Many times we associate the problem of deforestation with urbanization, industry and great increases in population, but simple cooking is also a major player in this. In many rural areas of Africa cooking is done with a simple wood fired stove, whether it is to cook dinner or boil water to purify it for drinking, the wood stove is burning almost continuously. In order to keep these fires going they need a continuous supply of fuel or wood. This constant use of wood deteriorates a forest inch by inch. J. Coosje Hoogendoorn, director general of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), states that is extremely evident and bamboo charcoal could be the answer to halting deforestation, at least from the cooking end.
Bamboo charcoal works like normal charcoal would, allowing for fires to be lit and kept lit for a continuous amount of time. The major difference between bamboo charcoal and normal wood charcoal is that bamboo is a sustainable and renewable resource. Hoogendoorn states that deforestation is the leading cause of global warming and it needs to be taken on from every angle. Using bamboo as an alternative to wood when cooking is one way in which the fight for the environment can take place!
