New Year and it is time to move forward with ending charcoal use in La Gonave and Haiti.

For those who read this blog, they may ask what is wrong with using charcoal to cook your food? Actually in Haiti it has lead to devastating issues that compound. For one making charcoal requires the cutting down of trees. Once a lush forest is now a desert. Only 1-3% of the original forest cover still exists in Haiti. Cutting down trees, and not replacing them leads to soil erosion, weathering of the soil from the sun, wind, and rain, and even make an area arid. Haiti lacks food and water security, most of which traces back to the lack of good soil, which traces itself back to deforestation. Is deforestation the only cause of the lack of food and water security, no. It is a major problem that must be addressed and locals must adopt a different way of preparing meals and heating of water. Haiti, like many poor countries has access to kerosene. Kerosene was once widely used and lost favor over propane and electricity. Not only can kerosene power a refrigerator but also stoves, ovens, water heaters, etc. Another option is using paper briquettes. Paper briquettes are also being manufactured in Haiti, along with stoves that use the briquettes. So the question is, if there is ample supply of kerosene and ample supply of paper briquettes, why are they not used? Even the price of charcoal is going up due to supply and demand. Not only is the use of charcoal not sustainable due to the lack of trees, but also due to the costs. So it now goes to the attitudes of the locals. In many cases, even though the paper briquettes and kerosene are cheaper, locals don't like using them. Either it is due to old habits dying hard, or that those forms of fuel won't burn the way that charcoal will. Some folks may say that it is the cost of stoves that could be the issues, or a combination of many different things. For one, I think Haiti could do what the Dominican Republic did by offering new stoves at a major discounted price. Money could be obtained from many of the numerous aid agency and countries that focus on the environment and Haiti. Now Haiti wouldn't have to use propane or natural gas like many other countries, it could use existing kerosene and/or paper briquette stoves. Then give locals a year to obtain the stoves and make the shift. Then place a heavy fine on the sale, cutting, or use of charcoal (from trees). This would then start to change the the overall situation in Haiti. Sure there has to be major shifts and adjustments, but with nearly no forest left, the country is starting to hit the brink of no return. Go Gonave!