Terror-Free Oil

The first filling station to offer terror-free gas opened last Thursday in Omaha, Nebraska. It's a franchise started by the Terror-Free Oil Initiative. The organization hopes to send messages to oil companies which purchase crude from middle eastern nations that harbor and finance terrorists; mainly Saudi Arabia.

The idea is to promote energy independence, so any contribution to those ends is rewarded. Thus, in addition to offering terror-free oil that has been extracted and refined in North America, a Terror-Free Oil gas station will offer (by franchise rules) either E85, biodiesel, or a 2% rebate for hybrids. A franchisee is also required to donate 1% of revenues to an approved counter-terrorism organization.

Currently, however, it is impossible for the United States to produce all of its crude oil domestically. But ultimately, connecting terrorism with gasoline is a clever way to get people who wouldn't traditionally think about energy conservation to think twice. The downside to the program is people driving fifteen miles to get to a Terror-Free Oil station - and that's not efficient at all. Definitely something to look out for, though.

Video: MSNBC report on the Terror-Free Oil Initiative.

Illustration credit: Robin Dude