On the Road Again: Dartmouth's Big Green Bus

For three months, a dozen students from Dartmouth College are traveling across the U.S., stopping along the way to promote sustainable practices and participate in environmental events.

Their mode of transportation is the Big Green Bus, which runs on waste vegetable oil collected from restaurants across the country. The motorcoach is outfitted with solar panels that power its appliances.

“There are two reasons we use vegetable oil for our tour,” said Ben Paly, a class of 2011 environmental studies major who is calling the Big Green Bus his home this summer. “First, it is free and it allows us to connect with restaurant owners. Second is the environmentally beneficial aspect of it.”

Having started out in New Hampshire in May, then making their way down the East Coast and across the Midwestern states, the college students have finally made their way to the Pacific – they'll be spending this weekend in San Francisco.

“When we make a stop, we set up the bus with some educational materials spread out,” Paly said. “We welcome people onboard and encourage them to ask questions. As we take them through the bus, we use the aspects of the bus to transition into a conversation about the environment.”

The enthusiastic team of students is keeping a blog and taking photos so that their supporters (hi, Mom!) can keep up with their eco-minded travels.

--Kristin Baldwin / image courtesy Daisy Jones