Cow Fat Into Motor Oil is Gross, But a Pretty Good Idea
Put down whatever you’re eating for this one. Green Earth Technologies, a Connecticut-based consumer goods manufacturer, is turning otherwise useless cow fat into motor oil, or, as the company calls the end product, G-Oil.
Already approved by the American Petroleum Institute, G-Oil is the green, but equally efficient, alternative to petroleum-based motor oil.
In Oklahoma, the fifth largest meat production area in the world, approximately 50,000 cows are killed daily within less than 200 miles of the G-Oil manufacturing center. Photo: Flickr/kwerfeldein
Since its debut, the product has surfaced in a wide range of goods, including soaps, mildew removers, cosmetics and lighter fluid. The motor oil has even found its way into the American Le Mans, a sports car racing series that hosts both endurance and sprint races.
“We buy the fat from the rendering industry [which sells waste meat products as a base material for a wide variety of products], and we consider it a renewable resource that is also fully biodegradable,” Green Earth Technologies’ President Mat Zuckerman explained to The Daily Green.
“Motor oil is a base material plus additives, and by adjusting the additives you make products for different automotive applications. In this case we’re using nanotechnology to substitute fats for petroleum distillates to make the base.”
Once you get past the “eww” factor, the idea is actually an innovative solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Whereas petroleum is a limited resource that is being increasingly depleted by growing populations around the world, the material used to create G-Oil is arguably an unlimited one.
- United Press International(01/20/2010). Company turning cow fat into motor oil http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/01/20/Company-turning-cow-fat-into-motor-oil/UPI-62011264002271/.
- Jim Motavalli. The Daily Green(11/25/2008). Fossil-Free Motor Oil: Running Cars on Cows http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/cars-transportation/animal-motor-oil-g-oil-461108?click=main_sr.
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
Anne
posted on January 29th, 2010 at 9:06 am
That is absurd, and extremely myopic. Nothing short of utter stupidity. Did anyone stop to think about Carbon Monoxide? Do you know that atmospheric collapse is threatening our world due to CO2 emmissions from overpopulating humans and animals?? So now we should use cow fat to fuel our industry – do you understand how many more animals will have to be bred to satisfy the continually growing demand? Wake up and smell the roses for Pete’s sakes! The answer to helping our sad condition on this planet is to start getting pro-active about the huge, growing OVERPOPULATION problem on this planet. But no-one wants to talk about it, or do anything about it because they fear censure, and because of FALSE-HUMANITARIAN moralistic beliefs.
Wesley Zhao
posted on January 29th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Katherine,
I love the idea that gluttony can be renewable! This is an awesome article and I hope G-Oil grows on the USA. Do you have a twitter handle?
Paula
posted on February 3rd, 2010 at 12:07 pm
First, I agree wholeheartedly with Anne, who posted on January 29th, above. Breeding and slaughtering more cows will not help this planet! In fact, we need to decrease/eliminate that barbaric process!!!! Look at the caption under the picture of the cows above!!! 50,000 are slaughtered EVERY DAY! That is just sick! We need SUSTAINABLE, RENEWABLE, CLEAN, and CRUELTY FREE ENERGY SOURCES that do not cause more harm and bloodshed on this planet!!! I absolutely know in my heart that we can do this… it’s just that all the lobbyists and special interest groups and good ol’ boy networks can’t see beyond their greed!!!!! I have been a vegetarian for 38 years. I would never in a million years fuel my car with animal fat!!!!
Environmental News Bits»Blog Archive » Cow Fat Into Motor Oil is Gross, But a Pretty Good Idea
posted on February 3rd, 2010 at 12:23 pm
[...] Read the full post at Earth911. Put down whatever you’re eating for this one. Green Earth Technologies, a Connecticut-based consumer goods manufacturer, is turning otherwise useless cow fat into motor oil, or, as the company calls the end product, G-Oil. [...]
bob
posted on February 3rd, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Paula and Anne,
I think you’re missing the point and are making judgments based on irrational emotion rather than facts. I’m not a vegetarian and never will be like most everyone on this planet. The current fat by product produced today is more than enough to support ALL the car oil needs of this country and beyond. There was NEVER any mention of slaughtering more cows just to produce oil. I’m an engineer an understand that no matter what your position is on the environment we will always need oil to run our machines, thats a fact. So would you rather use animal fat (which is being wasted) or would you like to continue to harvest a natural resource that pollutes the [EDITED] out of this world? animal fat is natural, has NO harm to the environment and when used in machine/auto applications reduce the carbon footprint by up to 80%! Not only is it clean, safe and more efficient its a renewable resource because its a by product of something that human beings need to survive.
