Use Of Firewood Research Articles

Comparative study of fuelwood consumption by villagers and seasonal “Dhaba owners” in the tourist affected regions of Garhwal Himalaya, India

The rural inhabitants of the Himalayan region have been exploiting forest resources for their livelihood for generations. The excessive and uncontrolled use of firewood for domestic purposes has ended up with severe deforestation. Therefore, quantification, assessment and restoration of such valuable but exhaustible resources and is imperative their scientific management. The estimates reflect that a total of 88 species are consumed as fuelwood (54 trees and 34 shrubs) by the local people. Fuelwood consumption by ‘dhaba’ (roadside refreshment establishments) owners (90–120 kg/household/day) was much higher over the common villagers (20–22 kg/household/day). The fuelwood is mainly burnt for cooking, water heating, space heating and lighting, etc. Among these, cooking consumes the fuelwood most. In addition, fuelwood demand increases due to influx of tourists. In the near future, this may also affect the status of the undisturbed forests at the middle elevation. The information in this communication could be utilized for developing various conservation and sustainable strategies in the region to mitigate the impact of forest resource for fodder and fuelwood.

Technical potential for developing natural gas use in the Brazilian red ceramic industry

The red ceramic industry in Brazil, consisting of over 7000 companies, requires large amounts of thermal energy, currently being met mainly by native fuelwood, which causes serious deforestation and soil erosion problems. The use of firewood does not allow achieving good energy performance in industrial ceramic kilns, causing high energy losses, low productivity and low quality products (bricks and roof tiles). Thus, to implement higher added value products, besides mitigate environmental problems caused by deforestation, the use of natural gas by the sector seems to be a promising alternative. Brazil’s natural gas market has grown at a fast pace in recent years. Its share in the country’s primary energy consumption increased from 3.7% to 9.3% between 1998 and 2007, compared to almost 21% in the world. The development of the Brazilian natural gas industry was grounded on stepping up supplies through integration with Bolivia from where natural gas is imported, together with fiscal incentives for promoting the demand. This paper estimates that the natural gas market that could be developed in the Brazilian red ceramic industry corresponds to less than 5% of the total industrial natural gas consumption, meaning that a major technological transformation of the country’s red ceramic industry will not severely affect the natural gas market equilibrium, contributing to reduce the country’s high rates of deforestation.

Biogas Plants Ease Ecological Stress in India’s Remote Villages

Increasing human population growth and persistent poverty in developing countries continue to influence ecological degradation, especially of forests around the world. About 4.2% of the forest cover that stood in 1990 had disappeared by the end of the decade (FAO 2001). The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), determined that of the 24 ecosystem services examined, including freshwater, food, climate, and air quality, 15 (62.5%) are presently being degraded or used unsustainably. Similarly, an appraisal from the World Conservation Union (2004) on the status of global forest plant diversity showed that 45% of the plant species assessed, have been classified as endangered or critically endangered with the possibility of extinction. In developing countries, wood is traditionally the main source of fuel for rural people who live adjacent to forest areas. About 2.5 billion people, mostly in Asia, use firewood or other biomass collected from forest for energy (Starke 2004). In India alone, over 80% of the total energy consumed in rural areas comes from biomass fuels such as firewood, crop residues and livestock dung (Ravindranath et al. 2000). The average person in the United States of America consumes five time more energy than the average global citizen, ten times more than the average Chinese, and nearly 20 times more than the average Indian (Starke 2004). With the on-going destruction of forests due to overuse and degradation, scarcity of wood has become increasingly common in Asia. Since livestock such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goat are common in villages of the developing world, animal dung is the most easily available and abundant biomass for fuel and the burning of dung is common in rural areas. Cow dung has been used as both fertilizer and fuel in many countries around the world for centuries (Hall and Moss 1983). The need for affordable, clean and renewable energy to enhance sustainable development has been reiterated recently by the World Energy Council (2006) and the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (2007). Methane gas produced from organic matter can be utilized as fuel with less impact on natural forest ecology than the use of firewood. This paper presents data on household biogas plants successfully established by a non-profit agency in remote tribal villages of western India with an emphasis on their impact in enhancing local ecology and relieving economic stress in rural communities.

