Award-winning Kapi‘olani CC sustainability project generates fuel, fertilizer and more

VIDEO NEWS RELEASE

Kapiʻolani Community College
Contact:
Posted: Oct 4, 2018

Kapiolani CC student Victoria Hallett starts the biodiesel generator.
Kapiolani CC student Victoria Hallett starts the biodiesel generator.
Biodiesel powers a golf cart at Kapiolani CC.
Biodiesel powers a golf cart at Kapiolani CC.
Culinary arts instructor David Brown pours used cooking oil into the biodiesel generator.
Culinary arts instructor David Brown pours used cooking oil into the biodiesel generator.

Link to video and sound (details below):  https://bit.ly/2zxjlS0

WHO:  Chemistry, culinary and economics students at Kapi‘olani Community College

WHAT:  Their sustainability project to turn old cooking oil into biofuel, fertilizer and more won the 2018 UH President’s Green Project award and $10,000.

HOW:  The fertilizer in the culinary program’s garden, and the fuel running a campus golf cart, all started as used cooking oil from the college’s kitchens.

The old oil goes into a processor on campus and biodiesel and (a byproduct) glycerin comes out.

The chemistry students are researching the optimal formula using glycerin to fertilize their campus garden. They are also researching using glycerin for candles, a degreaser and cosmetic and Hawaiian medicinal uses. Economics students are researching how best to use glycerin to make soap.

WHY:  The goal is reduce, reuse, recycle and buy local. To make the campus less dependent on electricity and to recycle waste (used cooking oil) into energy (biodiesel) to power the campus golf cart and a hydroponic system. Also to recycle a byproduct of biofuel generation (glycerin) into useful products to encourage buying local.

Participants hope this project can be a model for other campuses and communities.

VIDEO:

B-ROLL: 1:37

3 shots Kapi‘olani CC kitchen/cafeteria

7 shots of students with biodiesel generator at Kapi‘olani CC

2 shots Kapi‘olani CC chemistry laboratory

4 shots Kapi‘olani CC garden and culinary student

3 shots Kapi‘olani CC golf cart running on biodiesel


SOUND:

Victoria Hallett, Kapi‘olani CC natural science biology student (:06)

“I really enjoy this project because it’s a real world application of what I learned in the class.”

 

Elise Kuwaye, Kapi‘olani CC, Kaimuki Christian School dual-credit student (:10)

“I think it goes to show that you don’t necessarily need millions of dollars in order to forward the protection of our environment.”


Emily Kuwaye, Kapi‘olani CC, Kaimuki Christian School dual-credit student (:09)

“What I’m hoping will come out of this project is just new ways for us to be more sustainable.”

 

Kathleen Ogata, Kapi‘olani Community College associate professor (:10)

“We live on an island, so sustainability becomes very important and I think teaching our students also about real world issues is a very good thing.”