Bio-Diesel in Jamaica-An ACTE/EWB partnership

This blog has been created to document our implementation trip to Jamaica, August 8 – 23, 2010.  Headlines point out the highlights, while details document the steps along the way, pictures show the story, and down time highlights the fun along the way.  The team consists of Cory, James, Kathleen, Alan and Chris.

HISTORY – HOW IT ALL STARTED

Engineers without Borders is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2000, and was officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit in 2002. To date, EWB-USA has over 12,000 members in over 300 student and professional chapters, with over 400 active projects in 45 countries.

EWB’s vision is a world in which all communities have the capacity to meet their basic human needs.  EWB’s  mission is to support community-driven development programs worldwide through the design and implementation of sustainable engineering projects, while fostering responsible leadership.

EWB-Puget Sound Professionals chapter was formed in 2004 as a response to the devastating tsunami that hit Southeast Asia.  EWB-PSP is a volunteer-run organization with over 300 members and three active programs around the world, including the Jamaica bio-diesel project.

James Burke, Bellevue Middle School teacher and former Peace Corps volunteer, started a non-profit organization called the Afro-Caribbean Technology Exchange (http://www.actejamaica.org/actejamaica/ACTE_2010.html) in 2005.  Through this organization, James has been working with students and staff at two Jamaican schools to integrate instructional technology (computers) into the curriculum.

This is the location of the EWB biodiesel project.

Through ACTE, James met Steve Ghans, District Officer of the Fire Brigade in Lucea, Hanover Parish. He learned that the fire brigade had severely reduced much of its on-truck training, and had also been unable to respond to some calls due to the high costs of diesel fuel and the need to conserve this expensive resource.  James suggested the idea of using bio-diesel made from waste vegetable oil from local restaurants and resorts. Mr. Ghans was eager to learn more about how bio-diesel might help his cash strapped firehouse.  He agreed this idea was an option that should be pursued, and the Jamaica bio-diesel project was born.

James approached the Puget Sound Professionals chapter of Engineers Without Borders for assistance in the project.  The chapter agreed to pursue the project, and eventually the project was approved at the national EWB level as an official EWB project.

Several EWB-PSP members, some of whom worked at local Seattle bio-diesel companies, began to help with the project, and together they built and tested a prototype bio-diesel processor.

An assessment trip was made to Jamaica to in November of 2008 to source and price all parts necessary to build a biodiesel processor using Jamaican sourced materials, to meet with three interested Parishes and explain the process in detail, and to source waste vegetable oil, potassium hydroxide, methanol and other chemicals needed to process and test bio-diesel.

While on the assessment trip, the team met Peter Reid, manager of the Negril Recycling Center.  Peter offered up the Recycling Center as a venue for installation of the processor, as well as a training site for future classes open to the public.  Peter currently conducts training classes for at-risk-youth, teaching them job skills. Through his contacts from the recycling, Peter is very well positioned to solicit and acquire waste vegetable oil from the resort industry.

Meanwhile, EWB-USA was given a donation from The Boeing Company that was to be used for alternative energy projects.  The EWB-PSP chapter’s Jamaica Bio-diesel project qualified, and was awarded a grant from these funds, which is being used to fund the current implementation trip.

TRIP – DAY 1 (Sunday)

HEADLINE – Travel Team arrives safely in Jamaica, makes plans for the week

DETAILS – TRAVEL & FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Five of us (James, Cory, Alan & his daughter Danielle, and Kathleen) arrived at Seatac Airport at 3 AM PST, weary but ready to travel.  We boarded a US Airways plane to Phoenix, then after a short layover, boarded another plane to Jamaica.  Also on board that second plane were a giddy bridal party and several families with small but hyper children.  Oh, the joys of travelling!  We tried to get a bit of sleep on the planes, but were not exactly well-rested when we arrived in Montego Bay, Jamaica, around 12 hours later.

As we de-boarded the plane, we immediately noticed the 87 degree temperature and high humidity – two things we are not used to in Seattle!  Thank goodness for air conditioning.  We rented a van – it reminded me of the van the Libyans used in “Back to the Future”.  James added me as a driver so he would have a backup.  After seeing 1) that the steering wheel is on the right side of the van and 2) that the van is a stick shift, I suggested I might need some lessons!  (I had some frightening, or at least embarrassing, experiences with a stick shift vehicle in high school – still traumatized….)

We had about an hour and a half ride from Montego Bay to our resort in Negril.  Driving in Jamaica reminded me a bit of the traffic I saw in Rome – lanes were not well-defined, roads had many potholes, two lane roads could become three lanes roads while passing, and speed limit signs seemed to be merely a “suggestion”.

The main road to Negril was a windy road that followed the coastline.  It was a beautiful drive, with much lush, green foliage, and often a view of the water.  It began to drizzle shortly after we left Montego Bay, so we felt right at home.  By the time we arrived in Negril, it was pouring, complete with lightening and thunder – something we are NOT used to in Seattle!

There were several small towns and fruit stands and other businesses along the way.  Up on the hills were ritzy, expensive homes, while close to the water, the shacks and patchwork shanties showed the wear of the elements, mainly rust from the salt water.  There seems to be a large disparity of affluence in Jamaica – largely impoverished with pockets of wealth.

We arrived at the hotel around 7 PM, CST.  It was nearly dark.  Being near the equator, Jamaica experiences ~12 hour days year round.  Up north in Seattle, we are used to the sun going down around 9:30 PM in the summer, so the days in Jamaica seem very short.

We all settled into our hotel rooms, and met at 8 PM at the resort restaurant for dinner, and to discuss the plan for the week.  We had a lovely buffet meal – the pumpkin soup was awesome, and I had a vegetable I’ve never heard of before, callaloo.  To me, it looked and tasted like a combination of spinach and broccoli.

Monday will largely be spent looking for supplies to build the processor, and chemicals to make the bio-diesel.

After the meal, we all retired to our rooms.  Dani, Alan, and Cory found Wifi at the local dive shop, while I took a leisurely swim in the pool.  Then off to get some much-needed rest!

DAY 2 (Monday)

HEADLINE – Team purchases bio-diesel processor parts and meets Peter Ried of the Negril Recycling Center and Elizabeth Diacoco, a local Peace Corps volunteer

DOWN TIME

The original plan was to meet up at 8 AM for breakfast and head out to Montego Bay by 9:30 AM.  However, we all learned what “island time” was early on – no one made it to breakfast before 8:15 AM (not bad), and James informed us that Peter Ried of the Negril Recycling Center would not be available to go to Montego Bay until 11:30 AM.

