Coach potatoes: Stagecoach uses chip fat to power its vehicles
Stagecoach has decided to power its Scottish buses and coaches with chip fat - hot on the heels of McDonalds doing exactly the same thing with its delivery vehicles. It sounds like a strange choice for a fuel, but used chip fat makes a good biofuel because it doesn't present the same problems regarding destruction of natural habitats or interference with the food chain which other biofuels do.
I have to admit to the fact that Stagecoach, like McDonalds, is not one of my favourite companies - if you remember the scandal involving Brian Souter donating £1m to the Scottish Schools Boards Association in order to campaign to keep Section 28 in place, you'll know why. However, while I have reservations about Stagecoach as a company after Souter's actions, I have to admit that this latest initiative is a good idea.
Related: McDonalds to turn chip fat into delivery van fuel
Stagecoach plans to run the scheme for a six month trial period in Scotland and then review it. If it seems it has been successful, then it will hopefully be adopted nationwide. Bizarrely enough, part of the scheme involves offering a 20p discount to customers who bring their used chip fat along to the bus stop!
Here's hoping that if even two such morally dubious organisations as McDonalds and Stagecoach can launch initiatives like this, other companies will feel that they are able to follow suite!
