Jack Sim, Director of the World Toilet Organisation, recently made a suggestion about recycling the contents of toilets into the soil as fertiliser which could be a good idea in Africa.
This idea would be beyond most people and they would giggle and snigger at the preposterous idea of recycling the contents of toilets which they never see, as the sewerage system in their part of the world works all the time.
It’s a clever idea and it’s already been worked out, all it takes is putting the parts together which can cost quite a bit and is beyond most rural people, the people who would actually benefit most from something of this nature.
The Anaerobic biodigester is the mechanism through which this recycling idea literally springs to life. The waste from humans as well as livestock is processed through a system in an airtight container that produces not only a slurry, drained of toxins, that can fertilise the garden but also a form of biogas, made up of methane and carbon dioxide that can be used for cooking and lighting.
According to Wikipedia in more scientific language, “Anaerobic digestion is a process in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. The process is widely used to treat wastewater sludges and organic wastes because it provides volume and mass reduction of the input material. As part of an integrated waste management system, anaerobic digestion reduces the emission of landfill gas into the atmosphere. Anaerobic digestion is a renewable energy source because the process produces a methane and carbon dioxide rich biogas suitable for energy production helping replace fossil fuels. Also, the nutrient-rich solids left after digestion can be used as fertiliser.
Exhaustive info on anaerobic biodigester
China is one of the countries that was in the forefront of developing Anaerobic biodigesters in the 70’s on a level where small communities had their own that were managed and maintained by the community. This kind of ownership develops a community spirit and contributes to people being more in control of their daily lives than before.
The lack of control over day to day developments is part of the burden that the rural poor have to live with. A simple matter like utilising waste for a more productive garden as well as providing biogas for cooking purposes could change their way of life totally.
The use of biogas produced from the biodigester would also take the pressure off the surrounding vegetation and trees which normally provide the fuel used for cooking fires.
The environmental aspects of the system are also a bonus with waste not flowing directly back into the water table via rivers and underground springs.
Sim made his suggestion at the World Economic Forum’s Africa Conference in Cape Town last week.
Almost all participants said that the problem of food shortages could only be tackled multilaterally but Obiageli Ezekwesili, vice-president for Africa at the World Bank stressed two critical things.
Firstly, that Africa had placed too much emphasis on developing resources and not enough on maintaining and building agricultural production.
And secondly, Asia has overcome hunger problems with governments investing 10% of their budgets into agriculture. Africa averages less than 3%.
The biodigester option seems small compared to investing more of the budget into agriculture but it would help rural communities solve waste management problems as well as providing fertiliser sustenance for the vegetable gardens and biogas for cooking and lighting.
An idea put forward that was taken as a bit of a joke. It won’t be a joke if government here in South Africa could build some biodigesters and train people to build and maintain them thereby creating job opportunities and giving poor, rural communities a chance to gain some independence and control over their lives.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Popular Mechanics can talk the talk but can't walk the dog.
Popular Mechanics is a great mag. It has plenty of science stuff, nifty DIY, updates on all the latest freaky gadgets and an affordable cover price. However, they don't seem able to maintain their website properly as the following link will testify to.
http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/content/science/singlepage.asp?fid=995&pno=1
While surfing I find an article on the human brain, for various reasons a major interest of mine, and proceed to click on the link only to get this message.
Read more in the December 2007 issue of Popular Mechanics on sale on 19 November.
This is just plain laziness from a mag that houses major insights into science and technology. The truth of technology is that it's only as good as the human who maintains it and no publicly available technology is sustainable on its own.
Left to its own devices the tech will stand down.
Pity I was really enjoying that article.
http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/content/science/singlepage.asp?fid=995&pno=1
While surfing I find an article on the human brain, for various reasons a major interest of mine, and proceed to click on the link only to get this message.
Read more in the December 2007 issue of Popular Mechanics on sale on 19 November.
This is just plain laziness from a mag that houses major insights into science and technology. The truth of technology is that it's only as good as the human who maintains it and no publicly available technology is sustainable on its own.
Left to its own devices the tech will stand down.
Pity I was really enjoying that article.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Machines rock and cogito ergo sum in the minority with deo.
Popular Mechanics June 2008 has an article entitled, 'Love + SEX with ROBOTS'. The capitals are intended as the piece explores some possible futures involving different levels of intimacy between humans and machines.
"Assume for a moment that instead of a newly found human lover being at the other end of an Internet link with their own haptic interface, engaging with you in whatever sexual activities your respective hearts desire, there is instead a robot, a sexual robot programmed with the knowledge of countless experienced lovers and all of the world's sex manuals.
"Would you know the difference?"
That is the bottom line and in two thousand years from now people or life forms might look back and smile at our reticence in engaging with this kind of "intimacy" but it doesn't solve our confusion right now.