Its really a shame that your personal choice in life, as a vegetarian, skews your judgment towards innovation and a truly beneficial development in our society. If you believe that everyone on this planet is going to be a vegetarian, love each other unconditionally, hold hands, sing “Kum Ba Yah” and do whats best for the greater good than thats your opinion…BUT its not reality.
I’m thankful this company has created a product that helps the environment, protects the country and is SUSTAINABLE.
J
posted on February 3rd, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Katherine, please visit a CAFF (concentrated animal feeding facility), and you will never eat meat again, let alone glorify factory farming residuals.
P.S. The photo shows two lucky cows in a field of green grass. Better to show a photo of the realty: thousands of sickly animals standing knee deep in mud and excrement…
Rori Parker
posted on February 3rd, 2010 at 5:28 pm
It is true that cows are causing a lot of CO2 emissions and that less cows would help the environment. However, since there are still a lot of people who eat beef and that is never going to completely stop, why not use the waste product from the cow? If more cows are bred and killed for the fat that would be another story. That doesn’t sound like the case here. Sounds like an organization that is making use of a waste product. I see nothing wrong with it.
Liz
posted on February 3rd, 2010 at 8:00 pm
I believe the idea is to find a use for a waste product that is already being produced. I don’t think they intend to breed animals for this sole purpose.
Mike
posted on February 17th, 2010 at 11:55 am
What Liz has stated is completely accurate. The waste materials left over after processing one cow can be converted into 110 quarts of G-Oil. This “beef tallow” was previously used to fry french fries and other items at fast food places until the advent of Mad Cow Disease. Tallow is also used in the manufacture of soap and candles among other products. Green Earth is not slaughtering any animals. Just finding a renewable and environmentally friendly use for a material that already exists.
PlutoThePlanet
posted on March 3rd, 2010 at 11:26 am
WOW cool! So i can continue to be an omnivore and the waste products can be used as fuel as well as compost!
Katy
posted on March 4th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
I think this is just a way to use materials that are usually wasted and considered useless into something we can use, that’s not useless. I agree with Liz. There’s probably about a million or more cows killed a day around the world, and I don’t really approve of that, but almost everyone eats meat. (they have to get it from somewhere) The people who make this…G-oil…are merely using products that would normally just be thrown away. I see Paula and Anne’s point as well, but it’s true that people who eat meat will never ever completely stop eating meat. You might say that they could make a law against eating meat or something, but that’s just ridiculous. Yes, cows make a lot of Co2 but… This is simply using a product that people wouldn’t use. When you say, Paula, that you will never fuel your car with animal fat, but when the world runs out of oil and it costs way too much, everyone will be using either this, or pay tons of money. Would you like to pay $100 dollars a gallon in a couple hundred years? No way. People will eventually realize that there is really nothing wrong with this, it’s just using waste to make something that is fuel, Oil won’t last forever, you know. By the time it is 2056 or something we will have to use an alternate source of fuel other than fossil fuels. Plus, FOSSIL FUELS themselves create a LOT more Co2 than cows when they are burned. Some people say global warming isn’t happening, but it really is undecided whether it is true or not. Here’s a quote from something I read:
“Earth has been able to handle Co2 emissions of plants and animals, but not the emissions from wasteful factories or cars.” Like I said before, this is GOOD for the environment. Most people think, “Eew! Cow fat!” and such stuff goes right into the trash. This fuel is using a product that would otherwise be thrown away. (wow this is longer than I thought it would be )
sophie
posted on March 8th, 2010 at 8:44 am
I agree with Paula and Ann. Plus,If vegetarian is good for the enviornment, what is this?
David
posted on March 11th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Did anyone that does not agree with this stop to think that these 50,000 cows who were made to be slaughtered? I understand that some are vegetarian. That is your choice! Not Mine! Meat eating people are not going away. So why not use what we are wasting anyway? Do you vegetarians not use glue? How about makeup? Soap? Cleaning prouducts? Guess what all these are made of! But I suppose it is inevitable that these extremists just want a soap box to stand on. “Again, guess what soap is made of”
Chris
posted on March 18th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
I am for adding another code to your driver’s license, so you can donate your fat when you die. Harvest my eyes, kidneys, and fat….
