http://www.nextbillion.net/newsroom/2008/07/22/mits-guru-of-low-tech-engineering-fixes-the-world-on-2-a-day Comments for "MIT's Guru of Low-Tech Engineering Fixes the World on $2 a Day" en http://www.nextbillion.net/newsroom/2008/07/22/mits-guru-of-low-tech-engineering-fixes-the-world-on-2-a-day#comment-26811 charcoal cooking The facts you may be overlooking are: (1) that roughly 1/3 of the energy in the cob is lost, (2) the only real reason for making charcoal is for more efficient long-distance transportation, and (3) a great deal of dangerous smoke is released into the surrounding area during conversion. Look at the smoke from just one barrel. A better cooking solution to provide smokeless cooking is the "rocket stove". Using charcoal with the same poor stove design doesn't improve the efficiency. You haven't solved the real problem! They can be made at low cost. I have experimented with different designs and they work. I believe the original concept came from a Dr. Winiarski, with Aprovecho. In combination with a "retained heat" device ("hay box") the total energy required can be minimized. An even cleaner device is the solar oven, but it may not fit in the cooking preferences of all cultures.<br class="clear" /> Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:55:15 -0400 Anonymous comment 26811 at http://www.nextbillion.net http://www.nextbillion.net/newsroom/2008/07/22/mits-guru-of-low-tech-engineering-fixes-the-world-on-2-a-day <div class="flexinode-body flexinode-4"><span class="flexinode-timestamp-13"> August 1, 2008 - 11:00, </span> <span class="flexinode-textfield-14"> Popular Mechanics</span> <div class="flexinode-textfield-15"> MIT&#039;s Guru of Low-Tech Engineering Fixes the World on $2 a Day</div><br> <div class="form-item"> <label>Story Link:</label> <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/4273674.html">http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/4273674.html</a> </div> <div class="flexinode--41"> <strong>Teaser: </strong><br /> <strong>The Peruvian village of Compone</strong> lies 11,000 ft. above sea level in El Valle Sagrado de los Incas, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Flat but ringed by mountains, the tallest capped year-round in snow and ice, the valley is graced with a mild climate and mineral-rich soil that for centuries has produced what the Incas called sara-corn. <br /><br />The farmers of Compone feed corn to their livestock, grind it into meal, boil it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and stockpile it as insurance against future unknowns. They burn the corncobs, stripped of kernels, in the earthen stoves they use for cooking and to heat their homes. <br class="clear" /></div> <div class="flexinode-textarea-6"> <strong>The Peruvian village of Compone</strong> lies 11,000 ft. above sea level in El Valle Sagrado de los Incas, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Flat but ringed by mountains, the tallest capped year-round in snow and ice, the valley is graced with a mild climate and mineral-rich soil that for centuries has produced what the Incas called sara-corn. <br /><br />The farmers of Compone feed corn to their livestock, grind it into meal, boil it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and stockpile it as insurance against future unknowns. They burn the corncobs, stripped of kernels, in the earthen stoves they use for cooking and to heat their homes. <br class="clear" /></div> </div> http://www.nextbillion.net/newsroom/2008/07/22/mits-guru-of-low-tech-engineering-fixes-the-world-on-2-a-day#comment Consumer Products Latin America Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:27:48 -0400 Joseph Bornstein 5814 at http://www.nextbillion.net