The mag also features a stunningly inane and almost banal ad for BRUT deoderant.
There is a hand grasping a gearstick that has BRUT logos on the silver rim around the stick. The punchline in the bottom right corner cleverly placed next to a picture of a can of BRUT read, "The essence of man".
Is this kind of marketing really sustainable or do users wise up, upgrade and have to be replaced by gullible teenagers?
A stereotyped approach to targeting a market and also lazy in the extreme. Doesn't say much for BRUT users, but then deoderants do label their users egotistically don't they.
Cogito ergo sum.
"Assume for a moment that instead of a newly found human lover being at the other end of an Internet link with their own haptic interface, engaging with you in whatever sexual activities your respective hearts desire, there is instead a robot, a sexual robot programmed with the knowledge of countless experienced lovers and all of the world's sex manuals.
"Would you know the difference?"
That is the bottom line and in two thousand years from now people or life forms might look back and smile at our reticence in engaging with this kind of "intimacy" but it doesn't solve our confusion right now.
The mag also features a stunningly inane and almost banal ad for BRUT deoderant.
There is a hand grasping a gearstick that has BRUT logos on the silver rim around the stick. The punchline in the bottom right corner cleverly placed next to a picture of a can of BRUT read, "The essence of man".
Is this kind of marketing really sustainable or do users wise up, upgrade and have to be replaced by gullible teenagers?
A stereotyped approach to targeting a market and also lazy in the extreme. Doesn't say much for BRUT users, but then deoderants do label their users egotistically don't they.
Cogito ergo sum.
Why local South African music is policed by airwave quotas.
Recenty I spotted a forum debate on Biz Community about South African music and why there are quotas for local music on local radio stations. The debate also raised the issue of why international and especially American music dominates.
http://www.biz-community.com/Forum/196/11/15863.html
There are two answers to this question and they are flip sides of the same coin. SA music buying public do not buy SA music out of choice compared with international. There are exceptions with some acts selling many albums in the SA market but most of the SA buying public buy internaternational without even really thinking.
SA bands and music acts are not motivated sufficiently to raise their level of performance and sound once they have achieved some success in SA. Being a big fish in a small pond is better than taking a chance, going overseas and not making it.
At home in SA there is a comfort zone for musos and reaching a certain level means that one has made it.
Radio stations do play local but if local is not selling they can't push local at the expense of international which is selling. That's just basic economics.
The solution could lie in more incentives from radio stations, not more idols drama, but incentives for bands to polish their stuff and search out mixing and production that complements and enhances their content and style.
Sounds like a dream, well the Rolling Stones once upon a time used to do Beatles cover versions. Seems like only yesterday but somewhere in SA there's singers and songwriters that could start a trend for SA bands to aim global and redress the balance making quotas apply to international music.
http://www.biz-community.com/Forum/196/11/15863.html
There are two answers to this question and they are flip sides of the same coin. SA music buying public do not buy SA music out of choice compared with international. There are exceptions with some acts selling many albums in the SA market but most of the SA buying public buy internaternational without even really thinking.
SA bands and music acts are not motivated sufficiently to raise their level of performance and sound once they have achieved some success in SA. Being a big fish in a small pond is better than taking a chance, going overseas and not making it.
At home in SA there is a comfort zone for musos and reaching a certain level means that one has made it.
Radio stations do play local but if local is not selling they can't push local at the expense of international which is selling. That's just basic economics.
The solution could lie in more incentives from radio stations, not more idols drama, but incentives for bands to polish their stuff and search out mixing and production that complements and enhances their content and style.
Sounds like a dream, well the Rolling Stones once upon a time used to do Beatles cover versions. Seems like only yesterday but somewhere in SA there's singers and songwriters that could start a trend for SA bands to aim global and redress the balance making quotas apply to international music.
Monday, June 9, 2008
SABMiller could score positive PR by spending a small amount to help victims of xenophobia.
SABMiller are currently engaged in a Texas hold 'em style battle for global beer market supremacy. It has made a great deal of the stake it is currently playing with from sales of quarts in township shebeens here in South Africa.
Those quarts are not the root of the recent violent attacks on mainly foreigners but they fueled the 'Dutch courage' desperately needed by the perpetrators.
It would make a great deal of marketing positives for SABMiller to put some money into alleviating and reducing the root causes of these attacks. There is no need for SABMiller to accept blame and undertake to contribute out of guilt, simply putting themselves into the local picture in a positive manner.
The smoke has cleared with no evidence of any third force but many displaced and battered victims.
SABMiller, as by far the biggest seller of beer in South Africa, is conspicuous by its absence in providing any sort of assistance at all. With petty cash it could help current victims as well as provide a backbone for a way forward to alleviating the root causes of these attacks. Poverty and unemployment.
