People come us with fantastic ideas every day. Most go unrecorded, unnoticed, and pass like the majority of our thoughts. But some, some stick. They’re written down, they’re noticed and they metamorphic into something more than an idea. One of the ideas lucky enough to have become something is a ‘newish’ technology called green charcoal. It’s a fantastic fuel source made from unused biodegradable wastes that, in the Philippines, are impractically burned. There is, in general, a large solid waste management (SWM) problem here and the problem hold true with biodegradable wastes as well.
Using these ‘green’ briquettes made from wastes instead of the usual wood charcoal leads to numerous benefits. It is locally made fuel for cooking or heating that can offer alternative to the use of firewood and charcoal (this is the main fuel source for cooking fires here; see picture). It is cheaper compared to charcoal and it can put less pressure on natural resources (which is doubly important because the removal of trees in the upland areas is causing land slides and siltation, which travels the river to the ocean and chokes out the corals and seagrass). It can help the people in the community to earn money (especially when they’re fishermen, and the rainy season means few fish to catch), lessen the rubbish in the community (and less burning which means cleaner air) and BONUS! turns it into a source of energy. Talk about killing 6 birds with one stone!
Photo caption : These are the sample charcoal briquettes produced by CPUCA. (Source: http://devcomconvergence.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/briqutte-the-green-charcoal/)
So… with such a fantastic idea with so many benefits, why oh why in the world hasn’t the entire country started making green charcoal? I know this technology is fairly new, but what’s keeping the rapid spread it deserves? I actually don’t know the answer to these questions, but I plan on lighting a new spark of enthusiasm for this in Miagao. And my fellow Miagaowanons should be proud to adopt this idea because the process of development was not only started by a Filipino, but began at Central Philippine University in Iloilo City, the capital of our Province! Unfortunately, the coolest, most difficult and of course most expensive way to do it is using a giant machine, like this.
Not too much initiation has happened yet (I want to figure out the best technology [that is appropriate for the Philippines] first and see what will actually go into the whole process), but once I organize my thoughts, get some enthusiastic people on board with me, and find a barangay that wants to pilot the project, I’ll be sure to update everyone on how its going (with lots of pictures, of course). And chance may have it that I’ll be asking for donations down the road to fund the project (lack of funding could daily be the answer to my previous question).
If anyone has personal experience with alternative fuel sources, starting up a new business/alternative livelihood project, how to market the project/convince the community to make the switch, or knows a connection to someone, and wants to share any of that information, please let me know (gulbranson.jessica@gmail.com)!! Because I could always use help, especially this area outside my expertise.
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