Banana to Charcoal

INTRODUCTION The hypothesis for our project is to create a charcoal that have less soot and smoke. So, if we have less soot and smoke, we can reduce the air pollution. We also can reduce the banana peel that has been thrown as rubbish. Nowadays, in our country we have a lot of pollution especially air pollution. The causes of the air pollution come from vehicle, combustion, open burning and so on. Air pollution is a significant risk factor for multiple health conditions including respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer, according to the WHO. The health effects caused by air pollution may include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing, asthma and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. These effects can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospital admissions and premature death. The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the body's respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. The founder of Bakyala Tweyune women’s group has innovated a new method of alternative fuel by turning banana peelings into charcoal briquettes. In the beginning some women feared to join the groups because their husbands did not approve of the venture. But after realizing the benefits of the technology, men have come in to help the women especially in marketing banachakol. From this project we are innovated the banana to charcoal using banana peel and the wood dust. Our limit for this project is we did not have time to do the project. This is because we have a lot of school works to do. We also have limit of device and apparatus to do the project in school such as blender and oven. In Oxford dictionary, banana mean a long curved fruit which grows in clusters and has soft pulpy flesh and yellow skin when ripe:a bunch of banana. Charcoal mean a porous black solid, consisting of an amorphous form of carbon, obtained as a residue when wood, bone, or other organic matter is heated in the absence of air. 

briquettes of charcoal used for barbecuing: lamb grilled on charcoal  charcoal used for drawing: a selection of works in pencil and charcoal with a thick charcoal he traced out the line of the front

 

a drawing made with charcoal. a dark grey colour: charcoal cord trousers

METHODOLOGY: We invented this charcoal from banana peel to briquette of charcoal. In banana peel top briquette, they use sand and dust. Here we use the wood dust. There is some of the ingredient that we use. Ingredient: 1. Banana peel 2. Wood dust

First, we have to slice first the banana peels into smaller parts. After we slice the banana peels, we have to mix it with wood dust. The banana sap help tighten the mixing. We have to mix more banana peels than wood dust. Just put one hand of wood dust and three hands of banana peels. After that we cut it into smaller pieces. For the final, we have to dry it in the oven or dry it under the sun until the sap of the banana dries.

After the banana to charcoal dry off, we test it whether the banana charcoal produce less smoke and soot. If there are more smoke and soot, we reduce the wood dust so that the banana charcoal can produce less smoke to reduce the air pollution. DISCUSSION CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. http://www.farmradio.org/radio-resource-packs/package-76-agroforestry-practices-incombating-desertification/an-alternative-fuel-source-make-charcoal-briquettes-frombanana-peels/

2. http://www.scribd.com/doc/59929205/How-to-Make-Banana-Peel-Charcoal 3. oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/charcoal APENDIKS: Interview of the founder of banana peels to charcoal SOUND EFFECTS (PICK AXE CHOPPING FIREWOOD). Host: If you grow bananas in any part of the world, you will be interested in our program today, because we are going to talk about how banana peelings can be used to make charcoal briquettes. This is a technology that will save many trees. This technology started in Lungujja near Kampala , where a woman named Namusoke Immaculate, the founder of Bakyala Tweyune women’s group, has innovated a new method of alternative fuel by turning banana peelings into charcoal briquettes. Our guest today is Rita Ashaba, a community worker from Bakyala Tweyune. Rita, thank you for coming to share with us this new technology. Guest: You’re welcome. Good evening listeners. Host: How did you adopt the technology of banana peeling briquettes? Guest: I have known the technology of banana peeling briquettes for five years, which has made me a constant user and promoter of the product. I grow bananas and besides using the peelings as animal feed for my goats and for manure, I now use them to make charcoal briquettes. Host: So banana peelings have many different uses. Can you describe for our listeners how to make charcoal briquettes from the banana peels? What materials are needed? Guest: You will need one-half basin full of fresh banana peelings, a quarter basin of charcoal dust, and a quarter basin of fine sand. Host: Okay, banana peelings, charcoal dust and sand. Once I have these things together, what do I do? Guest: First you have to chop the fresh banana peelings into small pieces. Once the banana peelings are chopped, then mix the three ingredients together – the banana peelings, the charcoal dust and the sand. Host: Are these in equal amounts? Guest: No, the banana peelings should be more, approximately half of the mixture. Charcoal dust and sand should each be a quarter of the quantity of the peelings. Host: Okay, so we are mixing these three things together. Guest:

That’s right. The sap in the banana peelings will tie up the sand and charcoal dust. Then you make the briquettes of a suitable size. They are put under the sun and are dried. Then they are are ready for use just like that. Host: That sounds simple and interesting. I bet it does not take long to dry does it? Guest: The drying takes a short time, of course depending on the weather. Host: Listeners before we hear about the advantages of using banachakol, let’s have a music break. MUSIC BREAK Host: We’re back with our guest who has been talking about how to make banana peel charcoal briquettes. Rita what is the advantage of using the banana peel charcoal briquettes compared to using other forms of fuel? Guest: If you live in a banana growing area, it will be easy for you to get the banana peelings. That’s one of the benefits. The other things you need are simply sand and charcoal dust. All these things are found close to home, so women do not have to move long distances away from home in search for fuel. Host: And I understand that the procedure of making the briquettes is also easy. Guest: Yes. In most cases I ask my children to help and because of the ease, to them it is like playing. One more thing. You do NOT need a special fireplace to burn this charcoal. The charcoal burns for a long time. So that means one does not use a lot of it when cooking. Besides much less smoke is produced so the cooking place is cleaner and safer. Host: From your experience in working with rural women how has the technology of using banachakol changed the lives of some users? Guest: Because of banachakol women now have more time with their children at home, which means more care, one of which is that their meals are on time. For the many women groups I interact with, they have started self-help projects like zero grazing, mushroom farming and tailoring. Host: Have you involved men in this new technology? Guest: In the beginning some women feared to join the groups because their husbands did not approve of the venture. But after realizing the benefits of the technology, men have come in to help the women especially in marketing banachakol. Certainly everything that is about women concerns men. Host: How is the demand for banachakol so far? Guest: Demand is rising and we hope to purchase equipment to crush the peelings so that it is even easier. We also hope to build a larger drying area and of course we want to start employing people to sort banana peelings from garbage in areas where they are thrown.

Host: Rita, thank you for joining us today. Dear listeners that brings us to the end of our program about conserving our environment. I am grateful to Rita our guest who has told us a lot about the banachakol, a new source of fuel for cooking. Until next time cheers and have a good evening.