[Stoves] Families in Greece turning to wood cookstoves

[Bryan Marovich]

To everyone involved,

We have to all realize that briquettes have become needed as an emergency. It's no longer only to help build a better future. The way things are going in Syria is proof to this, and with the crises that West Africa is facing, things may get really bad. 

I'm going to work on raising money for this project. I have a few press designs, but Richard is correct that presses and the technology is not the main thing to worry about. It's readily available anyway. I'd say the main concern is the mixtures, which can make or break the briquettes. The info is again readily available, but a bit more tricky to get right. It's an art not a science. What we need to work on is organizing projects for quick responses. 

Organizing a relief effort focused solely on the process in a disaster situation is where we're at. This is the sad reality that we face. 

I'll do my best to help out, and anyone interested please connect with me through Richard. 

Bryan 


Sent from my iPod

On Jan 22, 2013, at 2:20 PM, Richard Stanley <rstanley at legacyfound.org> wrote:

> Bryan Marovich wrote me recently concerned about alternate fuel for Syria givent he crisis the country is currently in. I responded asking a few questions about how it could be implemented and viability issues etc.. Then you Christina com in with a new Greek tragedy. Similar situation in terms of economic problems driving demand for alternatives albeit from very different causes. 
> 
> There are two known individual briquetters in Greece but to that I would hastily add the good work on larger capacity machines is being  done in Hungary by Nora Feldmar and Mestler Attila with a rural community group and over in HAiti with Kevin Adair's Fuego del Sol group .
> Cautioned by Cecil's insights about defining real need, I would add that defining real an sustainable market is key.
> 
> Like Cecil I would add that the technologies are all out there and we debate them every day online. Its the sticky stuff of how to connect in a cultural and functionally meaningful and sustainable  context--and how to co-optimise the design(s) within that context– which determines adaptability. 
> 
> Its not a question of lacking technical solutions per se. 
> 
> We will be following suite here in Guatemala for larger urban area markets but in the meantime, what do you all say; Atilla and Nora:  your groups is the closest.  George Linanos and  Elen Aristidu you are there and have made enquiries into briquetting recently: How do you see it?  
> 
> We are getting the portable ratchet press made here in Guatemala but Rok Oblak is already producing his own version of it in neighboring Slovenia, Christina. That would be ideal for the household or local neighborhood association. There are probably a dozen other presses that would accomplish much of the same thing--all using grass /straw/ leaves /junk mail /sawdust. Addition of charcoal fines from the previous fire  will greatly amp up the heat too if ther is no market at present for biochar there.
> 
> Question is for all of us, who pays for the initial batch of machines, then who pays for going in and training in the production of briquettes and eventually the machine(s) of choice for producing them. After that it should be self sustaining--if there is a real market for the product and process.
> 
> 
>  Richard Stanley
> www.legacyfound.org
> Antigua Guatmala
> 
> 
> 
>  
> On Jan 22, 2013, at 11:41 AM, Christina Espinosa wrote:
> 
> Hello all!
> 
> Heard an interesting report on NPR today about families in Greece turning to wood stoves due to economic hardship. Thought you all might find it interesting.
> 
> http://www.npr.org/2013/01/22/169931378/under-a-cloud-of-austerity-real-smoke-clouds-greece-as-well
> 
> Best,
> Christina Espinosa
> GenteGas S.A.
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