In India and in Mali, women and children, who usually have to collect wood for cooking, now benefit from an innovative and sustainable technology developed by the GoodPlanet Foundation: the biogas reservoirs.
This is to provide a more environmentally friendly solution and less harmful to health (avoiding inhalation of smoke due to wood). With its United Carbon Action programme, GoodPlanet builds these biogas reservoirs with local partner associations.
What is a biogas reservoir?
A biogas reservoir is a container in which organic waste (animal excrement, food waste…), in the absence of oxygen, are introduced. They will be digested by bacteria via a fermentation process, and will produce methane that will be used as cooking gas.
Each reservoir also releases residues, which can then be used as natural fertilizers to substitute the chemicals products.
What are the benefits?
For a family, owning a biogas reservoir will enable to save not only money, but also time. Women and children will save an average of 3 hours per day initially dedicated to wood collection.
These reservoirs thus help improve the living conditions of the populations while fighting against deforestation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In India, for example, a family reservoir installed by the GoodPlanet Foundation and its partner SKG Sangha costs €450 and avoids the use of 4 tons of wood each year. This means 5 tons of CO2 / year.
These reservoirs also reduce the production of smoke in the house, now responsible for the death of 4 million people each year according to the World Health Organisation.
Until now, the GoodPlanet Foundation has established 3,200 biogas reservoirs and about 20,000 people can benefit from it. These encouraging numbers do not stop growing thanks to the generosity of our community and partners.