So, with the delay, we used this spare time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, swim in the pool, tan in the 1’ deep pool, and jump off the cliffs into the ocean.  As I stood at the edge of the cliff, I was reminded of jumping and diving off the high diving board during swimming lessons as a teenager.  I’ve always been afraid of heights, so it was always a challenge for me.  I was quite proud that it only took me a mere 5 minutes to get up the courage to jump off a ~10’ cliff (with the prodding of my teammates, of course)!  Maybe before we leave, I’ll get up the courage to dive off the cliff……

DETAILS – Purchasing Bio-diesel Processor parts

The team left around 11:30 AM for Montego Bay.  We arrived at L&R Plumbing & Supplies Company, where we kept several salespeople busy for a few hours, looking for hardware we needed to build our bio-diesel processor.  Peter Reid asked how we found this store because it was one of the nicest run businesses he has ever worked with in Jamaica.  We would have to agree.  They treated us like family and worked with us as we went through a very extensive list of parts.  Even to the point of driving Alan to another store to pick up parts that would replace what they didnt stock.  Leonard and Susan and all the rest a big thank you! As noted, they did not have all of the parts we needed exactly, so we had to improvise and adapt as we went along.  After keeping the store open an hour later than they normally close, we finally had all our parts purchased, and headed back to Negril.

While at the hardware store, James made several phone calls in search of chemicals we will need to make the bio-diesel.  He found that we will have to go to Kingston to get what we need.  We now know what we will be doing on Tuesday!

We arrived back at the resort around 7 PM.  Several of us got out our computers and went to the dive shop to connect to the Wifi.  It is challenging using your computer in the dark, while sitting on the cement, but we were able to check email and do a few things online.

Peter Ried and Elizabeth Diacoco joined us for dinner around 8 PM.  Elizabeth is a Peace Corps volunteer with a chemical engineering degree.  She will assist Peter with training the community in bio-diesel production after we leave.

After dinner, we laid out all the parts we purchased, to make sure we had everything we needed.  We documented any parts that were still missing, or that would be nice to have.  We discussed the chemicals and parts we would be purchasing the following day.

We have some challenges with the chemicals.  We would prefer to use methanol and potassium hydroxide, but it looks likely we will be using ethanol and sodium hydroxide instead.  Methanol is all but impossible to procure on the island.  Potassium hydroxide is a controlled substance that we may or may not be able to procure.  Meanwhile, the ethanol we have access to is not as pure as we’d like it to be, as it has up to a 5% water content.  We believe we can reduce the water content by using lime, but that will create a by-product of calcium hydroxide, which we will have to dispose of.  The down side to using sodium hydroxide is that it cannot be composted.  However, after the bio-diesel is processed, we can drain off the glycerin/sodium hydroxide solution, and use this by-product to make bar soap.

Overall, we feel a sense of accomplishment today.  There are some challenges ahead to figure out, but we are making good progress.

DAY 3 (Tuesday)

HEADLINE – Team purchases chemicals and more supplies in Kingston, runs errands in Negril

DETAILS – Purchasing Bio-diesel Processor parts, and More Impressions

The day started early for Alan, James, and Peter Ried, who headed off to Kingston at 6 AM to purchase chemicals and other supplies.  Meanwhile, Dani, Cory & I (Kathleen) got to sleep in a bit (still trying to recover from the early morning flight, and adjust to the new time zone).

Cory and I had breakfast and headed to town, while Dani stayed back and studied up on how to make soap from the by-products of bio-diesel production.  While Dani is not an official member of our trip, she is getting community service credit from her high school for helping us on this trip, so we have given her an auxiliary job to do – she is in charge of soap production.

Cory and I walked from the resort to the cell phone shop in town.  The walk was a bit treacherous, as the roads were broken away at the edges, and in several places there was not much of a shoulder on the road.  Further complicating matters, the road was windy with limited visibility, and whatever the speed limit was, it was clearly ignored by many vehicles.  Horns were honking constantly; apparently the different types of honks mean different things, but I haven’t figured out the “code” yet.  Several vehicles stopped and asked us if we wanted a ride.  They may or may not have been legitimate taxis, although they all claimed to be taxis.  Eventually, not knowing how long of a walk we had ahead of us, we relented and accepted a ride, for about $2.50 US.

Our main mission in town was to get a couple cell phones for our group, so we could call each other and also family back home.  We bought 2 phones, the cheapest ones available, and with the SIM card and an international plan, they cost approximately $50 US each.

While shopping in town, one thing we noticed was that stores tended to round numbers off, and were very willing to negotiate.  They often did not give receipts.  It is a bit of a culture shift from the US, but you can save a lot of money by asking if they will take less.  While we didn’t take the time to verify the amounts, it seemed many of the vendors were very fair, and were offering us discounts, and rounding prices down to the nearest dollar.

We exchanged some of our money at the nearby bank, bought some souvenirs, gifts, and raffle items for the EWB fundraiser at some local shops, and I got a diet coke at Burger King.

Of note are that most shops did not have air conditioning, with the exception of the bank.  Clearly a/c is a luxury most businesses cannot afford is these economic times.  Also of note for other people like me who are addicted to Diet Coke – the soda at Burger King tasted a bit like Pepsi; I suspect they use a different type of sweetener here.  Oh well, I need to cut down on my soda consumption anyway!

We decided to walk back to the resort (without accepting a ride this time) so we could make note of all the businesses along the way.  There were many small shops, and we stopped and purchased a few items along the way, including some gelato.  Not quite as good as the stuff I had in Italy, but tasty none-the-less.

We happened to walk by a bar that was playing country music.  That seemed out of place in the land of Reggae; perhaps they are trying to cater to tourists.  I like country music myself, but this was the old style, “My dog died, my wife left me, my pickup truck broke down” type of song playing.  When I first arrived here I wondered how long I might last 2 weeks without my country music, but if that is the best country music they have, I’ll embrace the reggae for a while!

As we walked along the street, we weaved back and forth from one side to the other, in an attempt to find the safest place to walk, as at times there was no shoulder.  In addition to the shops, there were several vendors along the way, offering to sell us everything from clothes and bike rentals to food and Jamaican weed.  Only one man stopped us to ask for a handout of money; most Jamaicans were offering some type of goods or services in exchange for whatever change they can get.  I appreciated their entrepreneurial spirit amidst their impoverished conditions.  Most Jamaicans seemed ambitious and eager to earn some money by providing something in return.

After returning from the town, those of us in Negril checked email, blogged, did research online, and got in a few naps.

James, Alan, and Peter arrived back from Kingston around 7:20 PM CST.  Turns out they had a productive and interesting trip to Kingston.

The drive to Kingston was largely uneventful – traffic was light, and the group made good time.  Once arriving in Kingston, the group had to navigate to the chemical store.  Along the way, they were stopped by the police, only to realize the rental van’s registration was expired.  The group (or mainly, James) did some fast talking, and 20 minutes later, they were on their way.  Oh, the joys of driving in another country!