A transdisciplinary analysis of water problems in the mountainous karst areas of Morocco

Water management and engineering in the karstic High Atlas of Morocco are difficult tasks under the prevailing geological, hydrogeological, geomorphological, vegetational and climatic conditions. It is important to be able to understand and predict the characteristics and availability of water for future water planning in the region under changing climatic and agricultural conditions. An interdisciplinary analysis of problems and adequate hydrological modelling tools developed by geologists, hydrologists and biologists are necessary. The karst areas of the High Atlas Mountains are characterised by impermeable triassic basalt underlying substantial subsurface reservoirs with high potential discharge rates. The karst groundwater aquifers are extensive but largely unknown in dimension, probably with a hierarchical network of groundwater flow paths. It is estimated that approximately 70% of the surface water is directly lost to groundwater. Steep landslide- and debris flow prone slopes exist next to coarse-grained, highly porous river beds. Infrequent, high intensity rainfall or snowmelt causes a particularly high flood risk to these karst areas. In addition, agriculture and land use changes have degraded the karst areas. The most important driving forces for degradation include permanent overgrazing even during droughts and the use of firewood by a continually growing population. Large scale degradation of vegetation has occurred in the oro-mediterranean (mountainous Mediterranean) zone, between 2600 and 3400 m which coincides with the most important zone for karstic groundwater creation. The combination of high amounts of groundwater flow and rapid surface flow due to sparse vegetation has increased the problems of flood flow.

Transformações no espaço doméstico: o fogão a gás e a cozinha paulistana, 1870-1930

Este artigo estuda algumas das transformações na cozinha paulistana, produzidas entre o último quartel do século XIX e as três primeiras décadas do século XX, pela introdução de novas premissas sanitárias, levadas a cabo por autoridades médicas e pela municipalidade. Além disso, procuramos discutir o papel das principais empresas de energia, como a The San Paulo Gas Company e, mais tarde, a The São Paulo Tramway Light and Power Company, na promoção da tecnologia do gás, e principalmente do fogão a gás - que elas oporão aos fogões a lenha e carvão. Estas empresas tiveram um importante papel na circulação de novas idéias de racionalização e higiene, contribuindo para a renovação do espaço doméstico que, pela tecnologia, passa a depender de um "sistema" de infra-estrutura destinado a articular, de uma forma inédita, o espaço privado ao espaço público.

The foundations of a multi-criteria evaluation methodology for assessing sustainability

The evaluation of technologies that can positively contribute to the Central American coffee industry served as an example of how multi-criteria analysis can be used to assess and promote sustainability within an industry. By including criteria that evaluate the level of resource efficiency, social applicability and environmental soundness, in addition to standard economic measures, the feasibility of technical innovation can be assessed in a manner that promotes sustainability holistically. For the purpose of this study, two technologies were identified that could make use of process by-products within the coffee processing system: anaerobic digestion and solar aquatic systems to extract potential value from process wastewater, and high-efficiency furnaces that minimize the use of firewood and rely primarily on internal waste products (i.e.coffee parchment) as a fuel source. Using the new multi-criteria analysis software, Tetra (created by Dr. Jonathan Barzilai at Scientific Metrics in Halifax, Nova Scotia), a framework was developed to evaluate the applicability of each technology within the context of three different operations. The weights assigned to the various criteria objective functions were different for each operation, and arose from field data collected from the Costa Rican coffee industry between 2002 and 2004.

Práticas de fomento florestal e incentivo à preservação das matas nativas na fumicultura

This paper analyzes environmental management as practiced by the tobacco sector in Southern Brazil, more specifically in relation to one of the main problems facing the sector, i.e., the use of firewood as burning fuel to cure tobacco. The tobacco culture is an agricultural activity characterized by family production and massive absorption of hand labor in small rural areas actually developed throughout 787 counties in the three southernmost Brazilian states. Regarding the environment, meaningful parts of the properties are destined to native woods of which approximately 27% is actually reforested, mounting to a percentage above the one demanded by the Brazilian legislation. Our study also detected the increasing concern by the tobacco industry towards preserving the environment, with practical actions such as the support to reforestation practices and the preservation of native woods, which have been spread among a large population of tobacco growers, mounting to a total of 198.040 of them.

Fuel switching in Harare: An almost ideal demand system approach

In urban areas several energy choices are available and the amount of (a given type of) fuel consumed is based on complex household decision processes. This paper analyzes urban fuel (particularly firewood) demand in an energy mix context by means of an Almost Ideal Demand System based on a survey carried out among 500 households in Harare in 2003. Using a multi-stage budgeting approach, the model estimates the share of energy in total household expenditure and the shares of firewood, electricity and kerosene in total energy expenditure. Using the model results simulations show that the main policy handles to reduce the demand for firewood and to mitigate environmental degradation such as deforestation include decreasing prices of alternative fuels, notably kerosene. Moreover, in the long run sound economic policy will positively impact on the energy budget whereas education and the degree of electrification will contribute to a reduction of the use of firewood.

