I was on Facebook commenting about broom after reading Tamara Sellman's comment about it. So I poked around and found this interesting article in the Oregonian about what could be done with the noxious plant, Cytisus scoparius. If you haven't seen it in full bloom around here, you would have to be certifiably blind.
Last year I blogged about it after reading our local feed and nursery store's humorous sign. Someone complained about the message, but I howled with laughter. Hey, it beats crying over weeds.
Anyway, this amazing young man from Tillamook, Oregon came up with making biofuel out of scotch broom:
"Sixteen-year-old Hayden Bush arrived in Houston last month feeling pretty darned good about his odds for doing well in the International Sustainable World Science Fair.
Then he got a look at the competition: more than 800 students from 51 countries and 38 states, most from elite math and science academies, backed by government and university sponsors and armed with professionally bound books defining their projects to the letter.
And there was Bush, a third-generation farmer, with a simple journal on his efforts to convert Scotch broom, a noxious weed found throughout Oregon, into an alternative fuel. He had a partial scholarship from the Oregon Fairs Association and the company of his agricultural sciences and technology teacher, Max Sherman.
"It was like, 'Wow,'" Bush says. "Overwhelming would be a good word. I was definitely feeling outclassed."
Then he got a look at the competition: more than 800 students from 51 countries and 38 states, most from elite math and science academies, backed by government and university sponsors and armed with professionally bound books defining their projects to the letter.
And there was Bush, a third-generation farmer, with a simple journal on his efforts to convert Scotch broom, a noxious weed found throughout Oregon, into an alternative fuel. He had a partial scholarship from the Oregon Fairs Association and the company of his agricultural sciences and technology teacher, Max Sherman.
"It was like, 'Wow,'" Bush says. "Overwhelming would be a good word. I was definitely feeling outclassed."
Read the rest of this amazing young man's accomplishment: Oregon teen scores with possible biofuel from Scotch broom.
We were up on Vashon Island on Memorial Day and it was everywhere! I remember my grandparents had it as an ornamental plant out by their mailbox near Seattle. Those were the days, blissful unawareness of how our gardens could escape and take over the universe. Well, I have a butterfly bush so I shouldn't talk! I hope the kid's idea works. I think kudzu was proposed for the same purpose, as it smothers the Southern US.
Posted by: Karen | May 27, 2009 at 10:40 PM
I was wondering if Georgia was still on the map, or totally eradicated by the kudzu monster?
Posted by: DTT | May 28, 2009 at 03:33 PM
Oh! This is simply brilliant! I didn't know that was possible. looks that Sixteen-year-old Hayden Bush really admirable. i never seen that Noxious Yellow flowers before.how i wish i could see that in person.
-khatie-
Posted by: send flowers to philippines | August 06, 2009 at 07:44 PM