After visiting 2 chemical stores, the group was able to procure 55 gallons of ethanol (enough to make ~250 gallons of bio-diesel) and some sodium hydroxide.  The ethanol contains ~3.5% water, so we will need to add some lime to extract out the water.  In the next day or two, we will need to figure out where to get the lime, what form of lime can be used, and how to dispose of the by-product that settles out of the ethanol.

Potassium hydroxide and methanol were not available, which simplified our decision on which chemicals to use.  We will still probably end up getting some sulfuric acid as well, though the group did not pick any up today.

As James, Alan, and Peter headed back to Negril, they stopped at a couple small towns along the way, and were able to pick up a few hardware supplies that we still needed from hardware stores there.  We still do not have a water heater yet, but we are hoping that Peter can procure a used one from one of his contacts, to save us that expense.

After the group returned from Kingston, the 5 of us (James, Alan, Cory, Dani, & I) met up for dinner, and to discuss plans for tomorrow.  There are unknowns about the lime that need to be figured out, the source of the water heater is up in the air, and the soap-making process is not fully defined yet.  We also need to procure some wood chips for the drywash process.  While these are all things we will need to resolve shortly, our main plan for tomorrow is to meet up with the Jamaicans at the Recycling Center around 10 AM to begin assembly of the bio-diesel processor.  We expect to take 2 days to build the processor.

We are not sure at this time how many Jamaicans will be joining us for our training tomorrow.  We know Peter will be there (of course), and Steve Ghans from the fire brigade, possibly other fire fighters as well, and Elizabeth Diacoco, the Peace Corps volunteer.  We are hoping that 2 engineering college students from Kingston join us as well.  And Peter may have some other contacts lined up to participate.  We will be reviewing our training plan in the morning, and improvising as necessary.

DOWN TIME

Today, “down time” was largely mixed in with our work day.  While Cory, Dani, and I had a leisurely day, business was mixed in all along the way, as we did many tedious small tasks in preparation for the days ahead.  But I took advantage of the flexible time schedule to squeeze in a deep tissue massage, while Dani and Cory caught up their sleep.  It was good to get some relaxation.

Meanwhile, James and Alan came back from Kingston completely exhausted, after getting little sleep the night before due to their early departure to Kingston.  We had planned to go see a Ky-Mani Marley concert tonight (Bob Marley’s son), but because half the group was falling asleep after dinner, we decided instead to stay at the resort, check email, take a quick swim, called loved ones back home, and retire to bed.

DAY 4 (Wednesday)

HEADLINE – Team meets with Jamaicans at Negril Recycling Center, reviews the basics of bio-diesel production, and starts assembly of the bio-diesel processor

DETAILS – Teaching Bio-diesel Production & Processor Assembly

Our day began at 8 AM with breakfast at the resort.  The team discussed the plan for the day, then after breakfast, we dispersed to gather our supplies, check email, and prepare for a day at the Recycling Center.

We arrived at the Recycling Center around 10 AM, and were pleased to see several fire fighters there, ready for our arrival.  First, we had to do a bit of tidying up to make room for our supplies, and prepare a place to teach.

After cleaning up an area, James went over the basic process of bio-diesel production.  Although several of us had laptops present, we did not have a projector, TV screen, or DVD player, so without the aid of a presentation, James just verbally explained the process of making bio-diesel.  The Jamaicans were very interested and asked several intelligent questions.

This process took a couple hours, so after James was finished explaining the bio-diesel process, we headed up the road to a local restaurant for lunch.  It has been our observation that the idea of “service” in Jamaica is not the same as in the US.  So called “fast food” restaurants in Jamaica are notoriously slow, and at this restaurant, we waited nearly an hour before our order was taken!  (We did get an appetizer though.)  While we Americans are used to a much faster pace, it was a nice bonding experience for us to enjoy lunch with the Jamaicans and get to know them a bit on a more personal level.

After the 2-hour lunch, we headed back to the Recycling Center.  James and Alan then headed into town to procure some lime, while I took over as teacher and worked with the group to lay out the parts in the order in which they will be assembled.  We have parts for both the bio-diesel processor and the drywash towers.  I helped the group read the blueprints, become familiar with the terminology of the parts, and explained how they fit together.  We also discussed several variations, as there are infinite possibilities for the configuration.  The group seemed to grasp the concepts very well.

As we finished the assembly layout, James and Alan arrived back with the lime.  James siphoned some ethanol from the 55 gallon drum, and into a hydrometer, which is used to measure alcohol content.  The sample appeared to be around 98% alcohol.  Alan calculated how much lime would be needed to precipitate out the water, measured it, and mixed it in with the ethanol sample.

By now it was late afternoon, and we decided to adjourn for the day.  Tomorrow we plan to assemble the processor in full.

DOWN TIME

After leaving the Recycling Center in the late afternoon, we headed back to the hotel, where we showered, swam in the pool, and then had dinner at the resort restaurant.  We debriefed from the day, and talked about the plans for tomorrow at dinner.  After dinner, it was time to check email, skype, download pictures, and write blogs.  Most of the group headed to a local bar around 10 PM, while I chose to hang back, work on the documentation, and do some reading.  So, our “down time” today was interspersed with work, but that’s ok.  We should have some large blocks of down time over the weekend.

DAY 5 (Thursday)

HEADLINE – Team meets with Jamaicans at Negril Recycling Center, runs a test batch of bio-diesel in a bottle, and assembles parts of the bio-diesel processor

DETAILS – Processor Assembly & Testing

Our day began at 8 AM with breakfast, and some good conversation.  The team got into a discussion that was politically charged, and exchanging one’s political views is always dangerous!  Clearly we are bonding, to get to such a level of conversation, and in the end we all agreed that the freedom to voice one’s views is one of the greatest things about being American.

After breakfast we headed to the Recycling Center.  The previous night, we had added some lime to a sample of ethanol, in an effort to precipitate out the water.  We found our sample to be quite murky still, although much precipitant had settled at the bottom of the bottle.  We strained the alcohol through some coffee filters that we had picked up the previous evening, and then attempted to measure the alcohol percentage.  We were unable to measure because due to loss in handling, we did not have enough alcohol to fill up the hydrometer.  And, even if we had had enough alcohol, we were doubtful that the results would have led to meaningful results, as the alcohol was still murky with lime still suspended throughout the liquid.

Our results were disappointing.  We concluded that if the lime were to be successful, it would have to settle for much longer than 16 hours.  Also, the filtration process was slow and cumbersome, with much chance for waste and contamination.  For now, we are going to try future experiments with the ethanol we have, which is only 98% pure.  We may look for another solution to dry out the ethanol.

