-ECOEGGHEAD-

Coal Provides Fresh Air - A way to reduce TB Risks in tropical countries

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:54:15 +0000

http://www.archiveinstitute.org/CoalFreshAir.php

by: Jan King

Photo: Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group
License: Creative commons Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease, affecting the lungs. It involves respiratory symptoms that may be affected by environmental factors such as humidity. ARCHIVE is examining the use of charcoal to reduce indoor humidity, leading to a decrease in TB risks. Coal briquette is a porous material and has been found to have absorption properties which make it effective for use as a building material to decrease moisture in homes, especially in humid environments such as the Caribbean, West Africa and South Asia.

Coal is a main source of energy in many parts of the world, but in developing countries it is also used for cooking and as a means of livelihood. In Haiti, the production, sale, and use of coal sustains life and provides energy but at the expense of losing trees to making charcoal. However, alternative uses of coal may greatly improve indoor air quality and humidity control while also delivering sound energy efficiencies.

One such alternative is wood-free briquette that was developed by a group at MIT. It would decrease the use of traditional wood charcoal at the expense of losing trees in places such as Haiti, The process involves burning of organic material such as sugarcane fibers, coconut husks, corn cobs, or grass roots and mixing it with clay soil to form briquettes. This is a cheap, easy, and efficient alternative to traditional wood charcoal used for cooking. These briquettes have a longer burning time, yield higher temperatures, are cheaper, and use organic materials that do not require deforestation. 1

Another alternative is the use of coal waste (a combination of mixed coal, soil, and rocks) in building materials or concrete. This is an environmentally-friendly alternative because it traps the metals within the concrete without risk of leakage into local water supplies while controlling waste at the same time. Construction companies have developed technologies to convert the byproducts of the coal combustion process, fly ash and bottom ash, into small pellets that are used in place of cement in concrete. It is not only cheaper, but it also increases the quality of the concrete.2 The use of these concrete blocks could prove invaluable to those living in densely populated communities such as Haiti where overcrowding is rampant and homes are often not very well ventilated, worsening TB conditions.

A study in Japan developed a biodegradable charcoal board made from charcoal powder and superfine natural fibers made from milk cartons and leather straps. The charcoal board could be a potential building material in housing since it was shown to adsorb moisture depending on the humidity of the environment. After use, charcoal boards were shown to biodegrade in the soil. This has other potential benefits since charcoal is alkaline and burying coal in the soil may serve to neutralize acidic soil. This may improve the nutrients in the soil and growth of surrounding vegetation and trees, especially in places such as Haiti where deforestation has become a growing problem and more attempts have been made to replant trees. A biodegradable coal board would serve to improve the cycle of reusing while improving indoor humidity by adsorbing moisture.3

Alternatives for coal have the dual benefit of recycling byproducts and improving health, especially in reducing indoor humidity to decrease TB risks. Technologies and alternatives that use byproducts help to contain costs that may otherwise make processes unreachable for the poor. Since the poor often recycle out of necessity, integrating coal byproducts help to facilitate that process and improve health for those in developing countries where resources are scarce.

While promising in its effectiveness to decrease indoor humidity, and therefore the risks of TB, the amount of empirical evidence available is limited and more research is needed to address the effects of coal and coal byproducts on reducing vulnerability to tuberculosis.

Towards Sustainable World (The WRI 25th Anniversary)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:06:47 +0000

Towards Sustainable World

(The WRI 25th Anniversary)

Good song and funny from Zee Vi. I really like her. She is very...

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:41:31 +0100

Good song and funny from Zee Vi. I really like her. She is very creative yet she is still young. Additionally, when you hear it in Malaysian, it is more funny, do u reckon? heheehe..

Oasis - Stand by me (Accoustic) Made a meal and threw it up on...

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:19:39 +0100

Oasis - Stand by me (Accoustic)

Made a meal and threw it up on sunday,
I’ve, got a lot of things to learn,
Said I would and I’ll be leaving one day
Before my heart starts to burn.

