BIODIESEL ADVOCATES DONATE FUEL TO AID HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS; THE VEGGIE VAN IS DAMAGED BY RITA

Veggie Van Organization teams with celebrities, biodiesel distributor West Central, and Florida's Naples City Council to fuel flotilla bringing humanitarian aid to devastated Louisiana coastal regions.

Victims of Hurricane Katrina residing in the hardest hit areas along the Mississippi River will soon receive long-awaited food, water, fuel and supplies thanks in part to the efforts of alternative fuel advocates.

The Veggie Van Organization, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Venice, Calif., has teamed with the Iowa biodiesel cooperative West Central and Florida's Naples City Council to transport 13,000 gallons of ‘biodiesel' fuel made from soybeans to help residents of the smaller coastal towns south of New Orleans that were among the areas most severely affected by Hurricane Katrina. The donated fuel will be used to power makeshift medical facilities and emergency generators, aboard a research vessel and a fleet of shrimp boats that will bring several tons of food, water, ice and relief supplies to the victims in devastated areas near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Supporters of the biodiesel-fueled relief effort include Woody Harrelson and Luke Perry. “I remember 20 years ago reading scientists' predictions that global warming would lead to many catastrophes, one of which would be increasingly severe hurricanes. I have a lot of admiration for Josh for doing this,” says Harrelson. Perry, who grew up in the Midwest, says, “I support the effort to get biodiesel into Louisiana to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This is an opportunity for the American Farmer to help everybody.”

“This was the first area hit and it has received little emergency aid or attention,” says Josh Tickell, biodiesel advocate and founder of the Veggie Van Organization. “Thanks to the biodiesel fuel donated by West Central and the donations we received online, we'll be able to help people who need it most and document the work on our website. A second biodiesel tanker truck will meet us in Louisiana.”

Tickell, who is going on the voyage, grew up in Louisiana and has been promoting biodiesel since 1997, when he toured the United States in his biodiesel powered “Veggie Van.” He is known for making fuel along the way from fast food restaurants' used cooking oil.

YOUR DONATIONS ARE NEEDED
Ironically, after successfully helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Veggie Van was serious damaged during Hurricane Rita, and is now in need of help.

For further information, visit http://www.veggievan.org/.

Veggie Van Organization
8033 Sunset Blvd., #154, Los Angeles, CA 90046
310-396-2227
richard@biodieselamerica.org