I just hope it gets used in a Harley, or a Corvette….
Skittle68
posted on April 10th, 2010 at 2:16 am
Yes, it would be great for the environment if everyone went vegitarian, but it’s not happening anytime soon. I’m certainly not going to stop eating meat. I’ve watched all the Humane Society videos (check them out on youtube) on pigs, chickens, cows, lambs… I advocate for ways to raise and slaughter more humanely (grass fed cattle for instance) but the point of this article is that tons of fat is being thrown away because we slaughter so many cattle, and there is just no use for it anymore. I think EVERY part of the animal should be used. I have a bracelet that has hand carved cow bone beads, and if the leather in the US actually came from the cows in the US I would be all for that too. Use everything!
ForTheAnimals
posted on June 13th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
This company is going in the WRONG direction. The goal is to eat LESS meat and eventually STOP eating it altogether. G-Oil actually promotes the slaughtering of animals by using animal by-products and is not an animal-friendly product. Even if the animal is already dead (from slaughter), that doesn’t make it right to use their parts. It’s a known fact that a vegetarian lifestyle is better for the environment and the consumer (less Co2). Equally important is that we need to stop killing innocent animals. The pain, suffering, fear and stress these animals go through before slaughter is horrific. People should treat animals with respect. They were here way before us. We have to be the voice for animals! Just because they can’t SPEAK doesn’t make them second citizens! If animals could talk, do you really think they’d be volunteering to be slaughtered so you can eat them??? If YOU couldn’t speak, would that mean you should be slaughtered??? G-Oil may not be raising animals just for this purpose but they could eventually start if the demand becomes too great. The people that say, “well, the animal is dead anyway, might as well use their fat…” No! The animal shouldn’t be dead to begin with! Animals are needlessly and inhumanely slaughtered everyday because of greed and glutton. Money is the bottom line. This country needs to wake up!
Priya Chauhan
posted on June 23rd, 2010 at 1:32 am
What is most concerning about this is the idea is termed “green”. What an absolute joke. Though some of you may believe the idea is to find a use for a waste product that is already being produced- this meat production will not continue at this level indefinitely. I don’t think they intend to breed animals for this sole purpose.Do people not realise that the current method of meat production is immensely unsustainable and people will have to cut down their intake if not stop all together. This is totally unethical, the slaughtering of animals currently produces more Co2 than all the transport in the world include planes. The only way things will go towards a green life is if this is stopped.
Even if you put to one side the pain and suffering of the animals, mass meat AND dairy production wastes precious water, often contaminates the water supply, is destroying land due to overgrazing and people need to wake up and learn that it is ruining the planet. Humans have a responsibility to take care of the world and its animals as we are supposed to be the most conscious beings on this planet.
In answer to Katy’s question I am already finding ways to ensure my life is not dependent on gas production and yes I would rather pay a lot more for gas then have it cheap and taken from the fat of slaughtered animals. David your ideas sound very ignorant of many vegetarian and vegan principles. I use a glue that is vegan, source vegan makeup (very easy btw) and all my other cosmetics and toiletries are from Lush and not derived from animals. It may seem extreme to you but it is natural to me and people will eventually realise that we will all need to change the way we live to keep the planet in a balanced state.
laurence
posted on August 3rd, 2010 at 3:51 pm
I personally think this is a wonderful idea to all the vegetarians here let me make a point i don’t know where you heard that the ultimate goal of humanity was to stop using meat but it lied to you I understand that there are ways to get around how healthy meat is by eating protein substitutes but what all of you don’t understand is an extremely large majority of people on this planet love meat and I do know how most of your opinions are base “well have you ever seen them slaughter and animal” well for your information yes i have i watch cows be slaughtered and many other animal how was i affected well i went and bought a steak i have killed and butchered my own animals in my own opinion to use a waste product that is going to exist anyway and be thrown away for a good use to better the planet is a wonderful idea and if you think that oil is going away think about more than just yourself and personal uses think about your military i work on air crafts for the air force and I’m not sure if you realize how much fuel it takes to keep a jet in good running condition i am more worried about my fellow soldiers and my fellow Americans if you can try to think about what happens to the pilots of and electric plane if the electronics fail.
Ann
posted on September 3rd, 2010 at 5:48 am
Awesome! Why stop with cows? I think they should be using the byproducts of all Hollywood’s liposuction surgeries too. Shame to let that go to waste don’t you think? And think of the marketing possibilities!