We also filtered some waste vegetable oil through a pair of pantyhose to capture any food particles.  We had planned to use some of this oil for a test batch, but due to a high water content, we will have to let it set for a while and “dry out” before using it.  Instead, James purchased some (unused) vegetable so he had a sample to try in a one-liter bottle.

To make the test batch in a bottle, James measured out the oil, then measured and mixed some sodium hydroxide into ethanol.  As expected, the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) took a long time (about 30 minutes) to dissolve, which is one of the disadvantages to using NaOH instead of KOH (potassium hydroxide).  He added the chemical mixture to the bottle of oil, and we shall see tomorrow if it works.  If it does not react, that means our mixture has too much water, so then we will have to pursue a way to dry out the ethanol.

We headed to lunch around 12:30 PM, this time eating at Burger King.  It seemed just wrong to me to be eating at BK in Jamaica!  But the food was much less expensive and arrived much quicker than it had at the restaurant the day before.  The BK soda machine was out of all flavors except Coke and Sprite.  That’s right, no Diet Coke for me.  I had to settle for a vanilla shake, which was basically just hard vanilla ice cream because their shake maker machine was broken down also!  But that was fine, because the ice cream melted quickly in the Jamaican heat – the BK did not have air conditioning.  In the US, we are used to things being standard, like a/c in fast food restaurants, and rarely are machines broken or are they out of soda flavors.  But other than that, the food was pretty standard; my Whopper Jr. and side salad were very good!

During lunch, the rain began to pour down.  It poured on and off all afternoon.  I was glad it was a work day, as I’m hoping for lots of sunshine on our off-days!

Upon returning to the Recycling Center in the afternoon, we divided up the group and went to work on assembling parts.  Alan supervised in the assembly of the drywash towers, while I oversaw the assembly of the hardware that attaches to the water heater tank.  We only had one roll of Teflon tape (what were we thinking) and two wrenches.  Both of these issues became a bottle neck that slowed us down.  James eventually went to the store to get more Teflon tape, as we ran out.

Alan experienced a bottleneck in his process also.  In addition to fighting with my group over the Teflon tape, which he also needed, his process involved drilling several 1/8” holes in each of six 4” diameter PVC caps.  As we only had one electric drill, several of the Jamaican took turns for hours drilling these holes.

By late afternoon we adjourned for the day, and headed back to the resort for dinner.  The processor is assembled to the extent it can be without the water heater tank.  The drywash tubes, also, are assembled to the extent they can be without the sawdust, which we should be getting tomorrow.  As for the water heater, we were hoping one of the Jamaicans could find us a used one, but it appears as though we may have to purchase a new one in the next day or two.

We feel it was a very productive day, however, we were hoping to get a few more things done, so that we could take Friday off.  Instead, tomorrow we (just the travelling team, not the Jamaicans) will be purchasing parts for and building the holding boxes and stands for our assemblies.  We are still brainstorming the details of what form they will take.  Hopefully we will get done early in the day, but we are committed to staying on task until the processor is built.

DOWN TIME

After dinner, some members of our group got in a quick swim and checked some email, but for the most part, there was no real “down time” today – it was pretty much work, work, work, all day.  That’s ok though – we are hoping for a longer evening to relax on Friday, and at this point, we are planning to take Saturday off.

SIDE NOTES

My body is still not yet acclimated to this hot, humid climate.  Too much northern living, I guess!

Sunscreen definitely works – I can attest to that as I missed a few spots!  Bug spray is always a must also.  The mosquitoes are not unbearable, but can be annoying.  I have at least a dozen bites, which are minor annoyances.

The thing I am finding most challenging to adjust to is the slow pace of life here.  I must say, things DO get done here, but being the Type A, driven person that I am, I am finding it difficult to slow down.  I typically eat many small meals on the run, inhaling my food.  Here, we have limited opportunities to eat, and I find myself eating way too quickly (as usual), and then way too much, as we tend to spend up to an hour at each meal.  I am learning to slow down though, at least at meal time, work is another story!

At many stores, such as the hardware stores we visited, it takes about 4 people to make a transaction happen.  One person will get you your parts, another person will document what parts you are purchasing, another person will add up how much the parts are going to cost you (and negotiate your discount), and yet another person will take your money.  Our first trip to the hardware store took about 4 hours!  The process just is not “lean”.  Efficiency has been drilled into my head after years of working for a major US corporation, so inefficiencies tend to drive me a bit crazy!

Engineers without Borders – Puget Sound Professionals Jamaica Bio-Diesel Project – Blog
Written by Kathleen Prom

DAY 6 (Friday)

HEADLINE – Team purchases parts for processor, containment box, and drywash stand

DETAILS – Purchasing parts

The team had our usual 8 AM breakfast, and then took the morning to check email, do internet research, brainstorm how to make our drywash stand, and soak up some sun.  Since the Jamaicans weren’t joining us today, there was no rush to get to the Recycling Center.

We left around noon to head to down town Negril.  Cory, Dani, and I ran some errands in town while James and Alan picked up Peter and went to look at some old (used) water heaters that may be available.  Turns out this lead on a potential used water heater took them to an unofficial “junk yard”, where there were several old, rusted out water heaters with gaping holes that were not suitable to use for our processor.  So, we then all regrouped and headed to the hardware store.  We purchased lumber, cement blocks, and other odds and ends, and arranged for delivery.  We also purchased a water heater.

We had planned to finish making the stands today, but since the supplies won’t be delivered until tomorrow, we will have to work again tomorrow.  After all the haggling at the hardware stores, it was nearly dinner time by the time we completed our transactions, so we headed back to the hotel for dinner, an evening swim, and email/internet.

SIDE NOTES

We stopped by the Recycling Center briefly.  On the way there, a recycling semi-truck was leaving.  Workers were using long wooden sticks (tree branches) to prop up the electric wires, so the trucks could pass underneath.

There are several make-shift shanty homes near the recycling center, and electricity is brought in on wires held up by “Dr. Seuss” type sticks and branches, not traditional electric poles.  The people who own and live in the homes are often squatters – they don’t own the land they are squatting on, so they cannot build anything permanent.  But apparently they can bring power in.

DAY 7 (Saturday)

HEADLINE – Another team member arrives in Negril; team assembles processor, drywash stand, and containment box; scuba diving

DOWN TIME

While James headed to the Montego Bay airport after breakfast to pick up arriving team member Chris, Alan and I enjoyed a scuba diving lesson in the pool and an open water dive in the coral reef.  Though I’ve taken classes before, this was my first open water dive, and Alan’s third.  As novices, I’d have to say we did quite well!  I didn’t even panic when I lost sight of my instructor for a few minutes.  I always get a bit nervous when first putting on the mask.  Somehow not being able to breath out my nose tends to panic me a bit!  But the pool practice was very helpful in alleviating my fears, and I did just fine in the open water.  It was awesome!

