Pag has recycled a scrap yard school bus and turned it into a state of the art eco-home using a mix of reclaimed trash and cutting edge green technology. Not only is the 20 year old “Biotruck” made from rubbish, but it’s been modified so it can run on rubbish too, specifically used cooking oil thrown away by restaurants and caterers.

"By 2050 the experts say we'll each have to be emitting less than 2 tonnes of CO2 per year to avoid the worst effects of manmade climate change." says Pag, "In the UK we currently emit around 10-13tonnes. I’m curious to see what people in other countries are doing about their footprint, and to see if it's possible to travel around the world emitting less than 2 tonnes myself, by using energy-from-waste and other technology."

The first fill up comes from Uptown Oils in London who produce fuel from locally collected used cooing oil. When full, the Biotruck has a range of around 5000miles (8000km), but Pag intends to keep the tank topped up during the 12 month journey from chip shops and burger bars along the route through Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia and the Americas, with the help of an on board Zuwa collection pump, Greenfuel tanks and an Oilybits filtering system.

The expedition's CO2 is being monitored by consultants Terra-Ambiente, and onboard the Biotruck, every effort has been made to avoid fossil fuels. Cooking is on a woodgas stove, washing is with water heated bythe sun, lighting is by ultra low energy LED bulbs from the Good Energy Shop, sleeping is on an Abaca organic mattress, and the call of nature is answered on a Separett waterless composting toilet.

To get the most of every drop of fuel, Pag has fitted EcoVolt solar panels on the roof which power a Magdrive hydrogen generator, supplementing fuel with Hydrogen gas so that on sunny days the Biotruck will cover more miles per gallon. Total Vehicle Technology have serviced the engine and installed a Clean Diesel Technology Particulate Filter which reduces the exhaust emissions to that of a vehicle 1/10th its age.

"I’ve no idea how easy it will be to find used cooking oil in places like Iran, India or Brazil but it’s going to be fun finding out. Driving around the world is a massive challenge, and trying to do it using sustainable fuels, with a tight carbon budget makes this the toughest expedition I’ve ever attempted," confessed Pag a former engineer and journalist who has been organising overland expeditions for 14 years.

On Friday he crossed from the European side of the Istanbul Straits to the Asian side. “Crossing the Bosphorus is a real milestone. I’m actually quite relieved to have made it this far, but it’s only going to get tougher to find used cooking oil to fuel the bus from here on.” said Pag last night.

The journey has already had its challenges, and the bus is using more fuel than expected. “It’s a bad example of a type of bus that was never particularly efficient when new.” explained Pag, “It’s noisy, uncomfortable, slow, and it smells like a bus drivers armpit, but when you are using rubbish you can’t expect too much.”

Since leaving London on the 19th of September, the bus has covered 5000km through France, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, the Balkans and Greece to reach Turkey. In that time Pag has collected over 500 litres of chip fat and biodiesel made from used cooking oil to put in his tank.

After rest and repairs, the journey will continue across Turkey.

Ahead, the route will either have to contend with the insecurity in Pakistan or the cold temperatures of the Kazakhstani winter which risk solidifying the fuel into a greasy mess. Pag will make a decision on which route to take after reaching Iran.