[Stoves] Defining the "last mile"

Richard Stanley rstanley at legacyfound.org
Sun Dec 9 10:04:24 CST 2012


Brilliant Alex; Thanks.
We hope we are starting off on the right foot by developing from within and between, not just "for" . And in that context may I present Isabel of the third groupo in Sacapulas here in rural Guatemala. Shes another of the 99% who never make it to such meetings as well.



Through the rains here may thru early October, and in the mountainous environment that defines much of rural Guatemala, the essential decomposition of residues,  is really retarded. So they Esvin Marin in particular, comes up with this solution of using of all things verdadura or yeast . Yup plain ole everywhere available and dirt cheap yeast. About one handfull (3- 4 oz) for about 50 briquettes worth of chopped and mashed ag residues (~about 7.5kgs ambient-dry weight). The enzymes consume the leafy material leaving the more resistant lignin fibers to soften and still retain their binding power  

Pressing on,
 Richard


On Dec 9, 2012, at 6:45 AM, Alex English wrote:

Richard,
How about the first mile? If we start from a different place the last mile might be on a completely different road.

Many moons ago I experienced the Institute of Cultural Affairs. They tried to start with a highly consultative approach in public meetings, acting as facilitators with an eye to their ultimate absence. Laudable. At the time they suffered some suspicion  from their cryptic name that was to close to the CIA. That was during the ex-patriot hey-day.

However this fellow Sirolli, suggests that the people you want at those meetings, arn't there.
"Entrepreneurs never come, and they never tell you, in a public meeting, what they want to do with their own money, what opportunity they have identified. So planning has this blind spot.

http://www.ted.com/talks/ernesto_sirolli_want_to_help_someone_shut_up_and_listen.html

For low band width folks, the full transcript is available at the base of the video window.

Alex



On 08/12/2012 11:56 PM, Richard Stanley wrote:
> Crispin,
> Te acuerdo, completamente. 
> Richard 
> ===========
> On Dec 8, 2012, at 10:45 PM, Crispin Pemberton-Pigott wrote:
> 
> Dear Richard
> 
> I really like the description of the challenge 'at the end' as the
> 'ultimate' one in the sense of if being the 'last one' (penultimate,
> ultimate) but fear the word will be misunderstood.
> 
> There is another way to analyse the distribution chain and that is from a
> more philosophical perspective. I am hoping Cecil (who is new to this group)
> will rise from his slumber couch - it is amazingly comfortable - and comment
> on this.
> 
> There are all sorts of challenges to the provision of improved and cleaner
> stoves. One is suitability, another is a good fit into the transportation
> network. Suppose the last mile is not a distribution problem, but is rather
> the last mile of interactive design informed by a deep study of the cooking
> culture and aspirations of the users?
> 
> In other words the last mile is the distance between the mouths of the
> customers and the ears of the stove program managers. Words may not travel
> that far whereas stoves can if you push them.
> 
> Another distance I find is long is from the hearts of the users to their
> mouths. They may say very little, intimidated by the presence of the
> economically powerful or extremely polite to the foreigners. When offered a
> product claimed to be a step up, they may not have the will to say 'no.'
> They speak with their feet.
> 
> The products may deliver exactly what the policy managers want, but isn't
> that what all vendors think? So, given the colourful history of stove
> projects around the world, it may be worth the effort to consider the last
> mile to be an mental rather than material gap.
> 
> Regards
> Crispin
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Stoves mailing list
> 
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org
> 
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org
> 
> for more Biomass Cooking Stoves,  News and Information see our web site:
> http://www.bioenergylists.org/
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Stoves mailing list
> 
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org
> 
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org
> 
> for more Biomass Cooking Stoves,  News and Information see our web site:
> http://www.bioenergylists.org/
> 
> 

_______________________________________________
Stoves mailing list

to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org

to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org

for more Biomass Cooking Stoves,  News and Information see our web site:
http://www.bioenergylists.org/


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20121209/9c5ce6fe/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: IMG_2382.jpeg
Type: image/jpg
Size: 179360 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20121209/9c5ce6fe/attachment.jpg>


More information about the Stoves mailing list