Respiratory Illness Among Low Socioeconomic Rural Women

P-311 Background: Women working in less ventilated kitchen are prone to indoor pollution due to burning of native cooking fuel and are likely to develop respiratory illness. Aim: To analyze the contributing factors, to find out the presenting features & to suggest remedial measures to overcome them. Methodology: Published data on “the contents of wood smoke in rural kitchen environment and its respiratory hazards in women” were collected and analyzed. Results: Contributing factors were—small kitchen, less ventilation, use of firewood as cooking fuel and long hours of working. Women at kitchen were exposed to wood smoke constituted of Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) and Benzo(a)Pyrene (BaP). The average TSP level was 7000μg/m3, which was far higher than the recommended level. Similarly, They were exposed to high concentration of BaP 4200 μg/m3. Women are exposed to these from their young age in villages that resulted in Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema & Asthma. As many women suffer from anemia, pregnancy further lowers their health status and their respiratory symptoms gets aggravated. Conclusion: Since the kitchen environment is not contusive among low socioeconomic status women, they require awareness, early recognition of the underlying illness, healthy environment at kitchen, support from women self help groups and guidance from village health workers. Failing which, these women are more likely to develop irreversible respiratory illness.

Opportunities and impediments to the expansion of forest bioenergy in Australia

Abstract There are significant opportunities for expansion of a forest bioenergy industry in Australia based on distributed electricity generation and production of liquid fuels (ethanol and bio-oil). If the large amounts of forest residues already available annually could be utilized, this would deliver useful greenhouse benefits, assist regeneration of new forests that have increased environmental values, and benefit silvicultural management. Creation of new forests in low rainfall environments for both environmental and commercial reasons will also provide residues in the future that could be used for energy production, thus enhancing overall viability of such ventures. Currently, there are several serious impediments to realising the potential. These include: • Large reserves of accessible coal, and low cost of electricity generated in coal-fired power plants. • Uncertain greenhouse and renewable energy policy (specifically that relating to implementation of the Mandated Renewable Energy Target (MRET)). • Lack of proven efficient small-scale technology to enable distributed electricity generation that would reduce transportation costs for delivery of biofuels. • Controversy over the sustainable use of native forest residues for renewable energy generation. • Lack of markets for environmental credits (carbon, salinity, biodiversity). • Lack of efficient processes for producing ethanol from wood, inadequate commercial products from lignin, and the need for further development before diesel engines can be run on bio-oil for stationary power generation and transport. In Australia, apart from the use of firewood for domestic heating, forest bioenergy has developed only to a very limited extent, despite the existence of significant opportunities. A major impediment to expansion is lack of public acceptance and support, especially for the use of native forest residues which are the main available biomass source. A concerted effort at several levels is needed to address this issue.

Biogas : Animal Waste That Can be Alternative Energy Source

Biogas is a renewable energy which can be used as alternative fuel to replace fossil fuel such as oil and natural gas . Recently, diversification on the use of energy has increasingly become an important issue because the oil sources are depleting . Utilization of agricultural wastes for biogas production can minimize the consumption of commercial energy source such as kerosene as well as the use of firewood . Biogas is generated by the process of organic material digestion by certain anaerobe bacteria activity in aerobic digester . Anaerobic digestion process is basically carried out in three steps i.e. hydrolysis, acidogenic and metanogenic . Digestion process needs certain condition such as C : N ratio, temperature, acidity and also digester design . Most anaerobic digestions perform best at 32 - 35°C or at 50 - 55°C, and pH 6 .8 - 8 . At these temperatures, the digestion process essentially converts organic matter in the present of water into gaseous energy . Generally, biogas consists of methane about 60 - 70% and yield about 1,000 British Thermal Unit/ft 3 or 252 Kcal/0.028 m3 when burned . In several developing countries, as well as in Europe and the United States, biogas has been commonly used as a subtitute environmental friendly energy . Meanwhile, potentially Indonesia has abundant potential of biomass waste, however biogas has not been used maximally . Key words : Biogas, renewal energy, anaerobic

The Economic and Environmental Outcomes of Microfinance Projects: An Indian Case Study

Microfinance projects now seek to achieve improvement in environmental quality in addition to poverty alleviation. Achievement of these goals may depend upon the economic and environmental impact of microfinance businesses. This study is a quantitative analysis of these outcomes for Ecodevelopment, an Indian microfinance project, which aims to prevent forest degradation by poverty alleviation. The study divides businesses into perishable goods, non-perishable goods, simple skills, and special skills and measures their economic outcome by two indicators, repayment percentage and continuity of businesses. The study examines the effect of loan amount on the economic outcome of businesses. To quantify the environmental outcome, it analyzes the use of firewood or fodder and release of pollutants by businesses. The results show that loan amount does not affect the economic outcome, special skills have best performance, and skills cause less pressure on forest resources. These results suggest the need for development of knowledge-intensive skills, involvement of institutions in the operations of business, and inclusive policies for protected area management.