DETAILS – Assembling the processor, drywash tank stands, and containment box

After cleaning up from the dive, Cory, Alan, Dani, and I headed to the Recycling Center where we met the delivery driver and unloaded our hardware.  We immediately began assembling our storage containment box from the cement blocks and tarps.

Just as we finished, James and Chris arrived.  Chris used to work at General Bio-Diesel in Seattle, and is a chemical engineer with much knowledge of creating bio-diesel, so we are looking forward to the benefit of his expertise.

Chris had not even been to the hotel yet, but when he arrived at the Recycling Center and saw what we were doing, he immediately jumped in, started taking fittings off of the water heater and attaching our sub-assemblies.

Alan and I began sawing and fastening 2 x 4’s together to make the drywash stand.  Dani and Cory helped where needed.

Through his own non-profit organization Afro-Caribbean Technology Exchange, James works with an All-Age school in Negril, and he brought some of his students out to the Recycling Center to see what we were doing.  Chris put them right to work, helping assemble the processor.  He also took some time to explain to them how to make bio-diesel and how to test for soap content.  So, we are exposing the next generation to green fuels, and chemistry.

By dinner time, we had the processor and stand mostly assembled.  Although we had hoped to have the entire day off to play, we felt quite a sense of accomplishment with the progress we made, so we were glad we worked half the day.  There are just a few loose ends to tie up, but other than that, we are ready to start making bio-diesel when the Jamaicans arrive tomorrow!

SIDE NOTES

Sunlight can penetrate some clothing to cause a tan or sunburn.  It does not take long in the mid-day Jamaican sun to burn.  Sunscreen helps minimize sunburns, and should be applied beneath clothing also.  Sunburns are not fun!  I hope mine does not peel, but will turn into a tan.  At least today (day 2 of my sunburn) my skin is no longer burning, just tender.  Seattle people are not used to getting sunburns – we only seem to get them when we go on vacation!

DAY 8 (Sunday)

HEADLINE – Team further assembles processor, tries to make bio-diesel but experiences problems with the chemicals

DETAILS – Assembling processor, making bio-diesel

Once arriving at the Recycling Center, Chris went right to work making test batches of bio-diesel.  He showed the group, including several Jamaican fire fighters as well as some grade school children, how to titrate the waste vegetable oil to determine how much sodium hydroxide to add.  He also explained how to calculate how much ethanol to use.  He then used some “slightly” used vegetable oil to make a test batch of bio-diesel in a bottle.

Unfortunately, a reaction did not take place with the experiment.  So, for the second trial, Chris used purchased vegetable oil (unused).  Again, a reaction did not take place.

Next, Chris used some lime (the chemical – not the fruit!) to try to get the water out of the ethanol.  Lime will bond with water molecules and settle to the bottom of the mixture.  Once most of the lime had precipitated out of the ethanol, the ethanol still had some particulate in it, but Chris tried using it anyway, to see if it would work.  Unfortunately, again, the vegetable oil did not react.

We suspect that the ethanol is too wet, and that is why the reaction is not taking place.  One solution would be to use methanol instead.  Unfortunately, methanol is extremely difficult to acquire in Jamaica, so we must find a way to take the water out of the ethanol.

Meanwhile, as Chris was overseeing the bio-diesel reactions, Alan and I were putting finishing touches on the processor and drywash stand.  Alan hooked up the electric switches to the water heater, while I worked with some of the Jamaicans to add a couple of cross braces to the drywash stand for stability.  It was a collaborative effort, as we engaged the Jamaicans as much as possible, soliciting their ideas, and having them run the skill saw, drill pilot holes, and drive in the wood screws.  We added two cross braces, and then brainstormed ideas to add other functionality to the stand.  The stand is complete as-is; now we are just adding some “bells and whistles” to it.

We worked until sundown, and our nightly swim was cut short by a thunderstorm with an abundance of lightening that was too close for comfort.  Over dinner, we discussed the go-forward plan.

We will continue to research ways to take water out of ethanol, but until we figure out a solution, we will focus on how to clean and dry the waste vegetable oil while we are with the Jamaicans.  Vegetable oil itself can be added to diesel fuel, and used as fuel.  A quick calculation determined that the Lucea fire station alone would save about $500,000J, or about $6000 US, in one year by using 20% waste vegetable oil mixed in with their diesel fuel.  This is not the ultimate goal of our project, but it is definitely step in the right direction.

The Jamaicans were very adamant that we use only materials that are readily accessible to them in Jamaica, as it should be.  So, we will continue to look for a solution to this roadblock, and carry on with Plan B of using dried and cleaned waste vegetable oil.

DAY 9 (Monday)

HEADLINE – Setbacks and Solutions

DETAILS – Team works on processor, looks for solution to ethanol problem, has some success

This morning the team spent some time online doing research, and putting together documentation.  A lot of time is spent on documentation.  Three of us have cameras that we are constantly using to document our story pictorially, and each night I write a new entry for the blog.  This blog is not only to share with friends, family, and Engineers Without Borders colleagues; it will also serve as a diary and base for reports we will have to write at the conclusion of this trip.  The reports are required for EWB and also for Boeing, who gave us our grant and made this trip possible.

James made several phone calls to contacts, including the University of Technology at Kingston.  Eventually, he got in touch with one of the students that was supposed to be joining us here for our project, as they have a bio-diesel program at the University of Technology.  We had not heard back from the students, and as it turns out, there was a breakdown in the communication, and the students did not get the notification that they were supposed to be here.

Once the student, Sahlu Baker, found out that we were here and learned of our project, he agreed to come to Negril (he should be here tomorrow), and he is going to bring some methanol with him.  We are hopeful that through the University, we can find an economical source of methanol, as that would resolve the problem we are having with ethanol.  We were thrilled by this new development.

We stopped in at the Chamber of Commerce to pick up our signed Memorandum of Understanding.  We were able to speak to the head person in charge there.  She thanked us for what we are doing for their community, and said she is trying to get some media to come out on Thursday to cover our story.  It might be later (Friday or Saturday), but for now it is our goal to have some product to show by Thursday.

We then went to lunch at another resort that is a couple miles down on the beach.  It was interesting to contrast the different resorts.  Our resort, the Samsara, is a small resort and there is no beach, only small cliffs.  The other resort, the Sea Winds, had a beautiful sandy beach and a covered outdoor restaurant right behind the beach, where we ate.  The menu listed prices in US dollars (not Jamaican), and had several American dishes.  At our resort, all the meals are buffet style, and the food consists largely of Jamaican cuisine.  I prefer the Jamaican cuisine, at least while I am here, as I can get American food back home!

After our meal, James sought out the owner of the resort, to tell him about our project, and ask if he would agree to save the restaurant’s waste vegetable oil for the bio-diesel processor at the Recycling Center.  The owner agreed to do so, and as it turns out, he had been looking for a place to take his recycling, so we found the Recycling Center a new customer!

