Reducing the Ecological Footprint: Three things I did this year

After the Nobel prizes last year, general awareness about climate change, global warming, and the effects of human intervention on Planet Earth, have grown by leaps and bounds. While it is not easy to reduce the ecological footprints of each of us (I've not traded my car for a bicycle yet), there are perhaps some things that could be done. I give below what me and my family have done this last year in this satisfying--but hard--direction.

1. Bought an induction heater
Is this a big deal? Read on.

Normal stoves--whether the naked flame type or the heating plate/coil type--cook food by heat transfer. This means that heat is generated in one place and transferred to the target by conduction (being in contact), convection or radiation.

While these stoves are simple to use, they are inefficient. About 30-40% of total energy generated is considered lost for non-essential tasks such as wastage in convection and radiation, heating the stove base and vessel handles etc.

Enter the induction cooker. This device generates heat within the vessel, eliminating the need for heat transfer. There have been several induction heaters available in India for some time now (both imported and locally-made), and the prices have been dropping. I am now on my second induction heater (the first, imported from South East Asia, had stopped working after a few months), and I'm happy to report it's working fine for about 6 months. This one can prepare 3 cups of tea in about 2 minutes, consuming around 0.09 watts of power (costs about INR 0.3, comparing favourably with LPG, even though the latter is subsidized).

On the minus side, the 'digital' interface of the induction cooker is daunting to some. To others, a problem is that the heat is localized at the bottom of the dish, and not spread throughout the dish.

The induction heater at home--sleek, powerful and energy efficient.

2. Installed a solar heating system
Somewhat expensive at INR 25K, the solar heating system auguments my electric water heater, but works even when there is no power (not an unusual event in India) !. The hot water storage of 100 liters (with the water reaching about 80 degree Celsius in 3 hours of sunlight) is usually sufficient for a family of 4. Considering that sunlight is the most abundant of power sources in sunny Kerala, this is really optimal use of the ambient energy sources.

However, the savings of electricity is only part of the story. My hot water line also ends up in the kitchen, where the hot water is used for pre-heating cooking vessels, and even directly for cooking (esp. for cooking rice, boiling drinking water, and similar 'heavy-duty' cooking duties). I guess this shaves off about 20% of my cooking gas bills.

The solar heater atop the second floor terrace at home. The Moringa oleifera
in the foreground has yielded profusely this year)

3. Installed a domestic-waste biogas plant
No, not (yet) the integrated Chinese model where everything is recycled (but not far from it). I've just installed a biogas plant that gives me 2 hrs of clean, non-sooty biogas to burn. What do I feed it? The digester takes in food waste, vegetable cuttings, water used for washing fish/meat, fruit waste etc. It can take about 5 kg of waste a day. A 4 kg watermelon provides 2 kg of 'waste' that feeds the plant for a couple of days. A jackfruit (Artocarpus hetrophyllus, available for about INR 30 a fruit), apparently can help generate 2-hours of cooking gas per day for a whole week...!

There are very good reasons why this plant is a good idea. First, it provides a place to dump up to 5 kg of all kinds of vegetable, fish, meat and cooked waste, keeping your garbage to a minimum. Second, if you are feeling adventurous, you can divert your toilet to this, reducing your drainage and public ecological footprint. Third, the refuse from your dogs, cats, and other pets can also be used to feed the plant. Fourth, the biogas plant gives you about 2 hours of cooking gas every day. Finally, the slurry which is the output of the digester is highly reduced in volume and is a potent fertilizer--in fact, you are warned to dilute it at least 1:5 before you apply it to your kitchen garden.

Speaking about kitchen gardens, mine's now getting bigger: I already have tomato, brinjal (eggplant), okra, passion fruit, and Amaranthus spp., presently, but have lots more coming up to feed on the slurry.

The biogas digester while being installed. This beast consumes 5 kg of food and vegetable waste
and yields about 2 hours of smell-free, soot-free flame every day.


After completion of installation. The drum is now nearly
full of gas and will produce sufficient gas for about 100-120 minutes

Will post my experiences later...do post if you have queries...