Género, leña y sostenibilidad: el caso de una comunidad de los Altos de Chiapas

En este trabajo se analizan las estrategias de uso y manejo de leña por parte de los familias en Pozuelos, comunidad perteneciente al municipio de Chamula, ubicado en los Altos de Chiapas; asimismo, se explican los factores que promueven u obstaculizan la aceptación de tecnologías alternativas encaminadas a reducir el consumo de leña entre las familias rurales –y, por ende, a disminuir la carga de trabajo femenina– y a conservar los bosques. Los ejes de análisis se centran en los tiempos y cargas de trabajo para el abasto del biocombustible, en la complementariedad de funciones en el núcleo doméstico para la recolección de recurso, y en los factores que interfieren en la apropiación tecnológica; en ese caso, las estufas ahorradoras de leña. La reflexión ubica a las mujeres como administradoras de los recursos forestales para fines energéticos y apunta como restricciones a la aceptación del cambio tecnológico, factores de índole sociocultural, económica, climática y técnica.

Net carbon dioxide emissions from alternative firewood-production systems in Australia

Abstract The use of firewood for domestic heating has the potential to reduce fossil-fuel use and associated CO2 emissions. The level of possible reductions depends upon the extent to which firewood off-sets the use of fossil fuels, the efficiency with which wood is burnt, and use of fossil fuels for collection and transport of firewood. Plantations grown for firewood also have a cost of emissions associated with their establishment. Applying the FullCAM model and additional calculations, these factors were examined for various management scenarios under three contrasting firewood production systems (native woodland, sustainably managed native forest, and newly established plantations) in low-medium rainfall (600–800 mm) regions of south-eastern Australia. Estimates of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of heat energy produced for all scenarios were lower than for non-renewable energy sources (which generally emit about 0.3–1.0 kg CO2 kWh−1). Amongst the scenarios, emissions were greatest when wood was periodically collected from dead wood in woodlands (0.11 kg CO2 kWh−1), and was much lower when obtained from harvest residues and dead wood in native forests (

L'impact économique de la consommation de tabac en Afrique

The economic contributions from tobacco cultivation and sales of products are often noted - jobs and incomes for farmers and employees, tax revenues for governments and enormous profits for cigarette companies, and for some countries, foreign exchange from net exports and foreign investment These are of course important. But set against these economic gains, there are also large economic losses that are less visible and less talked about, but also need to be counted. Many of these economic losses arise from the adverse health effects of tobacco use, but there are others too that affect a much wider group of citizens, and in particular, may exacerbate poverty among smokers and their families. This paper looks at the economic impact of tobacco use from the perspective of families, and at national level, for developing countries, providing a framework for considering the specific situations in Francophone African countries. Set against the economic benefits from tobacco, there are substantial economic costs. Annual health care costs are higher for smokers, and the burden of these costs falls on families, the public purse and employers/insurers. Earnings and productivity losses because of tobacco-related illness and premature death can be huge, and are borne by employers and employees. Illness is a major precipitating cause of poverty. Lit cigarettes cause thousands of fires and lost lives. Environmental damage to the soil from tobacco growing, pesticides and fertilizer, and deforestation resulting from firewood use to cure tobacco, can impose high economic losses. And there is the insidious, often overlooked cost of harm to the well-being of poor families whose scarce resources are used for cigarettes and other tobacco products instead of food and other necessities. We conclude that reducing tobacco use is good for health, good economics, and good for development

Cultural determinants of malnutrition in an urban slum

This empirical study of pre-school children and their mothers in an urban slum in Bhubaneswar shows that enforced restriction in fuel use, due to either lack of purchasing power in the rainy season, when firewood use is problematic, curtails nutritional consumption. Consequently, protein food items are neglected in the diet. It was found also that mothers’ adherence to unsound food beliefs restricts not only their own food consumption, but the diet intake of their children as well. When adequate nutrition is difficult to provide to a mother because of poverty, which was common among the study's slum-dwellers, her adherence to unsound food beliefs restricts her diet intake further, exacerbates malnutrition, and increases the chances of pregnancy-related complications.

