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A few months after a call to organize, the Green Guild Biodiesel Co-op officially launched at the end of August with the distribution of its first bulk shipment of the environmentally friendly fuel.

The Riverdale-based nonprofit cooperative formed in March to eventually produce and distribute biodiesel, a vegetable oil-based fuel, and to educate the community about alternative fuels. Members pay to join the group, which uses the funds to pay for biodiesel purchases and other projects.

The group's first shipment of 330 gallons is from Baltimore supplier Taylor Oil, which used animal fat to produce the biodiesel. The fuel has 1 percent regular diesel mixed in, but the co-op eventually wants to produce its own fuel using recycled vegetable oil collected from restaurants and other places, founding member Adam Schwartz of Mount Rainier said. The group also wants to open a filling station at Riverdale's Engaged University office, which partners with scholars, activists and the University of Maryland's Center for Educational Partnership.

The 15 co-op members were excited to finally receive their biodiesel, and the co-op has been at the Riverdale Park Farmer's Market every week to sell the fuel in five-gallon jugs, charging $4.85 a gallon, and to educate the public on the benefits of biodiesel. Co-op members said they use biodiesel primarily to address environmental concerns rather than to save money.

Only co-op members can buy the fuel, but one-time buyers who want to try the biodiesel can donate $10 for a one-day membership, Schwartz said.

Silver Spring resident Beatrice Grabowski has used biodiesel for her Volkswagen for seven years and joined the co-op when it first formed. She and her husband used to drive 40 minutes to buy their biodiesel, and the idea of buying more locally was appealing to them.

"It's important to lower our carbon footprint and biodiesel is carbon-neutral," she said. "And it's getting together with other people in this cause. It's a community thing."

There are few places in the area to purchase biodiesel. Many biodiesel consumers go to Baltimore to purchase it, Schwartz said.

Member Scott Wilson of Hyattsville uses the fuel as heating oil for his home and said the best part about the co-op is its proximity.

"If you have to burn up all this fuel just to get to it, it's not worth [buying the fuel]," he said.

Any diesel-fueled car can use biodiesel, and drivers can partially fill their tanks with biodiesel and regular diesel. That convenience is appealing to Berwyn Heights resident Jeff Knutson, who has been considering buying a diesel vehicle.

"One of the benefits of biodiesel is you don't have to commit. There are no alterations to the car," he said.

Takoma Park resident Brandt Ryder used to make his own biodiesel when he lived in St. Louis and heard about the co-op while searching for a local distributer before he moved to Maryland. He, like many other co-op members, said his motivation for using the fuel is primarily environmental rather than to save money.

"You're recycling something. You're taking a product that you were paying to have taken away and making it into fuel," he said.

E-mail Elahe Izadi at eizadi@gazette.net.