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Posted: Wednesday, 19 September 2007 1:22PM
Westchester Unveils the 'Veggie Van'
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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) -- An old junker van - owned by Westchester County - has been converted to run on vegetable oil, and it will be used to teach folks about saving the environment.
The ``Veggie Van'' - which is painted green - has a diesel engine that was converted to use vegetable oil. Hundreds of diesel car owners in the Hudson Valley have converted their cars to vegetable oil.
Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano says the concept combines to waste products. He says the van was going to be sold at a public auction - and the vegetable oil comes from the restaurant at Glen Island Park - which would have been thrown out.
Spano says if the van runs well, the county will convert 20 other diesel vehicles - and the county will urge local governments and school districts to do the same.
The vans get about the same mileage on vegetable oil, as they did on diesel fuel. However the harmful emissions smell like fried foods and are not harmful to the air. Spano says with diesel fuel costing about $2.45 a gallon these days, converting the Veggie Van for about $2,000 will pay for itself within two years.
The van will be an teaching tool on wheels - showing movies and distributing information about saving the environment.
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