Deforestation is a direct result of the lack of a cooking alternative for the rural poor. The situation is grim in some countries, since the resultant change in weather patterns has also affected the rainfall and thereby the food supply.

We must solve this problem in its two parameters: scarcity of fire wood and re-forestation. By supplying wood and alternative cooking fuels to the rural poor in a form which is economically accessible to them, we would immediately solve the resource allocation imbalance. If this means that some effort must be made to provide cooking wood at a price which is not cost effective, then so be it. We can not continue to let the World's Life be jeopardized over the much touted but untrue lack of money!

If we were to re-cycle flammable wood products, such as cardboard, newspaper, magazines, containers and the like and form them into logs for shipment to the third World we would be in effect solving two problems, our refuse disposal and their cooking needs. A feasibility study needs to be done for this option and the results made public as soon as possible.

Secondly, we must reforest the Worlds non-arable woodlands. This effort must be undertaken by all of the World's rural poor, in reciprocity for being given the access to firestuff from the developed World. Once people can care for the reforestation of their own neighboring forests in a way which is beneficial to them, we will solve the other half of the wood problem.

Other alternatives are the use of natural gas stoves fueled by adequately sized back-pack gas canisters. Our western technology sizes according to what is efficient to transport by truck or pick-up, not by human beings. Our gas stoves are made to fit in a middle-class kitchen or as camping burners. Surely there must be a design which will provide for several burners in a low-tech, low cost stove.

Atlanta,
October 24, 1994