Slashdot Mirror
Biofuel Thieves Steal Restaurant Grease
TMB writes "In a move that The Simpson's foretold, thieves have begun stealing inedible kitchen grease for use in biofuels. From the article: 'It's known as inedible kitchen grease, or IKG, which was once deemed waste and used in animal feed, though now is "an elixir in the booming green economy," according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. "The grease’s value as a biofuel is being increasingly recognized," the agency said last month. "IKG is now coveted, which makes it a target for theft.."
Wow, two jokes in one!
Have the restaurants thrown the grease away, or just put it in storage tanks? Maybe the restaurant contracts with legitimate biodiesel producers and they sell or get free removal of the grease by the production company, who then uses it to make biofuel? What you are saying is like saying "going into foreclosed houses and taking the copper wiring/piping out and selling it isn't stealing, because no one is using the house and banks are evil!" It is both morally and legally wrong.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
most grease needs to be filtered before it can be used (or it'll clog your pipes, and then you won't be happy). IIRC there are instructions on what you need to do to turn used vegetable oil into biofuel for your car.
You could definitely dump your grease in there until it gets full, what you'd do with it after that is another question to ask though :)
People have varying views of rubbish disposal.
In Argentina before they had the crash that the west is about to have rubbish was viewed this way.
But after the 2002 financial crash so many people were destitute that an army of people was born and found searching the dustbins primarily for cardboard.
Now the crash is past this group of people seemingly come out of nowhere at night and clean up the streets. Now people just through rubbish out wherever and there is hardly any governement provided collection. Compare this with western Europe where everything is a cost and a problem to dispose of, so much that people dump it anywhere.
I always suggest working with the market rather than fighting against it. If there is a problem then attempt to steer the market flow rather than trying to make water go uphill.
In this example people who wish to securely transfer ownership to a disposal company should state thier intentions and those collecting otherwise protected by default.
This is the kind of lesson that this economic disaster will tell whether we like it or not.
A blog I run for the wealth
Why would you steal from Alice's restaurant when you can get anything you want there?
Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds