Oil and Water transforming to Elements

Grass Valley, Calif. – Last year, professional kayaker and Athlete With a Cause, Seth Warren traveled 35,000 kilometers, through 16 countries and across two continents spreading the word and vision of what it means to live an alternative way of life. With his close friend Tyler Bradt, he paddled countless rivers, some of which were the biggest on the planet.

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Along the way, they collaborated with schools, local governments, farmers, agricultural research centers and media to conduct demonstrations advocating for the use of alternative energy. Most significantly, he and Tyler did the whole thing without a single drop of petroleum. He started the Biofuels Education Coalition to promote the use of alternative energy through action sports.”There’s no better way to bring about change than to just get out there and set an example,” Seth said. “I’ve been blessed to not only have worldly experience, but inspiration from the natural world. These two themes of my life have had the biggest impact on me.I first met Seth in Sandpoint, Idaho, in the Spring of 2006, where he and many others were putting the finishing touches on the Oil and Water biodiesel demonstration vehicle, a Japanese firetruck they had converted into a road-warrior-party-wagon ready to show the world how easy and inexpensive it is to use biofuels. I recently caught back up with Seth and Joe McClay as they work to remake the rig into a complete alternative energy demonstration vehicle and start all over again, this time as The Elements Tour.

“Traveling to all these different countries makes me realize how lucky I am. Having the opportunity to be educated and experienced also lays on an overwhelming responsibility to do something with it. Through sports like kayaking, skiing & surfing you connect with the planet’s hidden energy. I feel that the natural elements found in these sports contain the answers to all the world’s problems. My goal is to get as many people in touch with that as I can.”

The Elements Tour will be a national circuit where Seth and friends will continue to educate people along the way about biofuels, but this time it will be much more. In addition to the equipment for processing locally grown crops into vegetable oil and biodiesel fuel, and being an example of how ordinary diesel vehicles can be easily and inexpensively modified to operate effectively on biofuel, the newly revamped truck will demonstrate a broader scope of alternative enrgies.

A 30-foot telescoping wind turbine along with roof mounted solar-panels will provide electricity. Stops along the way will allow them to demonstrate hydro and even tidal-bore power. An even more elaborate filtering system will help power them along with nothing but veggie oil and fryer grease.

“Where Oil and Water was Kayaking promoting Biofuels, we are taking a more broad approach with the Elements,” Seth said. “The Elements will use the same education and travel style from Oil and Water & draw pros and cons from world wide energy usage using the cycle of water to illustrate it. The next tour will follow the waves, moon, tide, sky, clouds, snow, mountains, river, and back to the ocean. Following a year long tour, different nature propelled action sports will be demonstrated to show how the whole system works and reveal many hidden answers to the worlds energy problems. I wanted to branch out a little bit, be more and do more than just kayaking.”

Sparked by the unified vision of two brotherly kayakers with a passion for sustainable lifestyle choices, the Oil and Water Project and now the Elements Tour combines the passion for life in the outdoors with a strong desire to motivate and educate youth to make sustainable lifestyle choices through alternative energy. The project is a combination of adventure, education, advocacy, media and friendships that is a unique experience for all involved.

The equipment on the truck will show how it is feasible to produce alternative energy at the local level using locally grown crops or used cooking oil and other simple equipment. The presentations will focus on educating school students and the general public about biofuels, renewable resources, and a sustainable future in regard to the consumption of energy. The project will also portray how the use of biofuels can reduce reliance on the international oil market and assist local environmental and conservation efforts.

Seth is also making a documentary of the journey, a follow up to his award winning documentary on last year’s film, Oil + Water. Seth has spent the majority of his life chasing summer around the world kayaking. For nearly a decade, his exploits have been caught on film paddling some of the planet’s most obscure rivers in countries like Iceland, Krgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Ethiopia, Chile, New Zealand and Russia. Working with production companies like Teton Gravity Research and Arris Entertainment, he has hosted expeditions on National Geographic and appeared in such films as Nurpu, Val Halla and One World. Inspired by the world’s natural playground, in November of 2004 he made a decision to use his pro kayaker platform to help serve and protect the world’s diminishing resources.

“If you have the mic….say something worth saying.”

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