After lunch, we headed up to the Recycling Center and did some work on the processor and stand.  Alan worked on the electrical wiring on the water heater and pump, while I added some features to the drywash stand.  Dani made up a batch of soap using waste vegetable oil, NaOH (sodium hydroxide), and water, and will let it harden overnight.

A few Jamaicans from a local gas plant stopped in to see us.  It seems word our project is getting out in the community.  Universally, it seems men are always surprised to see a female using power tools, and are always ready to give suggestions on how to do things “better”.  So, I solicited their input and let them do the sawing and drilling, while I supervised.  Hey, it works for me!

SIDE NOTES

I’m happy to report that so far, it appears my sunburn is turning into a nice tan.  No peeling as of yet!  (Although I do have some funky tan lines on my back from the various clothing…..)  Also, I jumped off the high cliff several times today.  I haven’t dove yet, just jumped feet first.  But despite my fear of heights, it is getting easier!  Conquering my fears makes me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to.

DAY 10 (Tuesday)

HEADLINE – Team has some fun, and some success making bio-diesel and soap

DETAILS – Finishing touches on processor, let’s start production

First thing this morning, James and Alan headed to the hardware store to pick up a couple things, then to the Recycling Center so Alan could finish up the wiring.  James, Chris and I then went for a scuba dive.

Around lunch time, Sahlu Baker, the chemical engineering student from Kingston University of Technology, arrived to join us.  He brought with him about 15 gallons of methanol, as well as some KOH (potassium hydroxide), which can be used lieu of NaOH (sodium hydroxide).

We decided to have lunch at our resort today.  Our arrangement here includes breakfast and dinner, but not lunch, as we are usually away at lunch time.  They do have buffet lunches here, but apparently today was a la carte day, so they gave us menus.  They had one menu of Jamaican food, and another with American food.  Perhaps I was feeling homesick for American food, as I ordered a cheeseburger with fries.

The burger had some unusual spices, and tasted more like a sausage to me than a hamburger.  And the ketchup was much sweeter than I am used to.  So, while they do serve American food here at this resort, it definitely has a Jamaican flair.

After lunch we headed to the Recycling Center.  We were pleased to find that Dani’s soap was fairly hard, and a pH test revealed a pH level between 9 and 10, low enough to use.  We tried out the soap and agreed it was great!  We have our first success!

Ultimately, the plan is to use the glycerin and NaOH by-product solution to make soap, whereas this batch was made directly from the waste vegetable oil.  But, if all else fails, the Recycling Center can always recycle waste vegetable oil and turn it into soap!

Before leaving the resort, we were able to pick up several gallons of waste vegetable oil from the kitchen, as they had been saving it for us.  So, as soon as we got to the Recycling Center, Chris and Sahlu began cooking up test batches of bio-diesel in empty water bottles, this time using methanol (instead of ethanol).  And, drum roll please, we had success this time!

We worked late into the evening, experimenting with the test bio-diesel batches.  Chris made a makeshift sawdust filter out of a plastic bottle, pantyhose, and sawdust, and demonstrated how the drywash filtering process works to mechanically remove the soap from the solution.

Fortunately Alan (aka McGyver) finished up the rest of the wiring (while some of us were scuba diving), so the processor is ready to go.  The only loose end right now is getting a container for the waste vegetable oil, creating a way to filter it and dry it, and devising a method to connect it to the pump.  None of this is difficult, but being in a region with limited resources can present some challenges.  In Seattle (and most places in the US), we can typically just go to a local Home Depot, Wal-Mart, or other superstore or even specialty store to buy whatever we need.  In Negril, Jamaica, money is scarce and variety of goods is limited.

A member of the Chamber of Commerce stopped by while we were working.  He said the media, including a local TV station and newspaper, would be out on Thursday.  So tomorrow (Wednesday) will be a long day, and we tie up all our loose ends and work towards having a product to showcase.

DOWN TIME

Down time occurred this morning, as Chris had a quick lesson and then James and I joined him on a scuba dive.  Being my second time, I was able to enjoy the scenery of the coral reef much more.  During my first dive, I spent much time focusing on my breathing, buoyancy, equalizing my ear pressure, and keeping water out of my mask.  I did have another accidental ascent due to my inability to control my BCD (buoyancy control device), but other than that, the dive went great.  As difficult as it is for the novice to learn to control the BCD, I have to wonder what scuba diving was like before we had such technology.

DAY 11 (Wednesday)

HEADLINE – Team starts using the processor to make bio-diesel – more success

DETAILS – Making bio-diesel in the processor

Today was our longest day yet.  We left for the Recycling Center immediately after breakfast.  We were pleased to see that overnight, the test batch of bio-diesel separated quite nicely into clear layers of bio-diesel and glycerin.  The glycerin is heavier and much darker than bio-diesel, and we could see a dark layer on the bottom of the container, and much lighter layer on top.

We quickly went to work getting the processor set up.  We began filling the drywash filters with sawdust, while James picked up a 55 gallon barrel and a gas burner.  One of the fire fighters brought some propane gas.  We set the barrel up on concrete blocks, put the propane heater beneath it, and filled the barrel with our waste vegetable oil.  We put a screen over the barrel before pouring in the waste vegetable oil to filter out any food particles.  The purpose of heating the oil is to make it more viscous, and also to drive out any water that may be in the oil.

As the oil was heating up, we modified some containers and rigged up a system to transfer the oil from the barrel, which doesn’t have a tap or spicket, to the intake on the processor.  We also needed a way to measure out the oil, so we would know how much we were using, and thus how much methanol and sodium hydroxide to add.

Once the oil was sufficiently heated, we transferred the oil first to a 5 gallon container to measure the amount, and then to the processor.  The oil was poured in the processor intake, where the pump then pumped it into the water heater tank.  We did this process 4 times, in order to get 20 gallons into the tank.  It was a bit cumbersome at first, but eventually we got the process down.  The Jamaicans took ownership of this process, and figured it out themselves.

Next, we added the chemicals.  We then ran the pump for an hour, to circulate the mixture.

Ironically, while we were transferring the oil to the processor, the electrical outlet we were using stopped working, and Peter brought out his diesel powered generator to run the pump.  We believe a breaker is defective, and hopefully we can fix it tomorrow morning.  But we all agreed as soon as we have bio-diesel, our first batch goes in the generator!

The Jamaicans were very involved in all phases of the process today, and under our instruction, they did most of the work.  It was exciting to see them taking ownership of the process.

By the time it the oil and chemicals were sufficiently mixed, it was around 7 pm and dark outside.  We headed back to the resort for dinner.  Around 9:30, a few members of the group went back to the resort to drain off some of the glycerin.  It is important to do this step while the mixture is still warm, as glycerin hardens at room temperature.

