significantly more intensive in carbon output than using simply vegetative sources.

Is not the captain's fat, in fact, meat?  And while it's possible that he's a vegan, that isn't stated.  If he likes a good steak as most folks do - or being New Zealand, a rack of lamb - his carbon footprint is even greater.  It might just be that his fat-fuel emits more carbon than normal diesel from the pump.

In principle, though, one can't fault his heart. It's not often that environmentalists follow their own beliefs in such a personal way as this fellow; consider Al Gore's mansion and his preference for private jets.  Goodness knows, the United States has vast fat reserves available for the tapping.  Michael Moore, Exxon is holding on line 3...

Ah well, if that doesn't work out, recent stem cell research has provided another use for excess fat.  Keep up the good work, scientists!  And we'll trust that the boat doesn't run out of fuel halfway cross the Pacific and have to stop for a fill-up from a Japanese whaling vessel loaded with blubber.