Firewood and charcoal have been the most affordable form of fuel for many families since they could remember. They are readily available and easy to acquire. However, they are not clean fuels. They are notorious emitters of carbon monoxide. Sourcing them is also has effects on the environment. Sourcing firewood and charcoal leads to deforestation in most cases. Most communities do not replant some of these felled trees. This is a challenge on its own.
Pushing for the adoption of clean fuels in the communities that rely on firewood has been a challenge. You would have to offer as cheap if not cheaper options that are as easily available as firewood. This is not easy to achieve. There would have to be dedication from both the initiators and the communities. Education is a great way to go about it. You would need to explain to these communities what you’re trying to achieve so as to convince them to switch from what they have been doing their entire lives and for generations and leave firewood as a relic of the past.
Conversation on social media have led to greater achievements in this education. Using the experiences of different people from different areas of the world, the main challenges have been identified and possible solutions thought of. Sharing of the success of projects in some areas have promoted adoptions in other areas with the same predicaments.
Alternatives need to be offered for them. These alternatives include:
- Electricity.
- Gas.
- Bio-gas.
- Dry dung fuel.
Electricity is not as accessible as an alternative to firewood. This could be on two fronts; no physical access as they may not be connected or electricity being too expensive to use in cooking. Physical access is gradually becoming a non-issue as more people are getting connected. However, electricity is still expensive. Most people only use it for lighting and are usually connected to the national grid which incurs costs. If the cost of cooking was added, it would become financially unsustainable. For such communities, electricity is not an option.
Gas has a large user base in urban areas and is garnering growing usage in rural communities. It is definitely more reliable and efficient than firewood. It is easily sourced. The start-up costs maybe a little high for some, but once attained, the other costs are more manageable, though they are getting higher.
Bio-gas is viable option for most farming communities. Especially those that rear animals like cattle and pigs. The waste from these animals produces gas from biodegrading. In an environment called a bio-digester this gas can be collected and used for cooking. Some even use it for lighting. The start-up costs for installing bio-digesters are usually very high however cheaper digesters have been invented.
Dry dung fuel is a form of coal made from animal dung. It is created using dried animal dung and can be used the same way as charcoal. It is a viable replacement for charcoal in rural communities, however expertise on making them is lacking. Machines have nonetheless been developed to automate the process in countries like India.
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