Lying in bed last month about 1:30 a.m. while listening to one of my favorite radio talk show programs, "Coast To Coast A.M. with Art Bell," I heard the distinct voice of country legend and environmentalist Willie Nelson who was touting his biodiesel fuel brand and his biodiesel-fueled tour bus.

According to Nelson, just by using biodiesel in the tank, one can turn a giant F350 7.3L V8, diesel-powered pick-up truck into a more environmentally friendly vehicle than a Toyota Prius Hybrid. As a bonus, no modifications are needed to the vehicle or the gas station supplying the fuel to facilitate this transformation.

Nelson's biodiesel fuel, called BioWillie, is now being marketed and sold to truck stops in the South and Midwest. But Nelson's isn't the only biodiesel (diesel fuel made from natural and renewable resources such as soybean oil) on the market. Many other brands are evolving, as the use of clean-burning, engine-cleaning biodiesel becomes more popular.

There are a number of reasons why biodiesel is getting attention. It can power conventional diesel engines, it is environmentally friendly and it substantially reduces emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. And, as an alternative and renewable fuel, biodiesel also can reduce overall global dependence on fossil fuels, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and eliminate the need to drill in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Al...