The Ultimate In Renewable Energy?

Apparently it’s occurred to more than one medical professional to reduce waist (that’s not a typo) while fueling our cars more efficiently. Recently Beverly Hills doctor Craig Alan Bittner fled the country after coming under investigation for allowing unlicensed staff to perform liposuction procedures, but prior to this was making quite a name for himself by fueling his SUV with biodiesel made from human fat. He wasn’t the first to have this idea. Although ultimately shown to be a hoax, it was widely reported by credible news sources in 2006 that Norwegian entrepeneur Lauri Venoy had a deal with an American hospital to do the same thing. It’s possible that this hoax was perpetrated by The Yes Men, who pulled a similar stunt at an oil industry convention in 2007. In spite of all the scandals and disinformation, fat-as-fuel is a viable alternative; researchers are making biodiesel from chicken fat (watch for the new “Chicken Coupe” at 2010 auto shows ), turning fat into jet fuel, and in the case of Earthrace biofuel promoter Peter Bethune, using human fat to set world speed records on the oceans. With over 600,000 liposuction procedures performed annually, I think this is a great idea; the only real problem (much like the the one faced by the makers of Soylent Green) is really all in the marketing. The ultimate in self-serve: “Would you like Lowfat or Thigh Octane?”