| NetworkNewsToday: 15 December 2009 - UN MINUSTAH: Haiti - A new product is hitting the streets of Haiti's capital that could help wean the population off charcoal fuel. Burnable briquettes made out of recycled paper and one of the biggest draws is their low price. By offering renewable fuel that is cheaper and better than charcoal, Haiti may have a chance to save its forests, and its people from future floods. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Edner Andre, Paper Charcoal Buyer: I have to pay twice as much for wood charcoal than this paper stuff. I just spent only 25 cents (US$0.25) and now I can cook a lot of food. This paper charcoal is much better. Whats more the briquettes are made out of the city's garbage. Tons of it are collected every day and brought to this trash treatment facility. Workers sift through the garbage, separating out the glass, metals, and plastics which they sell for recycling. The paper is saved for the briquettes. Besides being cheap, the briquettes burn much more efficiently than wood-based charcoal. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Ginette Sejour, Factory Worker: We did some tests where we boiled 2 liters of water with both types of fuel. The paper briquettes took only 11 minutes. The charcoal took 17 minutes. It was clear, the briquettes work better than charcoal. Besides cleaning up garbage, briquettes offer a cheap, renewable alternative to Haitis millions, who depend on charcoal fuel for their basic needs. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Samuel Toussaint, Factory Manager: We are ... |
