The list is long but I'll start with a few:
Jojoba oil
"Jojoba oil is used as a replacement for whale oil and its derivatives, such as cetyl alcohol. The ban on importing whale oil to the US in 1971 led to the discovery that jojoba oil is "in many regards superior to sperm oil for applications in the cosmetics and other industries."[1]
Jojoba oil is found as an additive in many cosmetic products, especially those marketed as being made from natural ingredients. In particular, such products commonly containing jojoba are lotions and moisturizers, hair shampoos and conditioners. Or, the pure oil itself may be used on skin or hair.
Jojoba oil is a fungicide, and can be used for controlling mildew.[9]
Like olestra, jojoba oil is edible but non-caloric and non-digestible, meaning the oil will pass through the intestines unchanged and can cause a stool condition called steatorrhea.[10]
Jojoba biodiesel has been explored as a cheap, sustainable fuel that can serve as a substitute for petroleum diesel"
Jojoba oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SVO/WVO/biodiesel (btw even Henry Ford's first efforts ran on peanut oil)
"Algae holds great promise as a source of biofuel: it’s rich in oil like corn, but it can be cultivated without competing for land with food crops, and researchers are developing energy-efficient ways to process it."
Algae Biofuel Holds Great Promise, But Can Its Production Grow? | TPM Idea Lab
commuter range electric vehicles
"One half of U.S. households drive less than 30 miles a day and 78 percent of work commuters travel 40 miles or less each day,"
GM Resurrects Its Electric Car (with Tweaks): Scientific American
Geothermal Heat Pump | Save Money & Energy | Alabama Power
"Stabilised rammed earth is one of the most environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient construction materials in the world. Why? Rammed earth is environmentally-friendly because it has low embodied energy. This means it has very little impact on the environment both in its production for use as a building material, and its lifetime as part of the building. Rammed earth is energy efficient because unlike most other building materials it is possible to build a true solar-passive rammed earth home which requires no air-conditioners or space heaters. That's a big difference to both the environment and your pocket! How does rammed earth do this? The answer is its high thermal mass."
Facts About Rammed Earth
"Micro hydro is a type of hydroelectric power that typically produce up to 100 kW of electricity using the natural flow of water. These installations can provide power to an isolated home or small community, or are sometimes connected to electric power networks. There are many of these installations around the world, particularly in developing nations as they can provide an economical source of energy without the purchase of fuel.[1] Micro hydro systems complement photovoltaic solar energy systems because in many areas, water flow, and thus available hydro power, is highest in the winter when solar energy is at a minimum. Micro hydro is frequently accomplished with a pelton wheel for high head, low flow water supply. The installation is often just a small dammed pool, at the top of a waterfall, with several hundred feet of pipe leading to a small generator housing."
Micro hydro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
bio-plastics (the other white meat of oil dependence - plastics)
"Bioplastics are a form of plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, pea starch[1] or microbiota.[2] Common plastics, such as fossil-fuel plastics, are derived from petroleum- these plastics rely more on scarce fossil fuels and produce more greenhouse gas. Some, but not all, bioplastics are designed to biodegrade. Biodegradable bioplastics can break down in either anaerobic or aerobic environments, depending on how they are manufactured. There are a variety of materials bioplastics that can be composed of, including: starches, cellulose, or other biopolymers. Some common applications of bioplastics are packaging materials, dining utensils, food packaging, and insulation."
Bioplastic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sorry, the facts show that all of these endeavors have been worthwhile.