Degradation of agro-pastoral village land in semi-arid southeastern Cuba

Land degradation was investigated in a mountainous semi-arid area at the coast of southeastern Cuba in 2001. The study area included two villages and part of a nature reserve. Degree of degradation was investigated by walking across the study area to delineate different land use classes. Further information about the area was collected by interviewing 24 farmers and conducting rankings with key persons of the study villages. Six land use classes were distinguished: village areas, highly, moderately, and little degraded areas, areas with high tree density and areas with natural vegetation. Grazing was found to be the main cause of degradation in the study area, followed by wood cutting and forest fires. Impact of grazing was found to be highest near the villages, decreasing with greater distance towards the mountains. Woody vegetation is mostly cut to provide firewood or charcoal for the local population. The vegetation of the Nature Reserve is only affected to smaller degrees by grazing and wood cutting due to geographical factors limiting access. Some management options to combat land degradation, such as better stoves to reduce lavish use of firewood, seem to be feasible, but most options are limited by lack of finances, lack of personal responsibility or the failure to see short-term effects. Although villagers’ perception of degradation factors such as over-grazing is low, local initiatives to conserve their natural environment exist.

The effect of the length of soaking time on trypsin inhibitor, crude protein and phosphorus contents of soybeans (Glycine max)

AbstractA study to determine the effect of soaking soybeans (Glycine max) at different periods of time on trypsin inhibitor, crude protein and phosphorus contents was carried out. The results showed that the length of soaking period had significant effect (P < 0.05) on trypsin inhibitor and crude protein contents. The activities of the trypsin inhibitor were 10% in roasted soybeans, 27.5% in raw and a range of 26.6% for those soaked in water for 24 h to 17.7% for soybeans soaked for 96 h or more, with a standard error of 6.56 on each of the values. The crude protein contents were 41.58% in raw, 31.43% in roasted and a range of 40.05–30.64% for those soaked in water for 24–120 h. The standard error on each value was 5.09%. On the other hand, length of soaking period had no significant effect on phosphorus content. It can be concluded from this that soaking soybeans in water can effectively remove the anti‐nutritional factors. While roasting is better, the use of fire wood may not be encouraged as it has caused a lot of deforestation with consequent occurrence of floods and hence food shortages. Such a good animal husbandry practice can help to improve the health of animals, which can in turn help to improve the health of the population.

Tourism and deforestation in the Mt Everest region of Nepal

Over the past 50 years the Sherpa‐inhabited Mt Everest region of Nepal has become a premier international mountaineering and trekking destination. Tourism development has brought prosperity to many Sherpas. It has also, however, had adverse impacts on regional forests and alpine vegetation because of the use of firewood by camping groups and inns and the felling of trees to construct inns and other tourist facilities. Concern that tourism was causing widespread deforestation helped catalyse the 1976 establishment of an inhabited protected area, Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) National Park, in the Khumbu region and spurred the implementation of a series of forest conservation and alternative energy development measures both within the national park and in a recently declared buffer zone in the adjacent Pharak region. This paper examines the changing pressures that tourism has placed on regional forests and alpine vegetation over the past half century and their role in regional vegetation change. This analysis is based primarily on detailed accounts of past and present forest use and change obtained during fieldwork conducted in all Khumbu and Pharak villages, along with corroborating evidence from early foreign visitors’ accounts and photographs. Contrary to some early reports it now appears there has actually been little deforestation since 1950. The continuing use of firewood by inns, however, has contributed to the thinning of forests in some parts of the national park and to the depletion of shrub juniper in the most heavily visited alpine regions. There has been a greater impact on forests just outside the national park, which have been heavily thinned over an extensive area in order to provide timber to build inns within the national park.

Climatic and social risk factors for Aedes infestation in rural Thailand.

An intense epidemic of dengue haemorrhagic fever in 1998 prompted the Thai government to investigate the feasibility of focalized vector (Aedes aegypti) control programmes. We tested for correlations of three indices of Aedes larval abundance (housing index, container index and Breteau index) against 38 socio-economic and four climatic variables. Availability of public water wells, existence of transport services and proportion of tin houses were positively associated with larval indices. Private water wells, health education, health insurance coverage, thatched houses and use of firewood for cooking were negatively associated. These probably represent both direct effects on breeding sites (private vs. public wells decrease necessity to store water, and health education may encourage breeding site removal), and more general effects of health-related attitudes, housing quality and remoteness from urban areas. Indices were positively associated with daily minimum temperature, an increase in precipitation from the previous month (reflecting the onset of the rainy season) and daily maximum temperatures of approximately 33-34 degrees C. The associations were used to derive statistical models to predict the rank order of larval indices within the study area (Spearman's correlation coefficients = 0.525-0.554). The study provides a rational basis for identifying possible social interventions, and for prioritizing previously unsurveyed villages for further monitoring and focalized vector control.