COLUMBUS, OH - The tractors at
Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County are filling up with soy biodiesel this week, making it the first Ohio State Park to use the clean burning alternative fuel, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). "Using biodiesel in our tractors is a great environmental education tool for the thousands of park visitors who tour each year," said Louis Andres, park manager of Malabar Farm. "Our goal is to support an alternative fuel that helps Ohio maintain cleaner air by lowering diesel exhaust levels."
Tractors at the farm are used for conducting public tours, mowing and other farming operations.
"This is a product that offers many advantages," Andres said. "We're supporting local soybean growers while at the same time burning fuel for a better environment."
Town and Country Farmers Co-op in Ashland is providing the soy oil. Co-op soy biodiesel is marketed through a network of member cooperatives throughout retail outlets in the state.
Malabar also is using soybean oil-based soap in its public restrooms. Students visiting the farm are treated to roasted soybean nuts. The American Soybean Council reports that biodiesel is the fastest-growing alternative fuel in the nation. In common blending proportions, users notice no difference in power or performance. Biodiesel has been proven to run well in all diesel engines and requires no modifications, according to the council.