Prior to the 1850's when petroleum began to be used In kerosene lamps and paraffin candies, the main source for light other than the sun, was oil lamps. In some parts of the world this is still true. Butter, tallow, or fish oil can be burned for a smoky light. Sesame and hemp oil are burned, but the cleanest burning oil is olive oil, the fuel that Aaron was directed to use for temple light in the Old Testament book of Exodus. Olive oil is more than 99% pure fuel. That means that If the wick Is properly trimmed and there Is no draft, it should not smoke. People who are sensitive to paraffin or kerosene can light a more pleasant flame with olive oil. And olive oil, used as a fuel Is not expensive. It is cheaper to burn than most candles. It Is good for the environment. Each year It is replenished by trees which also produce oxygen as they grow. No complex methods are needed to manufacture or refine olive oil. It is simply pressed from the olive, two thirds of which is oil, and strained. In all ways it Is possibly the cleanest, most perfect fuel that nature provides to us. Since the introduction of petroleum, electrical and atomic power in the last 150 years, life on our planet for humans and for every other living thing has changed enormously. We are told that we have better lives. But Is that true? We accept often conditions which are not at all compassionate towards life. We live amidst noise, breathe unclean air which affects our health and our ability to think, we drink impure water. The food we eat Is tainted and lacks nutrients. Each decade we devote more time to work and less to leisure, but it is largely work that impairs rather than enhances our physical condition and causes psychological stress. If you ask yourself why we live this way, you will have to answer, in all fairness, that we have allowed ourselves to be sold a lifestyle—and "sold" Is the key word. In the case of energy, because someone has figured out how to sell petroleum and electricity, we have extremes of pollution and even wars which might not exist If other energy sources were used. Diesel engines can be run on vegetable oils, internal combustion engines on alcohol, and electricity can be produced by sunlight. The production of these simple fuels could be done by anyone rather than controlled by a few wealthy Interests who have their own gain and not our health In mind. With our world getting more and more toxic, it is time for us ALL, not just a few whom the monied establishment labels and mocks as "radicals" and "environmentalists" to become Involved in Insisting on cleaner fuels, saner lives. Lighting an olive oil flame Is not a big thing, but it is a statement in the direction we would like to go—MUST go If our world is to survive! If you ever use candles—on the table, an altar, camping or In an electrical failure, you will find that burning olive oil Is cleaner, more economical and no more complicated.


copyright j.Bickers,Merry Corliss