Those quarts are not the root of the recent violent attacks on mainly foreigners but they fueled the 'Dutch courage' desperately needed by the perpetrators.
It would make a great deal of marketing positives for SABMiller to put some money into alleviating and reducing the root causes of these attacks. There is no need for SABMiller to accept blame and undertake to contribute out of guilt, simply putting themselves into the local picture in a positive manner.
The smoke has cleared with no evidence of any third force but many displaced and battered victims.
SABMiller, as by far the biggest seller of beer in South Africa, is conspicuous by its absence in providing any sort of assistance at all. With petty cash it could help current victims as well as provide a backbone for a way forward to alleviating the root causes of these attacks. Poverty and unemployment.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Simplicity.
Simplicity is a word for all seasons, it means different things to different people and sometimes the same thing but at different times.
Edward De Bono talks of the possibilities inherent in making simplicity an end in and of itself. In other words a value that we seek as the end result not always the means to achieving that desired result.
This approach has its strengths as it demands that people look to simplify and don’t simply acquiesce by claiming the existing status quo works anyway. It demands a level of creativity above that used by most people in everyday life.
In fact, De Bono goes as far as to say, “Hunters are usually given specific seasons in which to hunt. Hunters for simpler ideas may benefit from the focus of a specific ‘thinking’ season”.
This idea may not be so far fetched in fact the approach of delineating in season and out of season can regenerate people and define a focus when a scattergun approach of simply ‘improving things’ can induce lethargy in even the most dedicated of employees or disciples.
Having a week of going all out in a search for the holy grail of simplicity could bring some fresh blood into the thinking game.
It may even produce results in the thinking process itself never mind the end results.
Every idea for simplification does not have to be followed through, in fact most will be downright harebrained but will in turn stimulate new thinking direction and could even result in reinforced appreciation for what already exists.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it applies here. But testing different theories and hypotheses and speculating on the possibilities and potential could benefit any team, organization, individual or lone inventor operating in the margins.
Simply cutting off excess or dead wood is rejuvenating but it takes focus as well as a certain ruthlessness.
Just Ideas.
Edward De Bono talks of the possibilities inherent in making simplicity an end in and of itself. In other words a value that we seek as the end result not always the means to achieving that desired result.
This approach has its strengths as it demands that people look to simplify and don’t simply acquiesce by claiming the existing status quo works anyway. It demands a level of creativity above that used by most people in everyday life.
In fact, De Bono goes as far as to say, “Hunters are usually given specific seasons in which to hunt. Hunters for simpler ideas may benefit from the focus of a specific ‘thinking’ season”.
This idea may not be so far fetched in fact the approach of delineating in season and out of season can regenerate people and define a focus when a scattergun approach of simply ‘improving things’ can induce lethargy in even the most dedicated of employees or disciples.
Having a week of going all out in a search for the holy grail of simplicity could bring some fresh blood into the thinking game.
It may even produce results in the thinking process itself never mind the end results.
Every idea for simplification does not have to be followed through, in fact most will be downright harebrained but will in turn stimulate new thinking direction and could even result in reinforced appreciation for what already exists.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it applies here. But testing different theories and hypotheses and speculating on the possibilities and potential could benefit any team, organization, individual or lone inventor operating in the margins.
Simply cutting off excess or dead wood is rejuvenating but it takes focus as well as a certain ruthlessness.
Just Ideas.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Blog on blogging on ...
With all respects to Bob for paraphrasing some brilliant lyrics I'm at a deadend with my attempts to become even a little creative about this street pole ads Cannes comp. In fact my mind is caught in a sustainable loop going round and round circuitously with the idea of creating a sustainable ad campaign about building a sustainable village community in the wild heart of the old Transkei.
Some will deride me for writing about creativity rather than actually getting creative but they would be missing the point. I'm trying to get inside the creative curve, impulse, tunnel, router or just the wave that could carry me further.
If I'm lucky I could get to survive the ride and write about it. Difficult to say exactly where I'm at now on the creative journey to winning that trip to Cannes but what's important, in fact crucial, is that I don't need to submit my entry yet.
There's piles of crumpled paper and useless saved files on the drive that will only excite the life form that eventually arrive on earth millenia from now for extended forensic examination and maybe some answers. Pity I won't be around ...
Some will deride me for writing about creativity rather than actually getting creative but they would be missing the point. I'm trying to get inside the creative curve, impulse, tunnel, router or just the wave that could carry me further.
If I'm lucky I could get to survive the ride and write about it. Difficult to say exactly where I'm at now on the creative journey to winning that trip to Cannes but what's important, in fact crucial, is that I don't need to submit my entry yet.
There's piles of crumpled paper and useless saved files on the drive that will only excite the life form that eventually arrive on earth millenia from now for extended forensic examination and maybe some answers. Pity I won't be around ...
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