At a recent work site in Vergennes, Vermont, Urban Forestry students from Northlands Job Corps Academy had the opportunity to try a new type of chainsaw lubricant made from a vegetable oil base.

“I saw it written up in a trade magazine,” instructor Jeremy Riemersma said. “Seeing that we go to great lengths to be environmentally responsible, I thought this would be a sensible addition to the program.”

The bar and chain lubricant got a good workout, with students high up in trees cutting limbs of all shapes and sizes. “The only thing is that it smells like French fries,” Mr. Riemersma said laughing.

The BioPlus lubricant is 93.8% biodegradable in just 21 days and is less harmful to the environment than convention oils. “It completely degrades in the soil and is much friendlier to the environment,” Riemersma said. “It’s the right thing to do.”