For the first time, vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNT) were produced using waste cooking palm oil as green starting materials. The synthesis was carried out in a floating-catalyst thermal chemical vapor deposition reactor. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, micro-Raman and thermogravimetric analyses, showed that the carbon nanotubes are of excellent quality, comparable to those obtained using conventional carbon sources. Under a typical synthesis condition of 5.33 wt % ferrocence as catalyst and a furnace temperature of 750°C, a mixture of single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes of 85% purity, vertically aligned on a silicon substrate, were produced. Field emission from the VACNT indicated reasonable turn-on field at 2.25 V/µm which corresponded to the current density of 10 µA/cm². The threshold field was observed to be about 3.00 V/µm at 1 mA/cm². The maximum current density of 6 mA/cm² measured was obtained for 4 V/µm. It is concluded that the VACNT from the reuse of waste material are suitable for applications in flat panel displays and flat lamps.