Pubdate: Mon, 03 Sep 2001
Source: Santa Barbara News-Press (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Santa Barbara News-Press
Contact:  http://www.newspress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/393
Author: Joshua Molina, News-Press Staff Writer

HEMP-POWERED CAR ROLLS INTO TOWN WITH A MESSAGE

A husband and wife passionate about educating the public of the 
environmental benefits of industrial hemp rolled through Santa Barbara over 
the weekend in a hemp-powered Mercedes-Benz.

Grayson and Kelli Sigler are traveling across North America in a donated 
white, 1983 diesel wagon. They started in Washington, D.C., on July 4 and 
will return Oct. 2. In the end, they will have traveled 10,000 miles -- 
every one of those on hemp oil instead of diesel.

They stopped in De la Guerra Plaza for two hours Sunday afternoon and then 
headed to Isla Vista to spread their message.

The environmental activists are trying to make a statement, saying that 
hemp oil, extracted from the hemp seed, can be used as an alternative to 
petroleum products.

"The main thing we are doing is showing people that hemp can make a car 
go," said Kelli Sigler, 23. "A diesel engine can run on any vegetable oil."

Hemp products have gained in popularity and acceptance in recent years. But 
hemp draws criticism from some because of its association with marijuana. 
Industrial hemp contains only a fraction of tetrahydrocannabinol -- the 
psychoactive ingredient in marijuana -- commonly called THC.

Though hemp is legally grown in other parts of the world, it is illegal to 
cultivate in the United States.

The Canadian government allowed farmers to begin growing thousands of acres 
of hemp in the late 1990s and Canadian farmers ship the raw fiber to the 
United States where it is fashioned into a wide range of products.

The Siglers would like to see hemp accepted and eventually legalized for 
cultivation here. Cultivation of hemp in the U.S. could lessen the need for 
oil drilling, cutting down of trees for paper and reduce environmental 
pollution, they say.

They have paid for the travels with the help of sponsors, whose names and 
Web sites decorate the doors of the Mercedes-Benz.

The green oil, which sells for $40 a gallon, is shipped ahead of time and 
is waiting for the Siglers when they arrive in various cities.

Steve Levine, owner of the Santa Barbara Hemp Company, delivered about 6 
gallons of the oil to the couple on Sunday.

"Anything that you can do with nuclear energy, you can do with hemp," Mr. 
Levine said. "You have to continue to educate people. You're just going 
against a lot of misinformation."

Before Santa Barbara, the Siglers were in Santa Cruz and next they are 
headed to Los Angeles.

Mr. Sigler, 33, says he has drawn all positive responses from people in the 
cities he has visited and feels that progress is being made.

"Americans can still have the luxury and comfort they are accustomed to, 
but they can be environmental about it," he said.
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