Fahrt is German for drive, to clear things up immediately. Both Toyota and BMW are experimenting with the cruder form of the word, though, to bring about greener, cleaner driving. Both have bio-energy plans that use animal and even human waste to generate methane – a greenhouse gas that when burnt, combats air pollution. Variations on the theme may someday power our aircraft. Harold Bate and a Little Prehistory This is not a new idea. Harold Bate, a Devonshire farmer, became a counter-culture hero in the 1970s by powering his Hillman Minx sedan with manure. Like all visionaries, Harold was a bit ahead of his time, but became well known and envied when the Arab oil embargo of that decade …
