Maine Audubon Using Biofuel

Gilsland Farm Audubon Center

Since 2005 Maine Audubon has used renewable, cleaner-burning biofuel to heat the buildings and run the tractor at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth.

A blend of regular petroleum and domestic products like soybean oil, biofuel reduces harmful emissions and other threats to wildlife and humans.

“As Maine’s leading wildlife conservation organization, Maine Audubon has an obligation to not only protect and teach people about wildlife, but also to make consumer choices that minimize threats to wildlife,” said Kevin Carley, Audubon’s executive director.

Mining and drilling for petroleum destroys important wildlife habitat such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

Emissions from burning fossil fuels threaten wildlife by contributing to global climate change, acid rain, ozone pollution, and nitrogen and mercury deposition in lakes, streams, and coastal waters. Mercury pollution can impair growth, health, and reproduction in wildlife, which may explain why the number of Maine’s loon chicks has plateaued in recent years.

Produced in the United States, biofuel works in any diesel engine or furnace oil burner with few or no modifications. It’s used in its pure form (B100) or blended with petroleum at any level, most commonly B20 (20 percent biofuel and 80 percent petroleum fuel).

Maine Audubon uses B20 for heating oil and B5 for its tractor. B20 reduces unburned hydrocarbons by 20 percent and carbon monoxide and particulate matter by 12 percent.

“In addition to being better for wildlife, biofuel is competitively priced, requires no equipment modifications, and is better for our boilers and engines—there's no reason for Maine Audubon not to use it,” said Robert Savage, property manager.

Nontoxic, biodegradable biofuel is used by Maine citizens, businesses and organizations; national parks; major fleets nationwide; and all branches of the U.S. Military.

Want to help protect wildlife by using biofuel and clean electricity in your home? Call Biodiesel for Maine at 1 (800) 226-7185 or visit www.renewmaine.org/BFM.htm for a list of places to get biofuel in Maine.

Maine Audubon also uses Maine-made clean electricity to help reduce emissions harmful to wildlife. To sign up, call Maine Interfaith Power and Light at (207) 721-0444 or visit www.meipl.org.