Jay Mankita's touring van, the ‘Veggie Voyager’, runs on carbon-neutral vegetable oil that is collected at restaurants and recycled as fuel.
Jay tailors this programs for any age range, from pre-school to high school, and from college students to senior citizens.
Hands-on demonstrations of veggie, solar, and other alt. energy technologies go hand in hand with songs about recycling, rainforests, and how each one of us can help make a difference in making a better world.
The back of the van opens up to reveal the inner workings of the recycled fuel system. A 40 gallon secondary fuel tank beneath the rear of the van contains the filtered veggie oil. We see a control panel which feeds the energy from the topside solar panels to the battery bank under the chassis.
A small wind turbine telescopes to around 20 feet above ground level, also feeding the batteries.
Kids and adults enjoy getting on the bicycle generator to see how much power they can make with their feet. Other hands-on activities, puzzles, and games, bring the science of alternative energy and conservation to life.
Large charts with colorful graphics illustrate the energy cycle of recently harvested plant oils compared with petroleum, which formed millions of years ago.
This can be a 10 minute presentation, or a 2 hour walk around community night, complete with musical presentation. Parent/Teacher volunteers help staff the hands-on activity stations, after a 15 minute briefing, and following easy to read instructions for each station.