[Stoves] The future of biomass stoves. was...Fwd: [stove and LF Annals] Historical watershed

Tue Nov 18 13:22:08 CST 2014

Dear Richard

Glad to see that you are alive and kicking. Who is it this time?

I have a solution for you: How about we consider if the real challenge is
indoor air quality, or not. Let's suppose it is, and nothing else matters
(much). Let us also agree that CO2 is not a pollutant. We are talking about
real pollution. So, what makes the air polluted in the home?

Smoke. And what did our ancestors do when they wanted to get smoke out of
the house so as not to breathe it in winder? They used chimneys. Brilliant.
Put the pollution outdoors.

Is that a problem? Sure it is, depending on where you live. In China in the
cities, there are so many neighbours polluting the problem is not in your
own kitchen. Observations in Ulaanbaatar show that the indoor air is quite a
bit better than the outdoor air because it is filtered by the housing
material (3-4 layers of felt). Amazing. 

So, why is it assumed that people are going to cook over fires that vent
into the room? Can you see that thought inherent in the statement that
people have to switch to gas or electricity? Why should someone on a rural
farm in Zambia switch to LPG? Why not use a stove with a chimney and cook
happily in the clear air?

There are lots and lots of places where indoor air can be cleaned up
considerably without improving combustion at all. Plus of course the
combustion can be cleaned up a lot. Why not do both? Different strokes for
different folks.

Burning wet wood is a double or triple loss. It is heavier which means more
work. It burns with less heat, and you have to bring more to do any
particular task. Ouch. Does the stove have a place to put the wet wood so
spare heat is drying it all the time it is in use? Why not? That is an
essential function in your area. Where is the hood or chimney? In Indonesia
wood is stored 'up there'.  Chimneys are sometimes short and have a wood
shelf above the top for just this purpose.

But the topic of the moment is  clean indoor air. If the purpose is that,
get the smoke out of the room first. Then we will talk about massive fuel
switching and subsidies for corporations.

Regards

Crispin

Crispin, Paul et al, 

You offer a brilliant assessment of Kirks reportage,  however;How likely is
it that it will have any effect on the 90% of the stove users globally?

Our cuidador family / resident  propery minders know how to make briquettes
abd have seen improved stoves of sorts here but they continue to hack down
wood (mostly fallen wood due to the much extended rainy season we are now
seeing) and burn it wet and smoky as heck. What is it that will casue them
to change regulation from the UN, the state the region --even their local
government /alcaldea ? Dont think so. They like most others here are cash
driven time is not so important as saving cash. Further , they will
undertake/ adapt  activities but mostly only in response to immediate needs
---that day maybe that week. 

Our lofty ideal of reduced PM and biomass use   have to be honed to this
reality. We need nto worry about golbal state region even provincial policy
regulations: As former pres. Clinton so aptly stated ( albeit in a very
different cultural context) ;  Its about the economy, stupid !  

Make the better cheaper stove make the briquette to work in it or othersise
but make it affordable. Let it last one year but make it easily replaceable,

and easily affrodable: Aan color as long as its black.We can worry about the
better more durable technical perfect model later.

The policy will follow.

Mis dos centavos de Laguna de apoyo Nicaragua  

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