RALEIGH - A rusty 18-year-old school bus powered by vegetable oil rolled into Ravenscroft earlier this week carrying a group of young adults eager to spread the message about renewable and sustainable energy to high school students.

Fueled by fryer grease from restaurants, the BioBus Tour on Monday made its first stop in North Carolina.

The goal of the BioBus is to demonstrate a way to use a renewable energy source by powering the bus with used vegetable oil.

The BioBus is led by Ethan Burke and Alan Palm, two buddies who met while traveling about three years ago. Along with friends, the BioBus has traveled this fall to 11 states, filling up on vegetable oil every 1,500 miles.

On Monday at Ravenscroft, groups of teens huddled around the bus chanting energy cheers and learning about the bus's travels.

Burke and his team explained that the bus is powered by a diesel engine that is converted to run on vegetable oil.

According to the BioBus Web site, www.biotour.org, the bus is pulled to a Dumpster or barrel containing the vegetable oil, which is filtered to keep out any large particles. A pump transfers the grease to three large barrels mounted underneath the back of the bus.

The BioBus idea is not unique. Similar techniques have been used by other organizations touting the same principles in using renewable energy technology.

"The technology is all there," said Burke. "The best thing we can do is to organize and build a more responsive democracy."

Ravenscroft junior Shana Cothran invited Burke and crew to visit the school. Shana met the crew at a conference on global warming in Washington, D.C.

Cothran was also instrumental in starting a global warming club at Ravenscroft last year.

"This is a tangible experience for the students," Cothran said, "and a way to promote awareness."

Global warming has been one of the issues students have been learning about.

Juniors Jessica Turek and Elizabeth Yochem said after the tour that they are motivated to do their part.

"We can do small things like changing our light bulbs," said Yochem, 17.