Tomorrow, media is coming to document our project.  I understand a TV station and newspaper journalists will be at the Recycling Center around 11 AM.  Peter had some extra help today to clean up the Recycling Center and make it presentable for the media.  We are all very excited to showcase our project!

DAY 12 (Thursday)

HEADLINE – TV Stars

DETAILS – Team is interviewed and filmed by TV and newspaper, and then started filtration process

Exciting day – we headed off to the Recycling Center immediately after breakfast, and began to set up for our date with the media.  Peter had extra help there again, and they cleaned the place up quite a bit by weed whacking, sweeping, and organizing.  They also used gravel to fill in potholes in the dirt road.  I’d say the place looked great, but it is all relative of course – it is a recycling center, after all!

The fire fighters we have been working with arrived in their dress uniforms.  Directors from the Negril Chamber of Commerce showed up around 10:30 AM, and they brought food (jerk chicken and dumplings) and beverages for the group.  The media showed up around 11 AM.

James and Peter did most of the on-air talking, explaining what we (Engineers Without Borders) were doing in Jamaica, the goal of the project, the benefit to the community of Negril, as well as to Jamaica as a whole, and how the processor works.  I don’t know when it will be on TV or in the papers, but hopefully we will be able to get a copy of the clip and article.

Several people showed up for this event, including several members of the Negril Chamber of Commerce, Peace Corps, Environmental Resource Management (ERM), and deputies from the Lucea Fire Department.

At one point we all introduced ourselves.  My introduction gave me an opportunity to mention that this trip had been made possible by a donation from my employer, The Boeing Company, to Engineers Without Borders.  This drew applause from the crowd.  Thanks, Boeing!

After the media left, several people stayed and asked us questions, wanting to know more about our process.  We spend a couple hours talking and educating everyone on the process and benefits, and basically promoting our project.

Next, we started running the bio-diesel, which was in the water heater tank, through the sawdust filters to filter out soap.  We ran into a problem when we tried to test the filtered bio-diesel for soap content, and realized the starter kit we had brought with did not have enough quantity of chemicals.  By this time it was dark outside, so we decided to call it a day, and we will come back tomorrow to finish the filtration.  We should be able to purchase the chemicals we need in Negril.

While we had hoped to take a much-needed day off tomorrow, it looks like we will be working the whole day.  We have accomplished almost all of the goals we had set for this trip, but we still have some loose ends to tie up.  No rest for the wicked!  Or Engineers Without Borders.

DAY 13 (Friday)

HEADLINE – Team makes modifications, performs drywash process, finishes up

DETAILS – Finishing touches

This morning we headed to the Recycling Center first thing after breakfast, with a quick stop at the hardware store.  We were able to find some PVC couplers to replace our ferncos.  They were a weak link in our system, particularly when the pressure built up.  We decided to cut one of our drywash towers in half, so we made 2 three-foot long towers instead of a six-foot column.  We also bought a screen to sift the sawdust, as the smaller particles were clogging up our system.

The fire fighters arrived shortly after we finished making the upgrades.  We then began filtering the mixture through the drywash towers, and periodically tested for soap content, and we taught the fire fighters how to test for soap content.

By mid-afternoon, the soap content was around 3000 parts per million (down from 7200 ppm).  Our goal was to achieve less than 1000 ppm.  While we had not yet reached our goal, we were confident the fire fighters understood the process well enough to take over, so we began cleaning up.

Wrapping up, we took some final pictures, exchanged more contact information, and made a short video clip.  We then headed out to dinner.

We heard that our story would be on the news (TVJ) some time between 7-8 PM.  I turned on the TV as soon as we got back to our hotel, around 7:11 PM, and did not see the clip, so perhaps it was aired first thing.  We will try to get a copy of the video clip.

While there is so much more that we could do, we feel we are at a good stopping point.  The fire fighters and other Jamaicans involved seem to have a good understanding of the process and of the hardware.  Now it is up to them to continue the process.

We tentatively have a follow-up trip planned in November.  During that time there are several follow-on technologies we could pursue, including methanol recovery, ethanol drying, or solar heating.

It is hard to believe we have been here nearly 2 weeks already, and other than a couple activities at our resort, we haven’t seen the sights, done any shopping, or even walked on the beach yet.  In fact, we’ve been so busy these past few days; I haven’t even worn my swim suit in three days.  We are looking forward to having some time off.

DAY 14 (Saturday)

HEADLINE – Waterfalls

DOWN TIME

Finally, a day off!  Today, we headed for Mayfield Falls.  Steve Ghans, a district officer with the Lucea Fire Brigade, came to our hotel this morning, and drove us up the mountains to a river with many small water falls.

The drive up the mountain was interesting, to say the least.  The road should have been a one way street as it was very narrow, and it was pitted with thousands of potholes.  I felt a bit seasick-like by the time we arrived.  But the scenery was awesome – lush tropical foliage blanketed the landscape.  At times, the road wound along the side of the mountain, with a large drop-off on the side.  Although the greenery often hid the cliff-side, I was keenly aware that a moment of inattention could turn into eternity for all of us!  Fortunately, Steve was very attentive and we arrived safely.

When we arrived at the riverside, two guides took us into the river, and we began the walk upstream.  Along the way, there were many attractions.  There were small, two-foot high falls.  We would stand in front of them to get a “waterfall massage”.  Some of the rocks had an overhang, so we could go underneath them and essentially be behind the waterfalls.

There was an underwater tunnel that we could swim through, and a 10-foot high tree stand that we could jump off.  I was quite proud of myself for jumping off the tree stand, given my fear of heights.  My secret: I didn’t look down!  And before I starting climbing the tree, I decided I was going to jump as soon as I got to the top.  The mind is a powerful thing.

The guides were quite proficient at their jobs, and seemed to be pretty good amateur photographers as well.  They brought our cameras along in a waterproof bag, and frequently would stop us and have us pose for pictures, or they would take candid shots.  Clearly, they knew all the fun ways to pose.

The fight against the swift moving water left us tired and hungry.  As we headed back to the hotel, we realized we were low on fuel, and gas stations in the mountains were scarce.  We had to laugh – how ironic that the bio-diesel team nearly runs out of diesel fuel in the mountains!  We ended up buying a gallon off a trucker in a nearby town, which got us to the nearest town with a gas station.  Whew – crises averted!

DAY 15 (Sunday)

HEADLINE – Shopping!

DOWN TIME

I started the day with my third scuba dive.  Once again, it was awesome!  The rest of the group went to the craft market and did some shopping.  Then we all went to another resort, also on the cliffs, for lunch.

