New Charcoal Tech Promises Cleaner and Greener

Charcoal Project

This is one of our personal favorites at Top Five Projects. Initially we were just shocked to learn that in-door smog was such a huge issue and causing so many deaths for children and women around the world. We were amazed at how simple of a solution this professor at MIT had come up with. We looked a little more into this project, and we were really impressed with how she arrived at it. She involved the local communities who would be using this tool and got their feedback on problems with the device. This solution is not just the product of some intellectual think tanks up at MIT, but a project that belongs to all the villagers who helped out as well.

While all the broad issues such as education, health, women's rights or environment are equally important, we feel this project has the potential to address all these important issues and more. There are so many benefits that cumulate and feed back on each other.

Kids will be healthier; get sick less often-won't be pulled out of class to gather fire wood for the family. Education improves. Less trees will be cut down. This reduces erosion of nutrients and reduces floods. Crop fields become more productive and less loss due to these floods. The world becomes a greener place. This tool becomes a sustainable source of revenue. Women or anyone else can operate these and become self-sufficient. Local economies are supported. If a parent can make more money, they can let their kids attend school. Everything relates.

Health Impact

• Women and children are the most exposed. Smoke-induced respiratory infection is the number one cause of deaths for children world-wide (more than 1.5million/year)
• Risk-analysis predicts more than 1 million lives can be saved/year if clean charcoal can be used for cooking

Environmental Impact

• Charcoal makes use of agricultural by-products that is otherwise wasted. Can reduce need for wood fuels and thus deforestation (in Haiti alone more than 30 million trees/year cut down for cooking fuel)
• Lack of trees leads to nutrients being washed away from soil, lowering productivity and risks of life-threatening floods

Economic Impact

• Cost of equipment less than $25 (a bag of charcoal sells for US$10 in Haiti)
• A farmer can increase his income by US$500
• 61 charcoal atleiers (local workshops) established
• 1000+ local charcoal makers trained to date

Amy Smith's profile.
Additional background information.
How to build it