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NEWS: Charcoal fuel gets green light

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posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 02:14 PM
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There are apparently millions of deaths that result from burning wood fuels in africa. New research suggests that changing to almost anything, including kerosene, will dramatically reduce the numbers of deaths and the C02 emissions on the continent. Rearchers have also found out that charcoal would be cheaper than kersoene and thus more workable.
 



www.nature.com
A shift from burning wood to burning charcoal in African households could save millions of lives and substantially reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, say US researchers.
If current trends in fuel use in sub-Saharan Africa continue, the number of premature deaths among women and young children exposed to wood smoke from stoves will reach nearly 10 million by 2030, from about 400,000 in 2000. What's more, cooking fires will pump 6.7 billion tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases in the next 45 years, the researchers calculate[...]
the researchers' model predicts that a large-scale shift to burning charcoal, combined with sustainable forest management and use of more efficient charcoal-production technologies, would avert some 3 million premature deaths and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 65% if implemented rapidly. Even if adopted gradually over 50 years, the move would ultimately delay 1 million deaths and cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 45%, relative to simply carrying on as usual.



Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


This is pretty incredible, its not often that you hear people advocating for more reliance on fossil fuels, but I suppose that one can't argue with the logic.
I'd expect that this would also mean that there would be less deforestation in the region, which is a plus for all sorts of ecosystem conservation efforts. It might also slow the pace of deforestation, which would be beneficial for humans in many ways.
On the other hand, it would mean that, if the west ever got off a fossil fuel economy, that there would still be places like africa for countries like Saudi Arabia to sell their wares too. That alone would have profound geopolitical ramifications, since in that case the middle east would be dealing with a technologically and militarily 'weaker' consumer, rather than the reverse as now. One need not look further than the Sudan and the Darfur to see an extreme and negative possibility. However the usage of charcoal as the fossil fuel would short circuit that.

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[edit on 4-4-2005 by Nygdan]



posted on Apr, 6 2005 @ 02:11 PM
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avert some 3 million premature deaths and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 65%


Wow! What a major difference. That is great news for the African people. The region already sees so much death its great to see some kind change.



posted on Apr, 6 2005 @ 02:18 PM
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This is pretty incredible, its not often that you hear people advocating for more reliance on fossil fuels, but I suppose that one can't argue with the logic.
I'd expect that this would also mean that there would be less deforestation in the region, which is a plus for all sorts of ecosystem conservation efforts. It might also slow the pace of deforestation, which would be beneficial for humans in many ways.


Not sure if your aware chap, but charcoal isn't a fossil fuel. It is produced by "burning" wood in the absence of Oxygen. So it prob won't affect deforestation at all, but then, it can be made from sustainable sources of wood.



posted on Apr, 6 2005 @ 02:46 PM
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have joined forces to warn residents not to use gasoline-powered generators or charcoal grills indoors or in attached garages because of the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. "If you want to use a gasoline-powered generator when the power goes out, set it up outside in a dry area, away from air intakes to the home," said CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton. "And never use a charcoal grill inside because you risk being poisoned by deadly carbon monoxide. Opening doors and windows or operating fans to ventilate is inadequate and unsafe. Even with a CO alarm, you should never use a gasoline- powered generator or a charcoal grill inside. "

Source



As you can see they are giving them dangerous instructions by giving them a green light when it is hazardous to human health.



[edit on 4/6/2005 by shots]



posted on Apr, 6 2005 @ 08:25 PM
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but charcoal isn't a fossil fuel. It is produced by "burning" wood in the absence of Oxygen

Doh! Of course, dangit. I was thinking of regular old coal, check on the deforestation bit too!



posted on Apr, 6 2005 @ 09:36 PM
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Central america is heavy into charcoal- lots of early deaths from respiratory problems.

Just one warning in the U.S. about charcoal.



posted on Apr, 7 2005 @ 06:53 PM
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Originally posted by JoeDoaks
Central america is heavy into charcoal- lots of early deaths from respiratory problems.

Just one warning in the U.S. about charcoal.


Agreed

That is the exact reason I posted the link I did which confirms your link



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