It is always interesting to see and compare the different resorts.  I like the “hometown” feel of our resort.  It may lack some of the conveniences of larger chains, but it also lacks the commercialism, which I like.  It is reasonably priced and quiet here.  Since we’ve been here two weeks now, all the resort staff have come to recognize us.

In fact, when I returned from my scuba dive, one of the housekeepers came to my room to clean, and told me she saw me on TV last night!  We still have not seen our TV debut (although we will attempt to get a video copy of it), as we did not know when it would air.  The resort housekeeper seemed quite excited to have seen us, as she talked with me at length about the news clip and about our project.  I was probably only shown for a second or two, but I felt a bit like a movie star with a fan!

After lunch we headed to the Earthship; a home being built by someone from Puget Sound from recycled materials, including tires, plastic bottles, and glass bottles.  The bottles are contained in concrete.  There are solar panels on the rooftops, and rain water catchment as well.  The house is intended to be off the grid.  It is still under construction, but is quite a ways along.  Very interesting.

A few of us headed to Rick’s Cafe after the Earthship tour.  Rick’s has a large bar, facilities for a live band, and really high cliffs to jump off.  While we did not jump off these cliffs, which we estimated to be around 40 feet high, we watched as several others there did.  There was also a stand in a tree, up several more feet, that people could jump from, although no one did while we were there.

Dinner tonight was spent at the new Italian restaurant, Ciao Jamaica, which just opened a few days ago.  It is right across the street from our resort.  The restaurant features a hookah bar, which we had to try.  Hookah is made from honey, glycerin, and tobacco, and possibly some flavoring, and it is heated and then inhaled through water in a special pipe.  I can’t say I experienced any benefits, but I guess it is one more thing I can say I’ve done!

The rest of the evening was spent packing, going for a last swim, checking email one last time, and just getting ready to go home.  It has been a wonderful trip.  Now we are ready to go home, hug our loved ones, rest in our familiar homes with their conveniences, and get back to our regular lives.

DAY 16 (Monday)

HEADLINE – Team heads back to Seattle

DETAILS – Most of the team heads back to Seattle

This morning we left our lovely resort in Negril promptly at 8 AM.  We didn’t even stop for breakfast.  We headed for the airport in Montego Bay.  We dodged the potholes, and tied to dodge the speed traps, on the way.

The Jamaican police will stand by the side of the road, and one officer will operate the radar gun, while the other will jump out into the road and wave people over.  Although we don’t believe we were speeding, the officer said he was going to give us a ticket, so we paid our “fine” on the spot and went on our way without a ticket.  When in Rome…..

Once in Montego Bay, we stopped at a few gift shops along the way to the airport to get last-minute souvenirs and duty free items.  After checking in and arriving at our gate, we learned the flight was overbooked (due in part to others who had missed their original flights, for one reason or another).  So, James and Chris decided to take advantage of an offer to stay one more night in Jamaica, be put up in a hotel, and receive a voucher for another trip.  I seriously thought about it for a minute, but given I had just packed two large suitcases, I decided it would be more trouble than it was worth to stay one more night, and lug around all my baggage.  If only I could learn to travel light….

Our layover was in Charlotte, NC.  We had an hour and a half layover, but that time went by quickly as we had to go through customs, pick up and recheck our luggage, and go through security again.  By then it was almost time to board our connecting flight back to Seattle.

I knew I was in The States again when I saw my first Starbucks!  Although I don’t drink coffee, it was a comforting symbol of home.  I’m somewhat surprised that they don’t have Starbucks in Jamaica.

I stopped at Pizza Hut for a quick bite to eat before going to my gate.  By now, it has been nearly two weeks since I have had a Diet Coke, as I did not like the DC they had in Jamaica (it tasted different – I suspect they use a different sweetener – hey, I know my Diet Coke!).  The Hut only had Pepsi products, so my DC-free streak has not been broken as of this writing.

I ordered a supreme pizza, and basically inhaled it as I didn’t have much time before the plane was boarding.  Then I raced off to my gate, which said “Atlanta”.  What??  Atlanta?  No, no, I don’t want to go there.  I mean, I’m sure it’s a lovely place, but it’s not my home.  Turns out our airplane had been moved to another gate on another concourse, so I had to rush over there.  Ahhh, it’s good to be back to my usual, hectic life!

Arriving at the correct gate, I saw what I was looking for: the reader board said “Seattle”.  Yay!  Home, here we come!  Our flight home was uneventful (aka peaceful), and we even arrived in Seattle a little early.

Now our trip is over, but the work is not.  There is still much to do – trip reports to write, presentations to assemble, finances to reconcile, and not to mention keeping in touch with the Jamaicans to ensure they are progressing without problems.  (Thank goodness for facebook!)

As I reflect on the trip, I have to say it was a wonderful and rewarding experience.  We accomplished all the goals we set out to achieve.  We had our problems along the way, but we built our processor, made contacts and collected waste vegetable oil, found sources for our chemicals, processed the vegetable oil into bio-diesel, made soap out of the glycerin by-product, dry filtered the mixture to remove soap, and most importantly, we taught several Jamaicans how to do all of this, so they can continue making bio-fuel.

We are planning a follow-on trip in November, and we will continue to monitor their progress in the mean time.  But for now, we can take a deep breath, and take a break.

Part of Afro-Caribbean Technology Exchange’s (ACTE)  efforts in Jamaica is assisting the local emergency services departments such as fire and first aid with technical support on the manufacture of Bio-Diesel from waste vegetable oil (WVO).  Our goal is to lessen the impact of high fuel prices on day to day operations and disaster relief along with protecting Jamaica’s fragile environment.  Working with Engineers Without Borders (EWB)and the Negril Recycling Center  director Peter Reid, our goal is to install a small, sustainable bio-diesel processor made from Island available materials and train Jamaicans the process of converting WVO into eco-friendly bio-diesel. Everyday, an estimated thousands of liters of WVO is discarded by Jamaican hotels and restaurants.  If only a small percentage of this “natural resource” can be converted to a usable energy source we can go a long way in assisting the people of Jamaica both environmentally and economically.

In the summer of 2010 EWB-Jamaica will travel to Negril to train Jamaicans how to safely construct, build and maintain a Bio Diesel processor made from locally sourced materials.  A major focus for the project will be promoting why the need for bio fuels is important to an Island nation like Jamaica.  As the need to combat global warming, protect fragile coral ecosystems and being energy independent increases, alternative energy options such as bio diesel becomes very important to Jamaica’s tourist driven economy.

This is the location of the EWB biodiesel project.

Thanks to a Boeing grant, nearly all of our overseas implementation costs will be covered.  However, we are always in need of able bodied personnel and new ideas to increase our projects effectiveness.    If you would like to join, assist, or in any way be involved in this project, please contact us at actejamaica@gmail.com.

Please check back often to see our progress.  Peace.