News Blog

Burners Without Borders is at it again in Pisco , Peru ! This time we are supporting our brothers and sisters in Pisco Sin Fronteras by setting them up with a fancy new Biodiesel reactor. Gift Economy in action!!

Bringing the magic of Biodiesel generation to this remote corner of the world will help reduce PSF’s operating costs and generate a little income which they will then use to donate construction materials to the neediest of families. And you can’t imagine the fun we’re having telling the locals that we’re turning their garbage into fuel!!

Burners Without Borders produced Biodiesel in Pisco throughout most of 2008. It powered our poor little white pickup truck, thus allowing us to reach out to residents all around the area who were most impacted by the earthquake. Red Ryan (East Bay Burner) and others worked hard to setup a small reactor, using an amazing collection of parts they found in local hardware stores, garbage dumps, and a few other places we probably don’t want to know too much about. The fuel produced was used solely for our own truck, but the new Reactor we’ve loaned to PSF is much bigger – and so are our new plans!

By generating yet more Biodiesel fuel, PSF can become self-sufficient in terms of running their vehicle and operating more efficiently. Radical Self-Reliance! They also intend to sell small amounts of Biodiesel fuel, at or below current market prices for petroleum-based diesel fuel. Their target client base is other NGO’s in the area and small businesses. They hope to educate the community on this fuel source, and to support the work of others trying to rebuild Pisco. Radical Help-Your-Neighbors!!

Sam Bloch, BWB’s Site Director in Pisco, made a cameo appearance in Pisco recently and setup the new Biodiesel reactor and production systems. He drafted Richard Vinson (UK) and Anton Post ( New Zealand ) from Pisco Sin Fronteras to build the reactor and all its gizmos and whiznits. It’s now up and running and producing Biodiesel! The first drops of Bio from the new reactor were used for – you guessed it – Fire Spinning in the street!

Washington DC Burner MiSalsa (Rebecca Chojnacki) has been lighting up the streets in our neighborhood for weeks now, spreading Burner spirit with her POI performances and lessons. Agent DragonFly!, former BWB Cascade Regional Coordinator and longtime Pisco veteran, left Africa and is now coordinating efforts between BWB and PSF. Radical Inclusion from multiple continents!!

When BWB left Pisco in August of 2008, we helped form Pisco Sin Fronteras, a new Peruvian NGO. Their mission was to carry on with our efforts to rebuild a city destroyed by the massive 8.0 earthquake of August 15, 2007. With the help of a handful of BWB volunteers and Harold Zevallos, a Pisco resident that had volunteered with BWB and Hands-On Disaster Response, PSF was born. Now, over a year later, PSF boasts over 50 people who are hard at work building homes and infrastructure in this hard-hit town in southern Peru . Through their efforts, and with support from Burners around the world, PSF has continued to grow and attract volunteers from all over the world. Burners this is your time!  Be a part of the Peru Biodiesel crew.  We need hard working volunteers skilled in general engineering and small business operations.  If you are interested in participating please contact Jimmy Levi at jimmy@burnerswithoutborders.org.

-Agent Dragonfly

Want to helpl keep that biodiesel flowing?  Click here to donate.