If your leaving will you take me with you,
I’m tired of talking on my phone,
There is one thing I can never give you,

My heart will never be your home,
So what’s the matter with you,
Sing me something new,
Don’t you know the cold and wind and rain don’t know,
They only seem to come and go, away.

Times are hard when things have got no meaning,
I’ve found a key upon the floor,
Maybe you and I will not believe in,
The things we find behind the door.

So what’s the matter with you,
Sing me something new,
Don’t you know the cold and wind and rain don’t know,
They only seem to come and go, away.

Stand by me,
Nobody knows the way it’s gonna be,

Bon Jovi - Livin’ on a prayer Phenomenal!!

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:12:00 +0100

Bon Jovi - Livin’ on a prayer

Phenomenal!!

Like it or not, you have to pay your taxes. The trouble is that...

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:46:27 +0100

Like it or not, you have to pay your taxes. The trouble is that understanding taxation requires more than a genius mind. Even Albert Einstein admitted, “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.”

But still, such a hassle to pay this Gov 30% of my income! Geee..

Sometimes the opposites work well together

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 02:50:24 +0100

Sometimes the opposites work well together

Please check: Data Klaim Negara Lain Atas Budaya Indonesia http://bit.ly/3VQI9z

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:47:35 +0100

Please check: Data Klaim Negara Lain Atas Budaya Indonesia http://bit.ly/3VQI9z

Kocak deh! Emg kalo pake jilbab org ga ngenalin ya? Masa gw pake jilbab (buat ke mesjid doang) ga...

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:47:34 +0100

Kocak deh! Emg kalo pake jilbab org ga ngenalin ya? Masa gw pake jilbab (buat ke mesjid doang) ga ada yg ngenalin gtu even dpn mata. COOL!!

memasak bubur mutiara+duren & ayam goreng bandung. Uhmm.. kurang sambal, lupa beli!! Thank u mom...

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:14:30 +0100

memasak bubur mutiara+duren & ayam goreng bandung. Uhmm.. kurang sambal, lupa beli!! Thank u mom for the package :D

watching “Edinburgh Military Tattoo” :D http://bit.ly/b8Gcx

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:35:37 +0100

watching “Edinburgh Military Tattoo” :D http://bit.ly/b8Gcx

menunggu waktunya berbuka puasa.. hunting acara bukpus indo di youtube ah.. biar berasa di rumah :)

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:35:37 +0100

menunggu waktunya berbuka puasa.. hunting acara bukpus indo di youtube ah.. biar berasa di rumah :)

NRW-NCL-EDN-NCL-YRK-NRW in 2 days! Racing with the weekend. Super Duper Tired, but happy in the same...

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:12:22 +0100

NRW-NCL-EDN-NCL-YRK-NRW in 2 days! Racing with the weekend. Super Duper Tired, but happy in the same time. :)

dilema trus.. trus.. trus… dasar plin plan.. plin plan..

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:31:13 +0100

dilema trus.. trus.. trus… dasar plin plan.. plin plan..

hungry.. but soo soo lazy.. how long the post dissertation syndrome will take time normally? gee..

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:21:06 +0100

hungry.. but soo soo lazy.. how long the post dissertation syndrome will take time normally? gee..

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:21:05 +0100

hungry.. but soo soo lazy.. how long the post dissertation syndrome will take time normally? gee..

Must seen!!! mialegria: (via thetruthlies:fuckyeahmovieposters)

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:59:14 +0100

Must seen!!!

mialegria:

(via thetruthlies:fuckyeahmovieposters)

never ending CV. Gosh.. just finished it then send it! Not that simple tho the clinic said. Arrghh..

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:01:00 +0100

never ending CV. Gosh.. just finished it then send it! Not that simple tho the clinic said. Arrghh..

“Going home or stay here? home? here? home? here? acckk those questions repeatedly banging my...

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:48:38 +0100

“Going home or stay here? home? here? home? here? acckk those questions repeatedly banging my head. Help anyone?”

Totally Hetero Man Crush of the Week-Johnny Depp

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:35:28 +0100