Watch video...
People across the city celebrated Earth Day Tuesday in a wide variety of ways.In honor of the day, one Brooklyn man found a way to make fast food good for the environment. He took a 1965 Lincoln Continental, pictured above, and converted it to run on cooking grease. He said he can get 28 miles per gallon, and all he needs is the oil from the restaurant he runs.
"We took the gas compression engine out, put a diesel engine in, retro-fitted it, and it literally runs," said restaurant owner Sean Meenan. "We have the grease, after we use it we strain it, and we put it straight in the engine, and it runs right through and the car runs on our used plantain and French fry oil."
One local congressman who took a spin in the eco-friendly car said Meenan has the right idea.
"One of the things we need to do in government is get out of the way so innovation like Sean has done here can take hold in a larger form," said Congressman Anthony Weiner.
As a tribute to Earth Day, Weiner also took some time to discuss the future of Gateway National Park in the city.
The congressman said he wants Gateway to come to mind when people think of famous national parks such as Yosemite or Grand Teton.
While $70 million has already been spent over the past 10 years to spruce up the park, Weiner says there is still more to do.
"We have an ambitious $100 million plan for the next 10 years," said Weiner. "Everything from making sure that we keep these resources clean, to making sure that the boardwalk and benches are in good shape, to making sure that we restore the delicate ecosystem here in Jamaica Bay."
There are also plenty of events being organized throughout the city in celebration of Earth Day, including nature walks, lectures, crafts, and concerts.
